http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12257958

Tottenham coach says he was mugged in Madrid. 2011.

IMD - it was several years ago but if I have not read about lots and lots of things still happening then I would say maybe it is in the past - again just
Google Muggings in Madrid and you'll get hundreds of real-life incidents - do the same for other cities in Europe outside of
Spain and you'll get very few.

I'm just trying to help folks avoid the problem by saying that there is a problem or was until very recently and to take proper precautions. And to debunk the misinformation that 'Madrid is perfectly safe" as that gives folks the exact wrong impression and then they may let their guard down.

Madrid is no more "perfectly safe" than any other metropolis outside of some utopian fantasy. Geez. Who really believes in perfect safety?

Just be aware and cover your valuables (if you're daft enough to take any of real worth) and keep your documents and money/cards and keys and whatever else you need to traverse freely with you instead of lying on a table unattended. And keep your stuff close to your corpus when entering and exiting the Metro.

The occasional "don't eff with me glare" at seemingly ignoble persons who don't feel right to you never hurts [and yeah, I realize that as a dark and not small male my glower may be more effective than yours, but little bits help].

One time, I had a bit of a problem in- of all places- Stockholm.

I was where I shouldn't have been.
No ( big) city is "perfectly safe"

I wanted to thank everyone for all of their suggestions. It is very much appreciated.

No one wrote it was perfectly safe. And no one wants to see anyone get harmed in any way. People just want a realistic picture. It is a big city where you need to take the proper precautions.

yes, chapla did indeed say that. I would never say such a thing as no big city is perfectly safe, but relative to other big cities, I don't find Madrid any different, or at least not alarmingly so. It might be less safe than some places I've bene in Switzerland.

Even Disneyland is probably not perfectly safe (meaning no possibility of crime), but it might be pretty close.

Police started patrolling Retiro Park at night last year. The park was surprisingly busy last November with joggers and rollerbladers out until closing time. There are also a lot more city police out waking around the tourist areas day and night.



But as already mentioned, be aware of your surroundings, don't flaunt your jewelry, and don't walk around with your smart phone stuck to your face. An iPhone in Europe can go for more than €600 a pop. Most thieves won't bother if you're using one of the Android phones, but you still need to be alert.

Madrid is the flamenco capital of the world. Although the art comes from the South/Andalucía, everyone has to conquer Madrid to get to the top

April 17, 18, 19 and 22, Olga Pericet and Marco Flores dances at Corral de la Morería just beside the Almudena cathedral and close to the Royal palace. http://www.corraldelamoreria.com/

Olga Pericet was voted best female flamenco dancer 2011 by Spanish critics. Here from the documentary "Flamenco from the Roots" with Marco Flores on palmas: http://vimeo.com/30444448

Marco Flores was voted best male dancer 2009 by Spanish critics. Here from the prestigious Jerez festival in 2012 where he tore de Villamarta theater down: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-FVsvGBsR4