Stay safe in Barcelona 

Barcelona has an unfortunate reputation of suffering from many pickpockets and scammers. But should you feel unsafe when staying in the city? Do not fear, this guide will help you enjoy the beautiful city of Barcelona while feeling safe.            

Be around people

Being around your friends/family, or just sticking to well-lit places where you are not the only human to spot, is highly recommend. Barcelona is not a dangerous place, but like many other places in the world, it is always safer to avoid walking around alone, especially at night and keep an eye out for suspicious characters.

On the other hand, being surrounded by a lot of people, especially in crowded, touristy places, is known for being victim to many pickpockets. So do not just watch out for yourself, watch out for your belongings as well, and learn how to avoid pickpockets in Barcelona.

Be careful of your money and passport

Instead of bringing all of your valuable belongings with you when you are out exploring the city or shopping, leave at least one credit card, some of your cash, and your passport in the safe in your hotel room, or wherever you are staying. Only bring the amount of cash you expect to spend, this will also help you not spend too much money while you are out. Additionally, make a copy of your passport and carry the photocopy around with you instead of your actual passport.

Also, if you are in need of more cash, try to take money out of an ATM in the middle of the day when people are around instead of at night at desolated ATMs.

Low crime level

 Aggressive and violent behavior in the Barcelona nightlife, and in Barcelona in general, is really rare. The city has a lot of police patrolling on streets and in traffic both day and night, which will make you feel safe. The Spanish do not generally drink to excess, smoking is more popular in Spain than heavy drinking, this keeps the nightlife more peaceful with fewer fights. Like any other city, it is possible to get assaulted in Barcelona even though it is very rare. It would most likely occur late at night near La Rambla or the Raval neighborhood, but generally, everyone can walk the streets of Barcelona in safety from violence.

Now that you are prepared to enter a low crime city, you should see these other 5 essential tips that will prepare for Barcelona.

Does the Catalan conflict make Barcelona unsafe?

You might have heard about the political conflict between Catalonia and Spain which led to Catalonia declaring independence from the rest of Spain. If you ask a person living in Barcelona about the situation, they will most likely say that the media have been exaggerating when covering the conflict, a bunch of controversial articles about Catalonia and images that exceed reality such as the police attacking protesters and huge demonstration crowds in the streets have been circulating social media and have aroused a lot of anxiety, but you do not have to worry about feeling unsafe because of this conflict, the reality is much quieter than one might think. Mass demonstrations have happened, but they have been peacefully and they did not result in violence. Only things you might notice while staying in Barcelona is the events happening in symbolic places such as at Plaza Sant Jaume where the Catalan government is. You will also notice Catalan flags hanging on many apartment balconies and you will maybe hear the noise of banging pots at 10 pm which is a way of expressing their dissatisfaction with Madrid.

The tourism in the city has decreased a bit since the beginning of the conflict which means you can benefit from it if you are visiting Barcelona: prices of accommodation and flights have decreased and the city is not as crowded with tourists as usual. We can only recommend coming to Barcelona now, save money on the trip, see the things to do in Barcelona, and come have fun with us!

Stay tuned for our upcoming events on our website and Facebook page, we hope to meet you soon at one of our events!