I know this won't be much use to people who want to take a camera, guidebooks, and whatever else, but in Spain my wife and I rarely carry any kind of bag. I carry
a limited amount of cash and one credit/cash card in the front pockets of
my trousers(where MY hands go!). NO wallet.
The one time we got hit was in Malaga during Semana Santa, when my wife had a shoulder bag. Other than that we've had no problems in Madrid or anywhere else. So think about whether you really need to carry all that stuff.

Another thing. I don't like to say it, but I'm afraid it's true. You have to watch the gitanos (Gypsies). If they come towards you carrying sprigs of Rosemary (or whatever), keep them at arms length, and don't get into conversation. Trust me, they are not interested in showing you the sights! Any Spanish person will tell you the same (though probably in stronger language!).

Is Madrid a safe city??
Is every city a safe city??

This depends on you, the statistics tell us that Madrid is the third most safety city after Lisboa and Atenas, this is not casual because I am 21 years and I haven´t had a trouble in Madrid streets, and I can assure that I have been in "dangerous" zones.

To avoid this kind of problems you only need to take care with your pockets and handbags, if you go to El Rastro with thousand of people walking in the same street, it´s very stupid to show your 300$ camera to everyone, take it in a protected bag and don´t show it.

All the big cities have this kind of problems, in special for tourists, so keep alert and be smart.

I wasn't going to say anything about this topic when I saw the message from TEXACHICA. First, there is not need to say that Madrid is dirty and scary because it is not, and you are being very rude. Second Madrid is a city and all the cities have problems of that kind, at least the don't shoot anybody on the streets like in other cities around the world. I was living in Vallecas, one of the "most dangerous areas in Madrid" and I NEVER had a problem, I lived there for 24 years. You have to be careful and you have to take care. Madrid is not different from any other city so you have to be careful when you go there as well as if you go to Paris, Rome, HongKong or New York.

I have recently returned from madrid, in response to Alejandro post it is very difficult to respond with force.

Fortunately mine was only an attempted pick pocket, I had just bought a new handbag with velcro which i heard being disturbed I turned around to find an elderly gypsy with her hand in my bag,m accompanied by four othes when I protested , one of her accomplices started pinching me I did the only brave thing I could think of i turned and walked away......fast. This episode clouded my whole visit to madrid and the problem seems to be spiraling out of control. I have to say I much pefered Barcelona!

While in Madrid last Sunday morning, I observed this, coming out of the Metro at the Puerta del Sol, calle Carretas (a notorious street for crime): a middle aged woman grabbed a leather bag from a guy, and he shouted and made a scene. People chased down the woman, held her, and the police were there within a half a minute. I think screaming and getting others enlisted to chase down the pocket-picker is the safest thing to do. Other ideas: in major tourist places (the museums, the Retiro, Puerta del SOl, etc) always be very aware of your surroundings, know where you are going, move quickly, and do NOT STOP TO READ MAPS and guidebooks. Places that are safe to stop: VIPS (one right across from the Thyssen). I've never had a problem, but I speak native Spanish, cross my purse over my chest, etc. I did get ripped off once in a hotel (Asturias, metro Sevilla) and am sure it was by the cleaning staff: little stuff like clothing, costume jewelry, etc. That was decades ago!
Be careful, and never carry a lot of money or all your credit cards.

My suggestion to all is be aware at all times.
1. Don't wear large purses that someone can get their hand into. Wear smaller ones with the strap hanging across your chest so that your hand can be on it at all times.
2. Don't lay your purse on the counter when buying something.
3. Don't stop to take a flower or rosemary twigs from anyone!! Put your hand up in the stop position and yell BASTA!!
4. Men, don't put your wallets in your back pocket.
5. Unless there is a safe in your room, do not leave cash or valuables.

Now go and enjoy the beauty of SPAIN, and have a great time.

Yesterday we got back from Madrid. What a city! Everything good I heard and read about it was true and then some. Amanzingly, my husband and I only spent around $750 including hostal, food (tapas, paella, sangria), visits to Segovia and Toledo, which I highly recommend and souvenirs.
I didn't have a problem with thieves, etc.,
but then again I had most of my pesetas in my bra , the camera and travel guide was in my purse which I wore across my chest, in front of me;and passports/plane tickets locked up at the hostal. I think it also helps to not look too "turistry."

I will most definitely visit Madrid again!

If you look at the statistics, Madrid is one of the safest cities in Europe when it comes to security. But like almost anywhere else, you have to be careful with your things.

Of course it is not ones fault to be robbed, and those kind of things should not happen, but truth is that just a minimum of precaution (inside money bags, belts, etc) prevent most of the problems.

You have people traveling all of the time, to far less secure places than Madrid, and they don't get robbed however, a little precaution pays off.

What is the situation in Madrid? Basically the worst thing it might get to happen to you is being pocketed.

Basically you have this risk only in a few touristic places, where pickpockets go to find tourists. Dangerous places: Puerta del Sol and surroundings, Gran Via-Plaza de Espana (where I understand the first couple had all the problems), Rastro and Retiro.

In most of the cases the delincuents are not Spaniards, in Madrid at least, most of the robberies are made by young people (and not so young) coming from the north of Africa (Morocco and Algery).

Weeks ago I went to Madrid to visit my parents, I decided to met some friends in a Cafeteria in Plaza de santa Ana, and I was surprised to see a group of morocans in corners, streets, around the area, I looked at them, they looked at me, I felt something fishy was going on. Initially I tought they were dealing with hashish or something. It was only after getting into the bar that I found out what was going on.

The owner of the bar, looking at the street angrily said, damn, another one, they have robbed another person! Later he explained me that that group was robbing tourists in that area, he was very angry about it, and had called the police several times, with no result yet.

You have to find the reason in the current Spanish Laws, of which this people benefit, if you are found guilty of theft under 200 USD, basically they can do nothing about you, you go to the Police Station and get out in 30 minutes, they always make sure of being caught with smalll quantities of money passing money from one of the group to another right after the robbery. Policemen get tired of arresting the same person 15 - 20 times, just to see them again in the street inmediately after. These people feel so safe taht even make fun of the police, and their inability to do anything about them. I had friends in the police who told me about this situation.

And even if they are caught with a lot of money, they claim political prosecution in their countries, (not true in most of the cases), but while the Spanish Authorities request to these countries all teh data, info ,etc, a couple of years pass, in this couuple of years, since they have an open cause with the Spanish Justice, they can not be deported, and they can continue pickpocketing.

By the time they are deported (years) they have made enough money to buy a house in Morocco-Algery and " retire". Their fame spread in their villages, and attract more pickpockets to Madrid, as some sort of Eldorado for people with little resources that resort to this as a way of making easy and fast money.

They go for tourists basically, not for locals, for several reasons:
1) They are easier. They are new to the country, and not yet familiarized with it, tehy do not know about them.
2) Even more important. If they rob an Spaniard and they are get caught, teh Spaniard will testify in court. A tourists has to go back to his/her country, he is not going to be able to prolong his stay to testify in court.
3) Normally tourist carry more money around with them than local people just going out for a walk, going to work, etc.

But like I said, a minimum of precaution by your side will almost for sure spare you any bad experience during your visit.

Florencio

After reading so much on safety in Madrid, I felt I had to reply. We(a middle aged couple) spent 10 wonderful days there the end of June-1st of July. We used our under-the-clothing money belts, locked the extra travelers checks/airline tickets in the room's safe, and felt perfectly at ease everywhere we walked/metroed. We stayed on the Gran Via near Plaza Callao, and I felt safer in Madrid than I do in D.C.! I think you just have to be vigilant, dress conservatively, and walk as if you know what you are doing! Madrid is GREAT!

molto interesante, florencio (e le altre persone...),

Nuria, i agree that texachica is being a little tactless...

i used to teach english in Vallecas and all my friends used to warn me about it there. i did not know any better, and having heard only stories i wanted my own experience to be my own without undue influence from others. i found Vallecas to be a nice place and i never had a problem (although i do not encourage a young woman to go around alone - verbal harrassment is a reality). i also don't think Madrid, is "dirty or scary." if texachica is from texas i can think of many MUCH more scary places in texas! (ft. worth, dallas, san antonio, houston, any more???)

maybe the point is that it can all be relative to your perspective... i live in los angeles and there are areas that i would not go, but other people live there everyday and do not have problems... but you cannot deny that Madrid IS one of the safest cities in the world. en punto.

¡que viva madrid!

[This message has been edited by real_megia (edited 07-27-2000).]