- Abortion legal status
- Legal
- Emergency contraception
- Without a prescription
- Emergency number
- 112
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: uoc.edu, housinganywhere.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- Emergency contraception ('la píldora del día después') can be bought at any Barcelona pharmacy without a prescription and without an appointment — just ask the pharmacist directly.
- If you've experienced a sexual assault, Hospital Clínic's Sexual Violence Unit operates 24/7 and provides free medical, forensic, and psychological care regardless of nationality or insurance status — you do not need to file a police report first to get medical care.
- The 900-number hotlines (900 922 357, 900 703 030, 900 900 120) are all free to call, confidential, and staffed with services in Spanish/Catalan; English-language support may be limited, so it can help to have a translation app ready.
- For ongoing contraception (daily pill, IUD, implant) as a visitor without Spanish public healthcare registration, budget for a private gynecologist consultation fee on top of the device/medication cost.
- Abortion is legal on request up to 14 weeks in Spain and free of charge through the public health system for residents and non-residents alike, so cost is rarely a barrier once you find a provider.
- Foreign visitors/nomads from countries with restrictive abortion laws can legally travel to Spain to access the procedure — Spanish law applies to anyone receiving care there, regardless of home-country law.
- Some individual doctors in the public system register as conscientious objectors, so if you're referred through public healthcare it can occasionally take an extra step to find an available provider; private clinics in Barcelona sidestep this.
- Several central Barcelona clinics (Turó Park Clinics, Centro Médico Teknon, Clínica Sants) specifically market English-speaking OBGYN services aimed at expats and international patients.
Street, Night and Taxi Safety
Street Harassment — How Common It Is
Academic surveys find street harassment is widespread for young women in Barcelona: a Plan International/UOC study on three Spanish cities found that almost 8 in 10 young women in Madrid, Seville and Barcelona had experienced street harassment, most often non-physical (staring, comments, being followed), and very few reported it to authorities. A separate multi-city study on active travel (walking, cycling) found 13.9% of Barcelona participants who used active transport reported having suffered harassment, with incidents more frequent in winter and at night. Most harassment is verbal rather than physical, and bystanders rarely intervene.
Walking Alone at Night
Central, well-lit neighborhoods — Eixample, Gràcia, El Born/Sant Pere and the Barceloneta seafront — are generally described as comfortable to walk in after dark, with plenty of people around even late at night. El Raval (especially its southern end) and some narrow Gothic Quarter streets are more commonly flagged for caution after dark due to drug activity and pickpocketing, and La Rambla itself is often described as rowdy and best avoided late at night rather than genuinely dangerous. Watch for darker side streets and alleys off the main routes even in otherwise safe districts.
Taxis and Ride-hailing
Spain's licensed taxi system operates alongside ride-hailing apps like Uber and Cabify in Barcelona, and travellers are generally advised to use an official taxi rank or book through an app rather than accept an unsolicited ride, since these arrangements avoid disputes tied to unlicensed drivers. For late-night trips, Barcelona's night bus network (the NitBus) is also cited as a reliable option that drops passengers closer to street level than the metro.
Theft and Scams Target Women in Crowds, Not Violence
Multiple safety guides converge on the same pattern: Barcelona's main risk for women is property crime — pickpocketing, bag-snatching and distraction scams — rather than violent assault, which remains rare. A commonly reported scam involves someone offering a 'free' bracelet or flower, then tying it on and demanding payment; the advice is to decline firmly and not let anyone touch you or your belongings. Hotspots for pickpocketing include Las Ramblas, the Gothic Quarter's narrow streets, crowded metro lines, and Barceloneta beach while swimming or distracted.
Abortion Law
- Minors
- 16 and 17 year-olds can consent to an abortion themselves; a 2023 legal reform removed the previous requirement to notify a parent/guardian.
- Country
- Spain
- Law Basis
- Organic Law 2/2010 on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy, as amended by Organic Law 1/2023.
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Conscientious Objection Note
- Individual doctors may register as conscientious objectors and decline to perform abortions, which historically created access gaps in some regions of Spain; Barcelona/Catalonia generally has good practical access compared to more conservative provinces.
Access Routes
- Public System
- Both surgical and medical abortions are free of charge for residents and non-residents through the public health system (Catalan health service, CatSalut/SNS).
- Private Clinics
- Private clinics also operate in Barcelona for those who prefer them or fall outside public pathways; exact current private pricing was not reliably found at the time of research and is not reported here to avoid inaccurate figures.
- Foreign Nationals
- Spain does not require proof of residency to obtain an abortion; women from countries with restrictive abortion laws can legally travel to Spain for the procedure.
Abortion Time Limits
- On Request
- Up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, no reason required.
- Beyond 22 Weeks
- Permitted without a time limit only when a fetal pathology is incompatible with life, or an extremely serious and incurable fetal disease is detected and confirmed by a clinical committee.
- Extended Medical Grounds
- Up to 22 weeks in cases of serious risk to the life or health of the woman, or serious fetal anomaly.
OB-GYN Options Barcelona
Turó Park Clinics
- Type
- Private clinic
- Neighborhood
- Turó Park
- Language Notes
- English and American-speaking gynaecologists-obstetricians.
Named Doctors
Dr. Berta Esteban Manchado
- Specialties
- Menstrual cycle disorders, contraception, STDs, cervical/HPV pathology; trained at Hospital del Mar, Barcelona.
Dr. Cristina Gómez Segu
- Specialties
- General gynecology and obstetrics, breast pathology; speaks Spanish, Catalan, French and English.
Centro Médico Teknon (Quirónsalud Teknon)
- Type
- Private hospital
- Neighborhood
- Sarrià–Sant Gervasi (uptown, private-hospital hub)
- Language Notes
- Serves international/expat community; multiple English-speaking specialists.
Named Doctors
Dr. Onbargi
- Specialties
- American-trained gynecologist and obstetrician; over 20 years serving Barcelona's international community; NAMS-certified menopause practitioner.
Hospital Clínic De Barcelona – Gynecology Department
- Type
- Major public/university teaching hospital
- Neighborhood
- Eixample (central Barcelona)
- Notes
- Part of the Institute Clínic of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology; handles complex gynecological cases including oncology and reproduction.
Clínica Ginecológica Sants
- Type
- Private gynecology clinic
- Neighborhood
- Sants
- Language Notes
- English-speaking gynecologists.
- Services Noted
- Contraception/IUD placement, pregnancy interruption counseling, STD testing, routine gynecological care.
GINEPÉREZ
- Type
- Private gynecology clinic
- Neighborhood
- Barcelona (central)
- Notes
- Team of 8 gynecologists with a 'gynecology for women, by women' approach; offers emergency gynecological care.
Assault And Gender Violence Support
- Reporting And Forensic Exam
- Hospital Clínic (central Barcelona) is the designated benchmark hospital for treating sexual assaults and conducting forensic exams; care is free and does not require proof of residency or insurance to access emergency treatment.
Emergency Number
- Phone
- 112
- Name
- General Emergency (Police/Ambulance)
- Notes
- Spain's universal emergency line, equivalent to 911/999.
Hotlines And Services
Free and confidential
- Phone
- 900 922 357
- Name
- SARA – Servei d'Atenció, Recuperació i Acollida (Care, Recovery and Shelter Service)
- Hours
- Mon–Thu 9:00–19:00, Fri 9:00–16:00 (emergency face-to-face support Mon–Fri 9:00–13:00 without appointment)
- Description
- City-run frontline service specializing in sexual assault and gender-based violence for women and children.
Barcelona Social Emergency and Urgent Care Centre (CUESB)
- Phone
- 900 703 030
- Cost
- Free and confidential
- Hours
- 24/7, 365 days a year
- Description
- Psycho-social emergency support outside SARA's opening hours.
Catalonia-wide Helpline for Women in Situations of Violence
- Phone
- 900 900 120
- Cost
- Free and confidential
- Hours
- 24/7
- Description
- Free, confidential helpline covering any form of violence against women; accessible by phone and email.
Hospital Clínic – Sexual Violence Unit
- Phone
- 932 275 400
- Cost
- Free (public hospital emergency care for sexual assault)
- Hours
- 24/7, every day of the year
- Description
- Specialist hospital unit for anyone over 16 who has suffered a sexual assault; provides medical, forensic and psychological care.
Hospital Vall d'Hebron – EMMA Team
- Phone
- 667 300 xxx (contact via city services for full number); email equipemma@vhebron.net
- Cost
- Free
- Hours
- Specialist consultations
- Description
- Specialist team attending to children and young people up to age 16 who have suffered sexual aggression.
Free and confidential
- Phone
- 900 922 357 (general routing line)
- Name
- PIAD – Punts d'Informació i Atenció a les Dones (Women's Information and Support Points)
- Description
- One PIAD in every city district; free information, psychological and legal advice for women.
ABITS Agency
- abits@bcn.cat
- Description
- Municipal support for cisgender and transgender women engaged in sex work, prioritizing those in vulnerable situations.
ANAR Helpline (for Minors)
- Phone
- 900 202 010
- Description
- Referral line for calls involving children and adolescents.
Ministry of Interior – Human Trafficking Line
- Phone
- 900 105 090
- Description
- For cases related to trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation.
Ongoing Female Methods
Combined/progestin-only Daily Pill
- Access
- Prescription required; obtainable via a public ASSIR clinic, a GP, or a private gynecologist
- Note
- Cost varies significantly by brand and whether prescribed publicly (low-cost or subsidized copay) or privately; exact current retail price was not independently verified at the time of research.
Copper IUD
- Access
- Requires a gynecologist consultation and in-clinic insertion
- Price Private
- €125
- Price Private Upper Range
- €200
- Note
- Range covers device plus insertion consultation at a private clinic; may be free or low-cost through the public system for residents/those with Spanish healthcare coverage.
Hormonal Implant (E.g. Nexplanon)
- Access
- Requires a doctor's prescription and in-clinic insertion
- Note
- Specific current Barcelona pricing was not confirmed at the time of research; typically inserted at a gynecology clinic or ASSIR unit.
Emergency Contraception
- Availability
- Available without a prescription (over-the-counter) at any pharmacy in Barcelona; retail price is capped by Spanish health authorities.
Options
Levonorgestrel Pill (E.g. Norlevo, Postinor)
- Price
- €20
- Effective Window
- Up to 72 hours after unprotected sex (most effective within 12–24 hours)
Ulipristal Acetate Pill (E.g. ellaOne)
- Price
- €33
- Effective Window
- Up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex
Spain has a public national health system (with Catalonia's own service, CatSalut) that provides contraceptive counseling and methods through ASSIR (Atenció a la Salut Sexual i Reproductiva) units, plus a large retail pharmacy network. Emergency contraceptive pills are sold over-the-counter nationwide without a prescription; other hormonal methods (daily pill, IUD, implant) require a prescription/insertion by a doctor or gynecologist.
Where To Go
Pharmacies (identifiable by a green cross) for emergency contraception; ASSIR public sexual and reproductive health units or private gynecology clinics for prescriptions, IUDs, and implants.
Regulatory Status
Fully legal and regulated
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this women's health & safety research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Barcelona
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.