How do I not get mugged in Barcelona?

Barcelona essential pickpocket safety tips:
  1. Don't carry your wallet in a back pocket.
  2. Don't put phones, cameras on tables at cafes.
  3. Wear your backpack on the front in touristy areas.
  4. Always keep bags closed and on your lap at cafes/coffee bars.
  5. Be wary of any strangers approaching you or touching you.




People Also Ask

Like all major cities, muggings can happen at any time, anywhere in the world. Barcelona is a beautiful city and although muggings happen, it should not discourage travelers from exploring that area.

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until you can arrive at a bank or cashpoint to obtain some more money. Barcelona does have a pickpocketing problem, and it is advised to ensure you do not carry too much cash around with you. Banks usually only open from Monday to Friday from between 08:00 and 08:30 to 13:30 or 14:00.

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Although Barcelona is largely a secure city, some parts are best avoided, particularly after the sun sets. As a visitor to this vibrant city, it's important to be mindful of the risk of pickpocketing and bag theft in high-traffic tourist locales such as Las Ramblas, Sagrada Familia, and Park Guell.

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It will all depend on where you are walking. Keep away from dark alleys and you should be fine. Locals told us not to walk THROUGH the Plaza de Cataluna at night so we didn't do so. I walk around my neighborhood late at night and I am ok.

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Public transport such as the metro, tram and FGC are the quickest, simplest, most convenient and most sustainable way of getting around Barcelona. You can choose from the different ticket types and travel cards. Bicycles are a healthy, clean and silent way of getting around the city.

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La Rambla is the boundary between the quarters of Barri Gòtic, to the east, and El Raval, to the west. Barcelona's safest areas tend to be the more affluent neighborhoods, such as Eixample, Poble Sec, and Poblenou.

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Yes, I still here from locals: “Oh, they only target tourists.” But I have also heard others say, “I don't feel safe in Barcelona anymore.” I think, it depends where you live, and how often you go out at night. Pickpockets prey on tipsy locals and tourists in their merry mood.

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Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain The place with the highest number of pickpockets is Barcelona's iconic Las Ramblas pedestrian walkway. During peak tourist season it is super crowded making it perfect for pickpockets.

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Also make sure to avoid wearing any expensive looking jewellery or accessories, especially when it comes to wrist watches.

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There is a law in Spain that tourists need to carry their passports or national ID cards with them at all times, in case they are stopped by any police force.

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Your clothes are a dead giveaway. The stereotype is true: American tourists stick out like a sore thumb when they travel, making them prime targets for pickpockets. Instead of throwing on a T-shirt to rep your alma mater, try to dress like the locals.

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Spain has a relatively low crime rate, but things do happen. Tourists are far more often victims of pickpockets and petty thieves than they are of muggers, and violence is rare. Crowded sidewalks and tourist sites as well as the Metro are places to be especially careful.

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Pickpockets are the main crime problem for most tourists visiting Barcelona.

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  • Spain has one of the lowest crime rates of Europe, around one third less than also Germany.
  • There is a concentration of crime at parts of the Costa del Sol and in Barcelona. Most crimes in Spain are drug related and theft and burglary in mostly touristic areas.
  • The homicide rate is very low in Spain.


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