World Safety Map

Safest cities in Spain

49 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04

US 2/4 Exercise increased caution

What official travel advice warns about

Terrorism

  • Terrorism in SpainTerrorists are likely to try and carry out attacks in Spain.

Political situation

  • Demonstrations, political gatherings or marches can take place with little or no warning, particularly in cities. Follow the advice of police and local authorities.

Lost or stolen passports

  • If your passport is lost or stolen, you must renew your passport or apply for an emergency travel document. You cannot use a police report to leave Spain.

Crime

  • Protecting your belongingsBe alert to the risk of street crime. Thieves use distraction techniques and often work in teams. Take care of your passports, money and personal belongings, particularly when collecting or checking in luggage at the airport, and while arranging car hire.
  • Vehicle crime‘Highway pirates’ target foreign-registered and hire cars, especially those towing caravans. They may flag you down, claiming there is something wrong with your car or that you have damaged theirs. If you decide to stop to check the condition of a vehicle, stop in a public area with lights, such as a service station. Be wary of anyone offering…
  • Attacks and sexual assaultAttacks, including sexual assaults, are rare but do occur. In an emergency call 112.
  • Drink spiking and alcoholBe alert to the possible use of ‘date rape’ and other drugs including GHB and liquid ecstasy.
  • ScamsThieves posing as police officers may ask to see your wallet, claiming they need to see it for identification. Genuine police officers will ask to see ID but will not ask for wallets or purses. All police officers, including those in plain clothes, carry official ID.
  • Timeshares and holiday clubsBe cautious if you are planning to buy or sell a timeshare. There are companies who offer false incentives.

Laws and cultural differences

  • Personal IDYou must provide photo ID if asked by a police officer. This includes the Guardia Civil and national, regional and local police forces. The police have the right to hold you at a police station until they have confirmed your identity.
  • Alcohol laws and bansIt’s illegal to drink alcohol in the street in some areas of Spain. You can get an on-the-spot fine. There are strict controls on drinking and sexual activity in public places, including on beaches. Some areas also impose fines for the sale or consumption of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas.
  • Alcohol laws in the Balearic IslandsLocal laws limit the sale and availability of alcohol in areas of some resorts on the Balearic Islands, including:
  • Falls from heightThere have been a number of serious accidents, some fatal, involving British nationals falling from height, including from balconies.
  • Illegal drugsIllegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties. You should expect a long jail sentence and heavy fines for possessing, using or smuggling illegal drugs, including when transiting through airports. Possession of even a small quantity of drugs can lead to arrest and detention.
  • Illegal commercial parties in villas and private homesThere have been a number of serious accidents involving people attending illegal commercially promoted parties in villas and private homes on the islands of Ibiza and Mallorca.
  • Dress codeIn some parts of Spain it’s illegal to be in the street wearing only a bikini or swimming shorts. Being bare-chested is also illegal in some areas in Spain. You could be fined if you’re caught wearing swimwear on the seafront promenade or adjacent streets.
  • Changing moneyAlways use official money exchange offices or banks because unofficial money changers may give you counterfeit money. Possession or use of counterfeit money is considered a serious crime in Spain and may lead to prosecution.
  • LGBT+Spain is a generally tolerant and progressive place for LGBT+ travellers. There are active LGBT+ communities and social venues, particularly in big cities. Same-sex marriage is legal. Transgender people can register under their preferred sex in public documents such as birth certificates, identity cards and passports without undergoing prior…

Outdoor activities and adventure tourism

  • Festivals, concerts and processionsMany large events and public processions are held in Spain each year. Follow the advice of police and local authorities when attending events.

Swimming and beaches

  • Swimming poolsAlways supervise children. Keep small children within arms-reach in and around swimming pools, even if they can swim or there is a lifeguard present.
  • BeachesTake care when swimming in the sea. Always supervise children and keep small children within arms-reach. Some beaches, especially around Spanish islands, may have strong undercurrents.
  • Hill walking, skiing and mountain activitiesTemperatures in some parts of Spain can change very quickly. Take extra care when planning a hike or walk. Check local weather reports for warnings of extreme heat or cold temperatures.

Transport risks

  • Road travelYou can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Spain. If you still have a paper driving licence, you may need to update it to a photocard licence. Provisional licences are not valid for driving in Spain.
  • Driving a British car abroadYou may need a UK sticker to drive your car outside the UK.
  • Driving regulationsIf you are planning to drive in Spain, see information on driving abroad and check the rules of the road in the RAC’s Spain guide. The guide lists driving regulations and other legal requirements you need to be aware of.
  • Low emission zonesSome inner-city areas in Spain have introduced permanent low emission zones (‘Zonas de bajas emisiones’ – ZBE) where Spanish vehicles must meet specific exhaust emission standards and display an air pollution sticker. The stickers are not issued to vehicles with foreign registration plates, but some cities require you to register your vehicle in…
  • TaxisOnly use official registered or licensed taxis, or reputable transport companies you recognise. Licensing regulations differ across Spain and in certain cities pre-booking is required.

Extreme weather and natural disasters

  • Extreme temperaturesExtreme weather can affect many parts of Spain, particularly over the summer months. Check warnings from the Spanish Meteorological Office (AEMET) and the European Meteorological Services.
  • WildfiresWildfires happen often in Spain, including on the islands, during the summer months.
  • FloodingFlash flooding can cause travel disruption and damage to property and infrastructure. Check weather warnings from Spain’s meteorological office (AEMET) before travel and follow the advice of the local authorities.

Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Spain, updated 2026-08-12 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →

Country figures

Homicide rate
0.73 /100k2024
Income inequality
Gini 33.42023
Human development
HDI 0.9182023
Income
$59,830/yrGNI per capita PPP
Road deaths
3.9 /100kWHO, 2019
Political stability
66/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
Rule of law
73/100WGI, 2024
Corruption perceptions
55/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
Natural-hazard risk
2.5/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Women, Peace & Security
0.86GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
Air quality
10.1 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
Safe drinking water
100%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
Healthcare capacity
4.3 doctors /1k2.9 hospital beds per 1,000

Natural hazards

Flood
6.4/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Tsunami
4.6/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Drought
3.1/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Earthquake
2.9/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier

Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.

Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Spain (as of 2025).

How Spain compares

Spain against the median of all 180 countries in the dataset. Green means better than the median.
MeasureSpainWorld medianDifference
Homicide rate0.7 /100k2.4 /100k−1.6 /100k — better for Spain
Income inequality (Gini)33.435.2−1.8 — better for Spain
Human development (HDI)0.9180.763+0.155 — better for Spain
Road deaths3.9 /100k15.4 /100k−11.5 /100k — better for Spain
Rule of law73/10052/100+21/100 — better for Spain
Corruption perceptions55/10039/100+16/100 — better for Spain
Air quality (PM2.5)10.1 µg/m³19.7 µg/m³−9.6 µg/m³ — better for Spain
Natural-hazard risk2.5/103.8/10−1.3/10 — better for Spain
And against its own region — often the more useful comparison, since Europe shares much of the context a global median averages away.
MeasureSpainEurope medianDifference
Homicide rate0.7 /100k1.0 /100k−0.3 /100k — better for Spain
Income inequality (Gini)33.430.6+2.8 — better for Europe median
Human development (HDI)0.9180.907+0.011 — better for Spain
Road deaths3.9 /100k5.8 /100k−1.9 /100k — better for Spain
Rule of law73/10074/100−1/100 — better for Europe median
Corruption perceptions55/10057/100−2/100 — better for Europe median
Air quality (PM2.5)10.1 µg/m³11.8 µg/m³−1.7 µg/m³ — better for Spain
Natural-hazard risk2.5/102.5/10±0.0/10

Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.

All 49 cities, safest first

  1. Madrid85.3 · #216 worldwide
  2. Alcalá de Henares85.3 · #217 worldwide
  3. Torrejón de Ardoz85.3 · #218 worldwide
  4. Mataró85.3 · #219 worldwide
  5. Granollers85.3 · #220 worldwide
  6. Bilbao82.7 · #474 worldwide
  7. Seville82.7 · #475 worldwide
  8. Zaragoza82.7 · #476 worldwide
  9. Málaga82.7 · #477 worldwide
  10. Palma de Mallorca82.7 · #478 worldwide
  11. Alicante82.7 · #479 worldwide
  12. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria82.7 · #480 worldwide
  13. Granada82.7 · #481 worldwide
  14. Santa Cruz de Tenerife82.7 · #482 worldwide
  15. Murcia82.7 · #483 worldwide
  16. Valladolid82.7 · #484 worldwide
  17. Vigo82.7 · #485 worldwide
  18. Pamplona82.7 · #486 worldwide
  19. A Coruña82.7 · #487 worldwide
  20. Gijón82.7 · #488 worldwide
  21. Vitoria-Gasteiz82.7 · #489 worldwide
  22. Córdoba82.7 · #490 worldwide
  23. Donostia / San Sebastián82.7 · #491 worldwide
  24. Oviedo / Uviéu82.7 · #492 worldwide
  25. Santander82.7 · #493 worldwide
  26. Jerez82.7 · #494 worldwide
  27. Marbella82.7 · #495 worldwide
  28. Logroño82.7 · #496 worldwide
  29. Almeria82.7 · #497 worldwide
  30. Burgos82.7 · #498 worldwide
  31. Salamanca82.7 · #499 worldwide
  32. León82.7 · #500 worldwide
  33. Elx / Elche82.7 · #501 worldwide
  34. Mairena del Aljarafe82.7 · #502 worldwide
  35. Castelló de la Plana82.7 · #503 worldwide
  36. Albacete82.7 · #504 worldwide
  37. Girona82.7 · #505 worldwide
  38. Torremolinos82.7 · #506 worldwide
  39. Huelva82.7 · #507 worldwide
  40. Algeciras82.7 · #508 worldwide
  41. Cádiz82.7 · #509 worldwide
  42. Cartagena82.7 · #510 worldwide
  43. Badajoz82.7 · #511 worldwide
  44. Barcelona82.3 · #1648 worldwide
  45. Terrassa82.3 · #1649 worldwide
  46. Sant Boi de Llobregat82.3 · #1650 worldwide
  47. Valencia81.2 · #1797 worldwide
  48. Tarragona79.7 · #1892 worldwide
  49. Lleida79.7 · #1893 worldwide