Go with a plan.
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Barcelona at 48/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Spain's national picture overall (67/100 vs 70/100).
City page · part of Spain
The one number a country page can't give you
What people who actually live in Barcelona report
Numbeo aggregates thousands of resident-submitted perception surveys into a per-city Crime Index (higher = worse) and its inverse, a Safety Index — the only real city-granularity crime signal feeding this page, alongside Spain's national advisory, political, health, and police-trust data.
Crime Index
52.2
Safety Index
47.8
Sub-scores
Same real inputs as Spain's national page, with crime swapped for Barcelona's own Numbeo number above.
Local know-how
Staying safe in Barcelona, specifically
- • Pickpockets: Pickpocketing is the most pressing issue for visitors to Barcelona.
- • Pickpockets usually work with more than one people, with one person using all kinds of tricks to distract you as their accomplices take action.
Legal status (national law)
Legal since 1979 + UN decl. sign.
Source: Wikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country →Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / F · 230V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 112 / ambulance: 112 / fire: 112
Tipping
Tipping, or "propina" in Spanish is not mandatory nor considered customary in Spain. As a result, you may find that waiters are not as attentive or courteous as you may be used to since they don't work for tips.
Cash vs. Card
€500 banknotes are not accepted in many stores—always have alternative banknotes.
How this compares to Spain
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Barcelona at 48/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Spain's national picture overall (67/100 vs 70/100).
See the full Spain page and all receipts →