Spain scams · Scams in Spain
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Scams in Spain
Scams in Spain
Some people could try to take advantage of your ignorance of local customs.
In Spanish cities, all taxis should have a visible fare table. You shouldn't agree a fixed price to go from an airport to a city: in most cases, the taxi driver will be earning more money than without a pre-agreed tariff. Many taxi drivers will also demand a tip from foreign customers or even from national ones on the way to and from the airport. You might round up to the nearest euro when paying though.
In many places of Madrid, especially near Atocha station, and also in the Ramblas of Barcelona, there are people ('trileros') who play the "shell game". They will "fish" you if you play, and they will most likely pick your pocket if you stop to see other people play. Most of these scammers are foreign immigrants from Eastern Europe.
Before paying the bill in bars and restaurants, always check the bill and carefully scrutinize it. Some staff will often attempt to squeeze a few extra euros out of unsuspecting tourists by charging for things they didn´t eat (bread for example - if you didn´t eat it, you can´t be charged for it) or drink, or simply overcharging. This is true in both touristy and non-touristy areas. If you feel you´ve been overcharged, bring it their attention and/or ask to see a menu. It is also sometimes written (in English only) at the bottom of a bill that a tip is not included - remember that tipping is optional in Spain and Spanish people commonly leave loose change only or no more than a 5%-8% of the price of what they have consumed (and almost never an American-style 15-20%), so don´t be fooled into leaving more than you have to.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Spain
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Spain - updated Apr 2024
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Spain Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.