In an increasingly globalised world, politeness and social behaviour play a key role in shaping the perception of a city. In April 2024, Preply, a language learning platform, published a study identifying the rudest cities in Spain.
The report, based on surveys and opinion polls conducted in 19 major cities, highlights the rudest and most ill-mannered cities in the country, while also detailing the common behaviours that contribute to these perceptions.
Spain's rudest cities
The study conducted by Preply highlights several Spanish cities that, according to survey participants, are particularly rude. Leading the ranking is Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with a score of 6.06 out of 10.
The report attributes this to factors such as locals spending excessive time on their phones and not giving way to other cars during heavy traffic, among other behaviours.
Rounding out the top three are Granada (5.95), well-known in Spain for being bad-tempered and the Alicante-Elche conurbation (5.81), analysed together. Both score above the national average of 5.53.
| City | Score (Preply Report) |
| Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 6.06 |
| Granada | 5.95 |
| Alicante-Elche | 5.81 |
| San Sebastián | 5.77 |
| Bilbao | 5.73 |
| Palma | 5.69 |
| Barcelona | 5.64 |
| Málaga | 5.61 |
| Valladolid | 5.58 |
| Madrid | 5.53 |
Best-mannered cities
In contrast to the rudest cities in Spain, some towns stand out for being particularly well-mannered and courteous. According to the Preply report, of the 19 cities surveyed, Vigo is the most polite, scoring 5.17.
Second place also goes to a Galician area, the A Coruña-Oleiros-Arteixo conurbation, while Valencia takes third, closely followed by the Murcia-Orihuela region.
Behaviours taken into account
To determine the rudest cities, various behaviours reflecting locals' level of courtesy and education were considered. In Spain, the most common bad habit is constantly being on the phone in public, with San Sebastián topping the list for this behaviour.
Other frequent poor manners include not welcoming strangers and watching videos in public. Additionally, making noise in public or not giving tips are common issues highlighted in the study.
The report also assessed traffic-related behaviours, such as not letting other cars pass or failing to slow down in pedestrian areas. Other negative habits include not respecting personal space.
Tipping: the most and least generous cities
Tipping is common in many cultures, and Spain is no exception. However, the generosity with which these gratuities are given varies significantly between different cities in the country.
According to the study, the city that gives the least tips is also Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with a percentage of 6.10%, followed by San Sebastián (6.16) and Murcia-Orihuela (6.49).
On the other end of the spectrum, the most generous city in terms of tips is Valladolid, with an average of 10.18%. It is followed by Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the A Coruña-Oleiros-Arteixo conurbation.
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