Safest cities for expats in Spain

Laying down roots in a new place requires a guarantee that we will feel guarded inside our residence and comfortable when wandering out into the city.

Zaragoza, Spain David Vives on Unsplash

cristina-garcia

25 January 2024, 11:37

What is the safest city to live in Spain? Which city in Spain is best for expats? We know your concerns and are here to offer solutions. One will feel at peace when law infractions are being penalised, there isn't harmful discrimination against the elderly or people of a certain gender or sexual identity, that the people are honest and generous.

As per the Global Peace Index of 2023, Europe is statistically the safest continent in the world, and Spain lands as 32nd out of the 163 countries in the survey; above its direct neighbours Italy, France and the United Kingdom. In fact, it’s among the lowest thirty for economic expenditure on violence; its homicides, weapon accessibility and perceived criminality are on the most peaceful side of the scale. Other fun findings are that the Women’s Solo Travel Safety mentioned it was 6th in their destination ranking, and that the Ministry of Health has come out with a strategy that will increase cooperation between governing bodies and disabled women and children when imparting laws in the community.

Spain thrives when its people stay unreserved, like when the kids are playing together in sunny city plazas, and adults are making time to unwind with colleagues by nibbling tapas. When someone starts tapping their foot, others begin drumming their heels also; and if there is a safety concern, Spaniards turn to face it. So what places manifest most of this? We’ve gathered the data and below offer the top ten safest cities in Spain and the best places to live in Spain for expats.

Albacete

iStock

A city surrounded by shrubs, highlands and crystalline lakes. Many here choose to explore the neighbouring villages and feast on regional delicacies like the migas and gazpacho manchego. It also connects Madrid civilians to Albacete and then to Alicante in over an hour on both sides using a high-speed train. You may also be local to one of the last remaining modernist galleries still standing, named Pasaje de Lodares. UNESPA (The Spanish Association of Insurance and Reinsurance Entities) has placed it as the safest city in Spain due to it having the fewest robberies, fires and traffic accidents per number of inhabitants.

San Cristóbal de la Laguna

Living here is like stepping back into the colonial Spain of the 14th century, dark wood and white churches landmark the city. The city of San Cristóbal de la Laguna can also boast of gorgeous pastrami sandwiches and the richest flora in the island of Tenerife. Prolific writers Unamuno and Galdós remember this place as one of ultimate solace and peace of mind. This city is protected by UNESCO and holds over 30,000 university students who respect and care for it. It holds the second highest population within the largest island of the Canary Islands.

Palencia

idealista

In Palencia you’d be living next door to secret forest waterfalls and lagoons, and a bison reserve. It’s known for its fabulous lamb stew and cured cheeses. Palencia is neighbourly, with less than 80,000 inhabitants and thus ranking as having a security index 37% higher than the Spanish average. There are low statistics on street accidents for cars and pedestrians alike because most of the city is built to be comfortably crossed by foot. Bigger cities like Valladolid are only forty minutes away by train, and the famed Picos de Europa National Park, under two hours.

Ourense

All over Spain, we recognise Gallegos as the most altruistic and calm Spaniards. They enjoying bathing in thermal waters, drinking vino Ribeiro and eating spiced octopus. This city especially, is on the rise - new luxurious homes and modern bridges now adorning the roman and medieval streets they stand on. The safest places to live are Couto, Lagunas and Puente; and some that could be more rowdy or battered are Vichita, Covadonga and the Old Town. High-speed trains connect you to Madrid, or the coastline to the west, where they serve the best seafood in the world.

Pontevedra

Adobe Stock

Another from Galicia, is this coastal town nicknamed the "Boa Vila" or “Good City” for its historical reputation of giving water to travellers. Located in the area of the Rías, the area is renowned for its charm and fresh-bait cuisine. It is also perfectly safe for kids and commuters to move around at night, with its many pedestrian streets and intuitive metro system, awarded The International Award for Urban Excellence from the Center for Active Design in New York City in 2015. There’s been an incredible reduction in noise pollution and the last car accident death dates back more than ten years.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Located 2,300km south of London, you can own property in Europe whilst still enjoying mild temperatures year around. Their volcanic coves of black sand and skies full of stars are accessible within all the seven sister-islands that form the Canary Islands archipelago, well connected to each other and from this city, as the capital, to many other European capitals as well. Sports are a way of life here with the vast natural sites at their disposal, and yet they balance it well with a boisterous nightlife. Even if it is one of the ten most inhabited cities in Spain, it lies among the top ten least dangerous due to domestic and outbound tourism keeping the city at a high standard of effectiveness and security.

San Sebastián

ultrash ricco on Unsplash

Kaixo! Basques are free spirited and encouraged to form “cuadrillas” or friend groups that commit to staying close for a lifetime eating pintxos and drinking. Beaches are minutes away, with views of storm-tossed waters or for dips on balmy days. Most internationally known is their bay Concha de San Sebastián, every year it hosts the renowned San Sebastián Film Festival, and its the gastronomic hub has four (and counting) acclaimed restaurants that amount to 9 Michelin stars between them. There’s an unspoken matriarchy in this society, so women feel very safe here and are cherished as the head of the family (known as Amatxu). It's important however, to note the struggles of understanding the local language Euskera, or knowing that 20% of all offences here are cyber-crimes, (even if the government has started taking measures to help with the latter). Nevertheless, San Sebastián has recently been named one of the best cities in the world to visit in 2024, making it one of the safest cities in Spain for tourists especially.

Zaragoza

Arid mountainous land surrounds a historical city, home to the glorious Museum of Tapestries and sculptures 2000 years old. At night, all the old cathedrals are illuminated and the corner streets become alive with laughter and music. The speed limit is very regulated, so it holds the fifth place in lowest traffic accidents in a city of Spain. It’s located perfectly by highway with Madrid and Barcelona, and under two hours away from ski resorts in the Pyrenees.

Arona

Nicole Arango Lang on Unsplash

On the south of Tenerife and next to Adeje, this gem of sunny skies and over 15km of beach surface (combined of four: Playa de las Américas, Playa de los Cristianos, Playa de Las Galletas - Costa del Silencio and Arona Rural), creates a municipality rich in tourism facilities - with excellent lodging, leisure activities and tropical escapades on offer. They have jungle bird parks, monkeys and camels! There’s a common expression they use here: “De carnaval en la playa” or 'Carnival on the beach', which is used when feeling hopeful and represents the joy the feel for living with the ocean at their disposal. Even with the vast sun exposure, Arona suffers close to the least fire accidents in the country, whether it be vehicles or buildings.

Orihuela

Within Alicante we find Orihuela. Locals coexist in varying ethnicities and religious customs, and celebrations that the country honours take place on sandy beaches here. Within this Mediterranean landscape, there are nestled three great golf courses with eighteen holes each and two large marinas. We also highly recommended trying the many water sports, like fishing and diving in the area. People are very family oriented and there is a very low risk of getting randomly attacked, so the need for safety is mostly needed when the masses gather during religious processions, buying food from unauthorised street vendors or venturing out in restricted areas with strong sea currents. In case of accidents, Orihuela maintains the standard of Spanish public healthcare, which is one of the best in the world, falling at 26th place. It’s also connected to the AVE, a train line which quickly connects you to any big city in the country.