cammy

Hello all

I just have a question for people who have visited Barcelona previously.
I'm a youg woman travelling alone and I'm a bit uncertain about which areas of Barcelona would be OK to stay in if I plan to walk back to the hotel in the night.
Have heard several stories about crime in Barcelona and would like some input from people who have actually been there.
I've travelled alone before, and visited both London and Amsterdam this way.
Please give me your honest oppinion and any other travel-tips for Barcelona would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Cammy

themis

hi cammy, i dont consider Barcelona to be extremely dangerous or anything, as long as you take the precautions you would take anywhere in the world. A place to avoid after dark is the port, where a woman solo isn't the best scenario. The only thing to take care of is pickpockets, especially in the metro or in busy places. Have fun, Barcelona is an amazing place, you will love it

ThinGorjus

I think one of the safest areas of Barcelona is the neighborhood the Passeig de Gracia. This is the street that Casa Mila is on and the location of the better shops of Barcelona. It is an easy walk to Les Ramblas and Barri Gotic. You have to be care of pickpockets on Ramblas (I saw a man have his wallet taken), but I wouldn't be overly concerned for my physical safety.

sakis

Cammy hi! I am sure that you'll love Barcelona.I have been in both Barcelona and Amsterdam last year and I can say that I felt much more safer in Bcn!So if you were o.k. in amsterdam don't worry about anything!I agree that paseig de gracia is the best area for a woman to stay.Have fun!!

payant

the hotel gran via is just a half block off the Passeig de Gracia and a nice place to stay. as the previous poster said, the Passeig is alive with pedestrian traffic to the wee hours - people visiting bars and restaurants. In addition the hotel is just two blocks from plaza catalunya which is a major junction place for tourist information/tour buses and general relaxing in the plaza;. enjoy barcelona- try for spring when the days are longest and the weather comfortable.

adnil1962

I am a single 30-something female who traveled to Barcelona alone. I felt VERY safe (although you should take the proper precautions regarding pickpockets). At night I walked La Rambla alone - it was filled with people. I don't think this city ever sleeps. Stayed at the Rialto a few blocks from La Rambla (also felt very safe walking from the hotel)

travisblue

Hi cammy
I spent a week alone in spain at christmas. I had no problems. I stayed at the Ritz hotel. it was 150 a nite (using Bancotel vouchers). But I think if I went again, I'd like to stay in the Born area. Very much like Soho. Lots of restaurants, close to museums, & Barri Gothic district. It's very easy to get around, people were very helpful, and as an example, I got to the middle of the city (using aerobus) in the evening, holding maps, luggage, and very lost.., I don't recommend you do this, but nothing happened to me (another hotel gave me a map & directions), so go and have a wonderful time!!!

crazymina

Hi Cammy...

I was just there, and stayed at the Pension L´Isard, which was 19 euro a night for a single room. Clean, basic, shared bathroom (but seriously nothing fancy...no natural light in the room). It was right by the University (Universitat metro exit). It is the upper Raval, and I didn´t feel unsafe there at all, and often walked around at 1 am.

If you have a better budget, I agree that Passeig de Gracia was a nice area, and seemed very safe.

I met some people who were locals, and they warned me to watch my bags on Las Ramblas as well. I commented that I hadn´t seen anything (I had heard so many stories)...they told me if I saw anything, most likely I had something stolen from me! So do watch your stuff.

Also, don´t take anything anyone gives you...I didn´t see it as much in Barcelona, but today in Sevilla, I saw a lot of ladies giving out a green plant of some kind. If you took it, they ripped into you for money. Saw it happen to a poor couple.

Enjoy Barcelona...it´s a lot of fun.

michelec

I visited Barcelona by myself a couple of years ago and felt completely safe. I stayed at the Hotel Colon in the Barrio Gotic district, and there was always a lot of people and activity (I'm convinced that Spaniards are nocturnal creatures) until the wee hours. Yeah there are pickpockets around, but if you just keep aware of your surroundings and use common sense you'll do just fine. Have fun!

MacNeil

I stayed in Barcelona this year and also felt very safe, although I stayed in Eixemple, a very safe area. In the day I went everywhere and felt very safe too. I seem unable to say anything except 'very safe', but it felt safer than Paris in London, neither of which I feel anything but 'very safe' in most of the time. It's just that I'd been led to believe Barcelona
was scary and it wasn't scary. Of course
be careful, pay a little more for a hotel in a safe area so you don't have to rely on public transport, and have a nice time.

ThinGorjus

Crazymina, those women you saw in Seville are the Acolytes of Carmen (from Bizet's opera, CARMEN). They hand out sprigs of rosemary. If you take it, they demand a "donation." When you take out your wallet, they try and take out the money themselves. You must take heed of these women, they are major CON ARTISTS.

crazymina

Thanks Thingorjus...I was warned by another fodorite on them. Boy, they are a nuisance though...I've seen a few people get taken, and it's a real downer to their day.

Still, it's very easy to enjoy Sevilla despite them!

elaine

I haven't been there, but a young friend of mine was in an internet cafe in Barcelona two evenings ago. A young man sat at the terminal next to her.
He left about 5 minutes later. When she got up to leave a minute after that, her backpack that had been on the floor next to her chair, was gone.

Just exercise awareness and normal city-type caution.