Is Spain Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Spain is generally a safe country for solo female travelers. Both urban areas and rural regions have low levels of crime. It is always prudent to take basic precautions, such as avoiding poorly lit and deserted areas late at night, keeping a close eye on personal belongings in crowded places, and not sharing your personal details or itineraries with strangers. Public transportation and taxis are usually safe and reliable. However, like anywhere else, incidents can occur, so staying alert and using common sense is important.

Safety rating

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How safe is Spain?

Safety at night:

Safety at night:Safe

Spain, in general, is known to have a good safety record and this includes safety after dark too. However, like any other place, safety can vary depending on the area and time. Bigger cities like Madrid and Barcelona are largely safe but do be cautious in quieter or less lit streets. Also be aware of pickpocketing, especially in crowded areas or tourist hotspots. Overall, basic precautions such as sticking to well-lit areas, not displaying valuables openly, and maintaining a sense of awareness are still advised.
Public transportation:

Public transportation:Safe

Public transportation in Spain is generally safe and reliable. It consists of buses, trains, trams, and metros which effectively connect cities and towns. The services are frequented by local and foreign travelers alike. However, it's important to be conscious of your surroundings, especially in crowded spaces, as pickpocketing incidents have been reported in some areas. Overall, the system is widely used and safety concerns are minimal.
Street harassment:

Street harassment:Low

While cases of street harassment do occur and vary by region, Spain generally has a safe atmosphere. Instances of wolf-whistling, cat-calling, and lewd remarks are not commonplace. Being a solo female traveler, you may occasionally experience unsolicited attention, but typically, locals are respectful and unobtrusive. Nonetheless, maintaining caution in crowded areas or during late hours is advisable. Remember, your experience may vary depending on various factors such as the neighborhood you're in, the time of day, and your general demeanor.
Petty crimes:

Petty crimes:Low

Spain, as a whole, experiences relatively low levels of petty crimes such as pickpocketing, particularly outside of major cities. However, you may encounter higher risk in tourist-heavy areas including major cities like Barcelona and Madrid, where pickpockets might be more common. Always remain alert and keep an eye on personal belongings even in crowded public transports and places. Stay aware of your surroundings, but overall, Spain is considered quite safe for travelers.

Is Spain worth visiting?

Overall rating

4.7 /5

based on 340 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

4.6/5

Safety

4.5/5

Food

4.5/5

Budget-friendly

3.6/5
Anna

Anna

Austria

Valencia, Solo travel

I stayed at Cantagua Hostel and it was awesome! The staff is great and they offer great advise and group activities. Lots of cool day trips, best was the visit of Albufera and Albufera Natural Park and the beaches of course :) All in all very beautiful city, perfect for a short trip of 2-4 days.

Posted: January 20, 2025
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Delia

Delia

Ireland

Gran Canaria, Family travel

I travelled with my mom and 2x sisters. It was really safe to walk alone at night. I recommend the submarine and Teror and San Matreo markets tours as they were about €30 each. Book the submarine tour directly on their website to get 10% off with a free shuttle bus. Transportation was easy as we looked it up on Google Maps and the busses accept cash.

Posted: January 19, 2025Experienced: January, 2025
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Valencia, Solo travel

Valencia felt very safe, even at night in tourist areas. Must-visit: City of Arts and Sciences, Turia Gardens, Central Market, Malvarrosa Beach. Food: Try paella at Casa Carmela, horchata at Horchatería Santa Catalina, and tapas at Mercado de Colón. Budget: €50-70/day covered meals, transport, and attractions. I stayed in a boutique hostel in Ciutat Vella—clean, quiet, and well-located. Transport: Easy to navigate with walking, buses, metro and bike.

Posted: January 18, 2025
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Gran Canaria, Group travel

I was here with a big group of friends visiting someone. We did Highlining, wich was a lot of fun! And some climbing and a guided canyoning tour. The food was good, but for vegetarians who dont like fish, it wasn't a lot of options. We also hiked the tallest mountain(wich was not that tall at all). I had a blast, would definetly recommend:)

Posted: January 17, 2025Experienced: January, 2022
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Tenerife, Solo travel

having an amazing time on the island🌞 was supposed to stay for two weeks, been here since 1 1/2 months now. the locals can be a bit anti tourists and a lot speak very poorly/ no english, especially in the north, but once u get to know them they are lovely

Posted: January 14, 2025
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Yolanda

Yolanda

Spain

Madrid, Couple travel

I recommend go to Chueca, it’s a part of the center that is LGBT+ supportive and it has such a good vibe. I feel pretty safe bcs we stay the night at the center of the city, but I have a friend who live like 30 mins away of the center and she told me that when she has to go home after the university she don’t feel so safe she carry a special key-knife with her just in case

Posted: January 13, 2025Experienced: April, 2024
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Madrid, Solo travel

My hostel was very social, almost too social for my first solo trip. I was happy to be on my own. During the day there were plenty of activities to do including a walking tour and walk through the park which is stunning. As a woman I did not feel safe at night, a few times I was cat called by men and this made me very uncomfortable.

Posted: January 9, 2025
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Murcia, Solo travel

It was beautiful. I went to a town called Águilas and even though it looked somewhat old, the beach was amazing, the food was cheap and good and the vibe was just incredible. Highly recommend. Also the capital is great, it's a total different vibe to the town nonetheless.

Posted: January 8, 2025
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Madrid, Solo travel

i went to madrid for a month in 2023 when i was in the city for school i felt pretty safe, expect for a few encounters with a local weirdo while i stayed with a relative, she told me a lot about the crimes in the area, but other than suuuuper loud neighbours i never felt like i had to worry i walked a lot and saw many beautiful buildings, shops and incredibly nice people the food was amazing and affordable. just like the public transport, i recommend the underground tickets for as long as you stay there and not the daily ones

Posted: January 6, 2025
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Emily

Emily

Germany

Spain, Solo travel

I felt safe most of the my time in spain, the food was great but a lot with meat, in the south of spain there was also perfect weather for staying there in the winter, comparing to other countries like Germany :)

Posted: January 3, 2025Experienced: December, 2024
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Is Spain safe for women?

Safety index

4.3 /5

Based on 274 local experiences

Crime index

2 /5

Based on 274 local experiences

Barcelona

In general barcelona gets a worse reputation than it really is, although it's important to be careful and aware of your surroundings when traveling in barcelona, especially at night. But overall it's safe to walk around in this city if you avoid the worse neighborhoods.

Posted: January 20, 2025
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Iz☆r

Iz☆r

Bilbao

Bilbao is overall a safe city. Getting mugged could happen but its not that big of a problem (doesn't happen that often) by keeping an eye in a moderated way, everything should be fine. There are some neighbourhoods that people tend to ignore at night (as it could be san Francisco: still the principal Street is filled with police officers 24/7) I don't know much more about nightlife and during the day I feel totally safe. There's always a possibility of finding someone that behaves in a weird way (I got followed with a friend once) but its not common not dangerous. I understand it as an exception.

Posted: January 20, 2025
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Safety in Spain