Spain
Travel Destination – Spain
From the art and architecture of Barcelona to the sun-soaked beaches of the Costa del Sol, Spain offers diverse experiences in culture, history, and gastronomy. Travellers can enjoy the historic towns, hiking trails and wine regions, all within a modern, well-connected country.
Spain has a high standard of healthcare, particularly in major cities and tourist areas. As a member of the European Union, its medical facilities are modern and accessible. However, international travel still carries health considerations. Seasonal infections, food-related illness, and travel-associated risks should all be considered when planning your trip.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Before travelling to Spain, arranging a travel health consultation six to eight weeks prior to departure is strongly recommended. A travel doctor can review your vaccination history, ensure routine immunisations are current, and provide personalised advice based on your itinerary. Whether you are exploring major cities, walking the Camino de Santiago, cruising the Mediterranean, or relaxing in coastal resorts, health risks can vary depending on season and activities.
Spain’s healthcare system is well developed, but Australian travellers are responsible for their own medical expenses overseas. Comprehensive travel insurance that includes hospital care and medical evacuation is essential. Ensure you carry sufficient supplies of prescription medications in original packaging, along with copies of prescriptions. Even if departure is imminent, a last-minute consultation can confirm essential vaccinations and provide practical health advice.
Food and water hygiene
Spain is a paradise for food lovers, from sizzling paella to fresh seafood tapas and churros with chocolate. Food safety standards in Spain are generally high, and tap water is safe to drink in most urban areas. However, gastroenteritis, otherwise called travellers’ diarrhoea, can still occur. Risk increases particularly when consuming buffet-style meals, street food, or unfamiliar dishes during busy tourist seasons.
Practising good hand hygiene before eating remains an important preventative measure. Choose freshly prepared food served hot and avoid items that have been left unrefrigerated.
Insect avoidance
Insects in Spain pose a lower risk than in tropical destinations, but mosquito-borne infections such as West Nile virus have been reported in parts of southern Europe, including Spain. Risk is seasonal and more likely during warmer months, particularly in rural or wetland areas. Sand flies can also transmit Leishmaniasis.
Travellers spending time outdoors should apply insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin, especially at dusk. Wearing light-coloured long sleeves and trousers can further reduce bites. Accommodation with screened windows or air-conditioning helps limit exposure. Ticks are present in rural and grassy areas, so those hiking or walking in countryside regions should perform regular tick checks.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Spain?
Measles
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Measles is a viral illness that spreads easily through tiny droplets in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Although largely controlled in Australia due to routine vaccination, measles outbreaks still occur across Europe, including Spain. Australians born in 1966 or later, need to have documented evidence of two doses of a measles-containing vaccine. Ensuring immunity is especially important in busy airports, popular tourist sites, and crowded events.
Influenza
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Influenza is a contagious respiratory infection caused by a virus. In Spain, influenza activity peaks during the colder months of December through March, but infections can occur throughout the year. Travel increases the risk of exposure, particularly in crowded, enclosed spaces such as airports, trains, cruise ships, and tourist attractions. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for travellers aged six months and older, especially older adults, pregnant women, and people with chronic medical conditions.
COVID-19
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COVID-19 remains present globally, including in Spain, with fluctuating case numbers and occasional seasonal increases, particularly during winter months in Europe. Respiratory viruses continue to spread in crowded indoor environments such as airports, aircraft cabins, public transport, museums, festivals and large events.
Travellers are recommended to be up to date with COVID-19 vaccination before departure. This includes booster doses for those in higher-risk groups. Those aged 65 to 74 need annual boosters, and those 75 and over should have these six-monthly. A pre-travel consultation allows review of your vaccination history and discussion about whether an additional booster is appropriate prior to international travel.
Routine vaccinations
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Routine immunisations contribute to safe international travel. While Spain has high vaccination coverage, vaccine-preventable diseases can still occur, particularly in airports and crowded tourist areas.
Before departure, ensure protection against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis is up to date, along with measles, mumps and rubella, and polio. Depending on age and medical history, varicella (chickenpox) or shingles vaccination may also be relevant.
Some travellers may require additional vaccines, such as hepatitis B based on length of stay, activities or individual risk factors. A pre-travel consultation allows your doctor to review your vaccination status and advise if further immunisations are recommended.
Spain
Other health risks in Spain
Gastroenteritis
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Spain’s food hygiene and water treatment standards are high, and tap water is safe to drink in most urban areas. However, foodborne illness can still occur, with bacterial gastroenteritis from poor food hygiene, contamination, and exposure of food to higher temperatures during the warmer months.
Symptoms typically include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and occasionally fever. These symptoms usually begin within one to three days of exposure. The most important aspect of management is maintaining adequate hydration. Oral rehydration solutions can replace fluids and electrolytes. Most cases resolve within several days without specific treatment.
Medical attention should be sought if there is severe dehydration, persistent vomiting preventing fluid intake, blood in the faeces, high fever, or symptoms lasting more than a few days.
Lyme disease
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Lyme disease occurs in parts of Spain and is transmitted through the bite of infected Ixodes ticks. The risk is highest in northern and forested regions, including areas of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country and parts of Castilla y León. Ticks are most active during spring and summer, particularly in wooded, grassy or rural environments.
Travellers are at increased risk when hiking, camping, hunting or spending time in long grass or forested areas. Ticks attach painlessly and may go unnoticed, so regular tick checks after outdoor activities are important. Wearing long sleeves and long pants, and using insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin can reduce the likelihood of bites.
Early symptoms of lyme disease may include fever, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint aches, and some patients develop a characteristic expanding red rash at the site of the bite. Seek medical care promptly because treatment can prevent the infection progressing to involve the joints, nervous system or heart.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
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Spain is generally safe for travellers and violent crime rates are low compared with many international destinations. However, petty crime remains common, particularly in high-traffic tourist areas. Pickpocketing and bag snatching occur frequently in crowded locations such as public transport networks and tourist attractions in cities including Barcelona and Madrid. Travellers should keep passports and valuables secure and remain alert in crowded settings. Avoid protest areas and monitor official advice and instructions from authorities.
Refer to the Australian Government’s Smartraveller website before and during your trip for up to date safety advice.
Altitude sickness
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Although much of Spain sits at low to moderate elevation, altitude sickness can occur in mountainous regions such as the Pyrenees in the north and the Sierra Nevada in the south. Ski resorts and hiking destinations may exceed 2,400 metres, and rapid ascent without adequate acclimatisation increases risk.
Acute mountain sickness commonly presents with headache, nausea, fatigue, poor sleep and dizziness within 6 to 24 hours of ascent. Symptoms often improve with rest and avoidance of further ascent. Travellers should ascend gradually where possible and allow time for acclimatisation, particularly if travelling directly from sea level to high-altitude ski resorts.
Severe forms of altitude illness, such as high altitude cerebral oedema or high altitude pulmonary oedema, are uncommon in Spain but can occur at higher elevations. These conditions require immediate descent and urgent medical care. Travellers planning alpine trekking or climbing should seek pre-travel medical advice and consider travelling with experienced guides.
Heat related illness
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Spain experiences intense summer heat, particularly in inland and southern regions such as Andalusia and central plateau areas. Cities including Seville, Córdoba and Madrid may record temperatures exceeding 40°C during heatwaves. Tourists sightseeing for prolonged periods outdoors are at risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and, in severe cases, heatstroke.
Heat exhaustion may present with heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea and headache. Heatstroke is a medical emergency and may involve confusion, collapse, high body temperature and reduced sweating. To minimise risk, plan outdoor activities during early morning or evening hours, rest during the hottest part of the day, and prioritise shaded or air-conditioned environments. Maintain regular fluid intake, and wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing along with broad-spectrum sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat.
Deep vein thrombosis
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Travel between Australia and Spain involves prolonged air travel, increasing the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Extended immobility can slow blood flow in the legs and can lead to clot formation. Risk is higher in individuals with previous DVT, known clotting disorders, cancer, pregnancy, obesity, recent surgery or use of certain hormonal medications.
During long-haul flights, stand and walk periodically, perform seated calf exercises, and avoid crossing your legs for prolonged periods. Maintain adequate hydration before a flight, and seek personalised medical advice if you have concerns or risk factors.