Barcelona Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (35/100)
Is Barcelona safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Barcelona scores 35/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The US State Department rates Spain Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution, updated 1 Aug 2026); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution. No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Natural disasters (score 12)
Crime (score 50)
September 27, 2026
Barcelona, Spain has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 35 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is crime at 50/100; the lowest-rated category is natural disasters at 12/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Spain travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Barcelona to visit in 2026?
Barcelona currently sits at 35/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine with normal precautions, but a few categories below score high enough that planning matters. The highest-rated risk category for Barcelona is crime (50/100), and the lowest is natural disasters (12/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: security (35/100) and crime and scams (48/100).
A score of 35 is higher than the scores of 42% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 16, 2026
Barcelona, Spain currently maintains a moderate risk level with a baseline composite score of 35 out of 100 and a US State Department advisory level of 2. Travelers should note an ongoing drought affecting the country, a Level 1 global dengue notice from the CDC, and upcoming travel warnings regarding a potential general strike on November 11.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 07:55 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Crime (score 50/100): Use registered taxis or ride-share apps. Keep electronics out of sight in public transit. Read recent reviews for your specific neighborhood.
- Environmental quality (score 35/100): Check air-quality forecasts. If sensitive, pack a mask and adjust outdoor activity. Hydration is critical in heat.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Barcelona
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Exercise heightened caution even during daylight hours. Stick to primary thoroughfares, travel in groups where possible, and avoid navigating quiet residential side-streets alone.
Nighttime movement carries significant risk. Strictly avoid solo walking after dark; rely exclusively on hotel-arranged transportation or registered radiotaxis, and confirm destination security before leaving your accommodation.
Safety by Traveler Type in Barcelona
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Solo travelers
Crime risk is elevated. Solo travelers should avoid quiet areas at night, keep a charged phone and offline map, and share a live location with someone.
Women traveling solo
General crime risk is elevated. Plan arrivals in daylight, avoid isolated areas, and prefer accommodation with 24h reception. We do not hold gender-specific incident data for Barcelona, so also check the live official advisory above and local women-traveler communities.
No group-specific warning is triggered in Barcelona for families with children (Health 18/100 · Natural disaster 12/100), older travelers (Health 18/100 · Transport 25/100), business travelers (Digital 25/100 · Money 28/100 · Transport 25/100) and lgbtq+ travelers (Advisory 15/100 · Political 22/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + Global Peace Index references)
Quick facts
| Hospital access | high |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | high |
| Tourist scam risk | high |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in Barcelona
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Today's weather
☀ Clear
Barcelona, Spain
| Today's high / low | 24°C / 18.3°C | Wind now / max | 3.7 km/h / 8.7 km/h |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humidity | 91% | Precipitation today | 0 mm · 0% chance |
| UV (max today) | 4 | Sunrise / Sunset | 08:04 / 19:09 |
Source: Open-Meteo (free public weather API) · fetched 2026-10-16 07:55:12 UTC · cached
Air quality
Air Quality
Moderate
| PM2.5 / PM10 | 28.5 / 33.3 µg/m³ | O₃ / NO₂ | 14 / 64 µg/m³ |
|---|
Source: Open-Meteo Air Quality · fetched 2026-10-16 07:55:12 UTC · cached
Official travel advisory
Level 2 · Exercise Increased Caution
Spain - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
-
Drought is on going in Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Belgium, Belarus, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Russia, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, San Marino, Ukraine, ORANGE · country-wide · 2026-02-11
The Drought notification level is Orange.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-10-16 07:54:07 UTC
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Wildfires | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of Barcelona happened in April, June, July and August (4 of 4 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Spain travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Spain entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-16 07:26:45 UTC
Recent headlines
Recent Headlines · Barcelona Spain
-
Spain travel warning as major strike could 'bring country to standstill'
The Sun · 6d ago
-
Ouigo Train Strike in Spain: Six Dates From October 30
FTN news · 3d ago
Source: Google News · headlines verbatim, dates from publishers · fetched 2026-10-16 07:55:13 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Barcelona
The most weather-stable two-month window for Barcelona is May–June, when typical daily temperatures run from about 13°C to 24°C and monthly rain averages 50 mm.
No threshold-level heat, cold, wind, or cyclone flag appears in the stored normals; October is the wettest typical month at about 88 mm.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 5, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Barcelona
Barcelona has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 5 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 5 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: Capio Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor
- Hospital: Centre Mèdic Aragó
- Hospital: Fremap
- Hospital: Fundació Eulàlia Torras de Beà
- Hospital: Fundació sanitaria Sant Pere Claver
- Hospital: Hospital Clínic
- Hospital: Hospital de Nens de Barcelona
- Hospital: Hospital del Mar
- Hospital: Hospital Evangelic
- Hospital: Hospital HM Nens
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Cavallerisses de la Guardia Urbana
- Police: Comissaria de la Guàrdia Urbana
- Police: Comissaria de la Guàrdia Urbana
- Police: Comissaria dels Mossos d'Esquadra a Ciutat Vella
- Police: Guàrdia Urbana de Barcelona
- Police: Oficina Conjunta de Mossos d'Esquadra i la Guàrdia Urbana
- Police: Prefectura Superior de Policia Nacional a Catalunya
- Embassy: Consolat de les Illes Seychelles
- Embassy: Consolat de Portugal
- Embassy: Consolat General de Bolívia
- Embassy: Consolat General de França a Barcelona
- Embassy: Consulate of Canada
- Pharmacy: Barcelona Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Farmàcia Barenys
- Pharmacy: Farmàcia Catedral
- Pharmacy: Farmàcia Clapés Antoja, Josep
- Pharmacy: Farmàcia Guilera Barba, Marc
- Pharmacy: Farmàcia Matas Boet, Núria
- Pharmacy: Farmàcia Moragrega Estrany, L - Rojas Estrany, ME
- Pharmacy: Farmàcia Nadal Casas, Manuel
- Pharmacy: Farmàcia Pedragosa Cacha, Santiago
- Pharmacy: Farmàcia Toledo Fernández, Esther
- Fire station: Unnamed fire station
- Fire station: Montjuïc Fire Station
- Fire station: Parc de Bombers de la Vall d'Hebron
- Fire station: Parc de Bombers de Llevant
- Fire station: Parc de bombers provisional de l'Eixample
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (Spain)
| Police | 091 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 061 |
| Fire | 080 |
| General | 112 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Essential local emergency phrases
Show this screen to first responders, hotel staff, or passersby if you cannot speak the local language during an emergency.
Medical access
| Hospital access | high |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | high |
| Emergency response | high |
| English-speaking care | medium |
| Evacuation complexity | low |
High-quality public + private; English varies.
Common scam patterns
- Las Ramblas pickpocket gangs. Europe's most pickpocketed street: organized gangs, often posing as tourists, target phones, wallets and cameras using distractions. Tip: Never keep a wallet in a back pocket; phone in a front pocket; wear a crossbody bag zipped in front on La Rambla.
- Bird-dropping / "clean-up" distraction. Someone smears liquid on your clothes, then "helpers" appear to clean it while an accomplice takes your bag. Tip: If something lands on you, keep walking and hold your bag tight; refuse help cleaning you.
- Bracelet & petition distractions. Someone ties a bracelet on your wrist or asks you to sign a petition while an accomplice goes for your bag. Tip: Keep your hands free and decline; do not stop for clipboards or unsolicited "gifts".
- Three-card monte (shell game). Rigged street card and shell games on La Rambla run with shills - every "player" is part of the operation. Tip: Never play - it is impossible to win and is also a pickpocket setup.
Major transport hubs
| Hub | Type | Risk | Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro L3 & El Prat Airport (BCN) | airport | 45/100 | Keep bags zipped and in front on the metro; hold luggage close on the airport line. |
Area notes
- Las Ramblas, Gothic Quarter, Barceloneta, Sagrada Familia, Park Guell. Europe's highest tourist-pickpocketing rates - crossbody bag in front, phone away, extra care in crowds.
- Overall. Barcelona is safe overall with rare violent crime against tourists, but pickpocketing is among the worst in Europe - preparation prevents almost all of it.
Nearest embassies & consulates
Find your home country's diplomatic mission in Spain for consular support, lost passports, or citizen emergencies:
Run a personalized assessment for Barcelona
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Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | 27 → 35 | moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 27 | moderate | Data update Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + Global Peace Index references) |
Every editorial change to Barcelona's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Barcelona
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Barcelona, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
Coverage looks complete for this city.
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.