Practical Information for visiting Spain

Spain uses the euro (€). Cards are accepted almost everywhere including contactless, though small bars, village shops and some market stalls still prefer cash, and a minimum spend for card payment is common.

ATMs are plentiful; withdrawing from a bank machine beats a currency exchange counter. Tipping is modest and not expected — rounding up or leaving small change for good service is normal, and the percentages usual in North America would be unusual here. Many bars charge differently for standing at the counter than for sitting outside.

Coverage for mobile networks is good across the country and excellent in cities, with gaps in mountain areas. EU roaming rules cover European visitors; others will find local SIMs and eSIMs cheap and easy.

Wi-fi is standard in accommodation and widespread in cafes. The high-speed AVE network links most major cities and is the practical way to move between them, with contactless ticketing increasingly standard on urban transport.

Spain is a safe country to visit by most measures -- violent crime against travelers is rare. The practical risks visitors actually encounter are almost entirely petty and preventable.

• Pickpocketing is the most common issue by far, concentrated in crowded tourist areas and on public transport -- Barcelona's Las Ramblas and metro, Madrid's Sol and metro, and crowded beaches nationwide see the most reports. Keep bags zipped and worn in front on crowded transit and in busy plazas.
• Common scams worth recognizing: fake petition signers and "friendship bracelet" distraction techniques near major landmarks, unlicensed taxi drivers quoting inflated flat fares from airports, and the classic "someone spills something on you" distraction just before a pickpocketing attempt.
• Sun and heat are a genuine everyday consideration in summer, especially inland -- Madrid and Andalusia's interior see extreme heat that catches visitors unprepared, so pacing outdoor sightseeing around the early morning and evening in July/August matters.
• Wildfires are a growing summer risk in parts of the country, particularly Galicia and inland forested areas during hot, dry stretches -- check regional alerts if traveling to rural areas in peak summer.
• Emergency number: 112 works free of charge from any phone anywhere in Spain and connects to police, fire, or medical services.

The card is not the whole answer

Healthcare is of a high standard and a GHIC or EHIC gets you medically necessary state healthcare. The catch matters: you are more likely to receive appropriate care in public facilities, but in some tourist areas there may be no public facility nearby — and some hotels call private doctors or private ambulances, where the GHIC and EHIC will not be accepted at all. A card is not an alternative to travel insurance, and will not cover changes to travel and accommodation, additional standard treatment costs, repatriation, or treatment ruled non-urgent.

Heat is the genuine risk

Inland summer temperatures regularly exceed 40°C, and heat-related illness is the most common serious problem visitors encounter. Plan around the middle of the day rather than through it — which is, not coincidentally, what the Spanish daily timetable already does.

Balconies, and an insurance clause worth reading

There have been a number of serious and some fatal accidents involving falls from height, including from balconies. Hotels will evict guests who behave dangerously on balconies and you can also be fined. The part people do not know: your travel insurance may not cover an incident that takes place on a balcony, or one where you were under the influence of drink or drugs when it happened.

Vaccines, water and pharmacies

No vaccinations are required and tap water is safe to drink, though in a few coastal and island areas it tastes heavily of minerals and locals buy bottled. Dengue and biting insects and ticks are listed among Spain's health risks, and altitude sickness is a risk in parts of the country. Pharmacies are marked with a green cross and operate a duty rota for nights and holidays.

Alcohol laws in three Balearic resorts

Local laws limit the sale and availability of alcohol in parts of Magaluf (Calvià) and Playa de Palma on Mallorca and San Antonio on Ibiza. The ban covers happy hours, open bars such as all-you-can-drink-in-an-hour offers, the sale of alcohol from vending machines, self-service alcohol dispensers, organised pub crawls and party boat trips, and off-licence sales between 9:30pm and 8am. It is illegal to drink alcohol in the street in some areas of Spain and you can be fined on the spot, there are strict controls on drinking and sexual activity in public places including on beaches, and some areas fine the sale or consumption of nitrous oxide.

Illegal parties in villas

There have been serious accidents at commercially promoted parties in villas and private homes on Ibiza and Mallorca. Licensed clubs and bars must meet safety standards — emergency exits, capacity limits, trained licensed security — and these parties may not. You can be fined for attending one.

Photo ID, and what refusing costs

You must provide photo ID if asked by any police force, and the police may hold you at a station until your identity is confirmed. Ignoring a direct request from an officer can be treated as "disobedience", a criminal offence. Hotels, tourist accommodation and car rental companies have a legal duty to register your passport details — wait while they do it rather than leaving the passport at reception.

What you can wear where

In some parts of Spain it is illegal to be in the street wearing only a bikini or swimming shorts, being bare-chested is illegal in some areas, and you can be fined for wearing swimwear on a seafront promenade or the streets beside it. Dress modestly in churches and cathedrals, several of which enforce it. For security reasons some public authorities do not allow the burka or niqab to be worn in their buildings and may ask for it to be removed inside.

Drugs

Illegal drugs including cannabis carry severe penalties — a long jail sentence and heavy fines for possessing, using or smuggling, including when transiting through an airport, where baggage is scanned to a high standard. Possession of even a small quantity can lead to arrest and detention.

The things that are etiquette rather than law

Eat late; arriving for dinner before nine marks you out and often means a kitchen that has not opened. Smoking is banned indoors in public places. And regional sensitivities are real: in Catalonia and the Basque Country, assumptions about national identity are best left unmade.

One number

112 is the single emergency number across Spain, covering police, fire and ambulance, with English-speaking operators available, and it works from any phone. Some regions also run direct lines — 091 for the national police and 062 for the Guardia Civil, who cover rural areas and highways — but 112 reaches everything and is the number to remember. In the mountains, rescue is coordinated through 112: give a named refuge, trail or valley, and an altitude if you can.

Fire

Report any fire you see immediately on 112. In a wildfire the situation can change quickly, so follow official advice as it is issued; AEMET publishes the wildfire risk. Causing a wildfire is a criminal offence in Spain even if unintentional.

Heat and flood warnings

Extreme weather affects many parts of Spain, particularly in summer. Check AEMET's warnings and follow the guidance issued by the Spanish Ministry of Health for your area. Flash flooding can cause travel disruption and damage property and infrastructure, and AEMET carries those warnings too.