Living in or staying in el Besòs, Barcelona

Scores

Safety and quiet come from researched sources about the whole neighborhood; walkability, transport and nightlife from the places and stops around its center.

About el Besòs

A working-class district of post-war apartment blocks, wide avenues, and modest plazas bordered by the Besòs River. The pace is distinctly local and unhurried by day, populated by long-time residents and families, contrasting with the nearby modern developments of the Forum.

Good for

• budget travelers
• long stays

Less suited to

• luxury travelers
• first-time visitors

Watch out for

• Exercise heightened care along poorly lit residential blocks and pedestrian walkways adjacent to the Besòs River and border streets with La Mina, where drug dealing and muggings have been reported at night.
• Watch out for opportunistic theft and scooter-based snatch-and-grab robberies around the Besòs and Besòs Mar metro station entrances.

Sources

• Spain Country Security Report
• Quality of life in European cities: feeling safe walking alone at night (Barcelona, 2023)
• Foreign travel advice: safety and security
• Travel advisory: level 2
• Homicide rate per 100,000 people (2023)