Spain is one of the crown jewels of European travel. The country boasts an impressive collection of towns, cities, natural vistas and landscapes that would make any country jealous. Aside from the natural wonders, Spain has amazing cities with vibrant people, culture, and food.
With that in mind, there are some considerations you need to make before visiting Spain. As with any country, you should consider what safety tips to think about before heading abroad. Here are 5 tips to help you travel to Spain safely!
Vehicle Safety
Renting vehicles in Spain is fairly simple, as long as you have a valid license, are of the legally required age to rent, and have the money to do so. Driving in the countryside of Spain is highly recommended if you want to see as much as you can on your own, because buses and trains will not make many stops to accommodate your wants.
Driving a rental car is a popular option as it is quicker than other transportation. The problem is that driving also comes with much more responsibility in legal terms. In the unfortunate event of a car accident, you will want legal representation for tips on how to win your case while travelling, especially if it is serious enough to involve the law of courts.
Accidents involving cars can be more common in a foreign country because of the unfamiliarity with their roads and laws. Lawyering up fast can keep you out of a world of trouble and allow you to navigate the automobile laws of another legal jurisdiction much better than you could on your own.
Personal Belongings
As a brief side note, if you do plan to rent a car, you should know to never keep your belongings out in the open in an unoccupied car. Spain is not known for high rates of crime, but just like any country, you would not want your wallet, camera, phone, or travel documents out in the open in a car just in case someone decides to break in and steal. This applies to travelling on train, bus, or by foot in the city.
Ensure that all valuable belongings are accounted for, and are not easy to get at. Keep your wallet inside of a secure pocket in a travel backpack, and bring copies of your passport or driver’s license.
Be Wary of Street Vendors or Scam Artists
When travelling in big cities, there is a higher concentration of tourists, and with that comes a higher concentration of scam artists looking to swindle unsuspecting tourists out of their money. You should try to help the local economy as much as you can while on travel.
Your money is valuable to their ability to stay open and provide service to locals and visitors, but many street vendors tend to offer trinkets and the like for marked-up prices to prey on tourists with money. Be cautious of who or where you spend your money, and never flaunt a wallet full of cash either. Pickpockets are notorious in Spain and many European countries.
Use ATMs and Bank Machines Inside Buildings
Speaking of pickpockets, you are best advised to use ATMs and bank machines that are located inside of businesses or buildings (such as the bank itself) because street machines leave you susceptible to getting your money stolen.
Groups of children or youth take this opportunity to swarm up and take your money while you are waiting for it to come out of the machine. It is just a good rule of thumb to always go to the banks themselves because they have better security and they are indoors with a lot of witnesses around.
Street machines also carry the chance of being tampered with and transmitting your information to a hacker, which is known as card skimming.
Know the Law and Act Within It
Local regions of Spain may have differing laws, and the federal laws of the country can be easily found online. You would not want to be caught drinking in public if you did not know it was a crime. The police will not take it lightly just because you are a tourist.
Read up on some of the most common laws you would need to know so that you are aware of what not to do. Even small things like drinking in public can change from town to town.
Travelling through Spain is a relatively safe experience. Most European countries have very friendly people, but a common theme is a theft.
Staying safe in Spain is very simple as many of these tips are common sense practices like knowing the laws of the country/region, and keeping your personal belongings somewhere safe.
If you follow this advice, you will have a wonderful time in a beautiful country.
