The Truth about Barcelona Safety

Information on May 5, 2009 12:26 pm

Safety in Barcelona is a topic that has has attracted a lot of attention recently on travel forums, no more so than on TripAdvisor. Given the high amount of hyperbole that surrounds this polemical subject,  I am eager to add my two cents.

There have been comments such as, ‘it really is a city of low-lives and beggars’ and ‘you are always worried about being mugged’. These are, I believe, a bit generalised and have been made in the heat of the moment by someone who’s had an unfortunate experience.

One particular member stated that they would do all they could to warn people off Barcelona, at which point I thought it was an issue that should be addressed.

Barcelona is a top tourist destination that receives millions of visitors every year (around 14 million is the estimated annual figure), and this is no surprise given all that the city has to offer. Unfortunately there’s an element in the city that wishes to exploit these tourists. There’s no denying that crime in Barcelona does exist. And tourists are the main targets because they are easy targets. For all the people that go home having had a great experience there will be an unlucky minority that leave with a sour taste in their mouth.

Perhaps it has helped that I’m always walking to somewhere with a purpose instead of slowly exploring the streets. And I would admit that I am lucky that in the time I’ve lived in the city I haven’t been robbed. Some people spend years here without anything ever happening and other people get mugged within hours of their first visit.

My advice is to be cautious on the metro if people are standing near you and if it is busy, keep your phone and wallet in your front pockets and put your hands in them (no thief is good enough to take your hand out without you noticing!!) If you have a bag, make sure it is closed and carry it in a manner that allows you to keep an eye on it at all times. Be particularly wary for the bag snatchers who speed by up and down the streets either side of the Ramblas targeting those waiting to cross the road.

On the plus, the rate of violent crime is very low compared to other major cities.  In fact, violent crime in the city has been described by some as “virtually non-existent”.  Obviously, the key word here is “virtually”, so it is still best to keep your wits about you, even though violent crime is less common than in the US or UK.

You can also take steps such as avoiding certain areas at particular times but at the end of the day no matter what you do something unfortunate may happen, just like in any popular tourist destination.

Petty crime can be tackled by vigilance, although there are some very crafty thieves with various scams to swindle you. However if you keep alert and behave sensibly then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a superb experience.

Andrew

If you have any tips on staying safe that you would like to share with us, please leave your comments below.

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