How common are insults, resentment or self-interest in everyday situations?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nThese answers were analysed using the recognised Big Five personality model, producing a friendliness score out of 100 for each city. The differences aren\u2019t dramatic \u2013 but they\u2019re revealing.<\/p>\n
What emerges isn\u2019t a list of good and bad places. It\u2019s more like a map of social styles.<\/p>\n
The cities where kindness feels effortless
\nBilbao: the surprise frontrunner<\/p>\n
At the top of the ranking sits Bilbao, with 72.53 points. For many, that comes as a surprise. Northern Spain has long carried a reputation for reserve, even coldness.<\/p>\n
The reality painted by the data is very different. Respondents describe a city where respect sets the tone. One figure stands out: 87 per cent of people surveyed said they do not identify with insulting others. That may sound minor, but it shapes daily life more than we realise.<\/p>\n
In Bilbao, friendliness isn\u2019t loud. It\u2019s steady. You\u2019re left alone when you want to be, helped when you need it, and rarely drawn into unnecessary friction. For many newcomers, that quiet balance makes integration feel natural rather than forced.<\/p>\n
Zaragoza: calm, consistent, drama-free<\/p>\n
Just behind Bilbao comes Zaragoza, scoring 72.34. It\u2019s a city that rarely makes international headlines, but its residents\u2019 responses tell a clear story.<\/p>\n
Social life here is described as measured and low-conflict. People expect little, demand little and move on quickly from disagreements. Ego and revenge barely feature. There\u2019s a sense that not every interaction needs to be a performance.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not flamboyant friendliness \u2013 it\u2019s the kind that leaves you less tired at the end of the day.<\/p>\n
Valladolid and M\u00e1laga: different warmth, same score<\/p>\n
With 72.30 points each, Valladolid and M\u00e1laga land in joint third place, showing how varied friendliness can look.<\/p>\n
In Valladolid, kindness shows up as politeness and restraint. Conversations stay civil. Verbal aggression is rare. In M\u00e1laga, warmth is more expressive, shaped by constant interaction with visitors, expats and new arrivals.<\/p>\n
Two very different styles, same conclusion: people generally feel welcome.<\/p>\n
Other cities rounding out the top ten include Palma de Mallorca, Seville, Vigo, Murcia, Madrid and Valencia.<\/p>\n
The bottom of the table \u2013 and why it\u2019s not what it seems<\/p>\n
At the lower end appear C\u00f3rdoba, Las Palmas and Barcelona, with Alicante finishing last on 70.78 points.<\/p>\n
Before alarm bells ring, it\u2019s worth noting something important: the gap between first and last place is under two points. That alone tells you this isn\u2019t about unfriendly cities \u2013 it\u2019s about nuance.<\/p>\n
Alicante: last place, but only just<\/p>\n
Alicante\u2019s lower score reflects slightly higher levels of defensive reactions in conflict situations, along with marginally lower empathy scores. That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n
Tourism pressure, seasonal population swings and housing stress all influence how people interact. Even so, Alicante still scores as broadly friendly. \u201cLast\u201d here does not mean hostile \u2013 just a touch more guarded.<\/p>\n
Madrid and Barcelona: distance, not dislike<\/p>\n
Madrid comes ninth. Barcelona sits lower. Yet the details complicate the picture.<\/p>\n
In Barcelona, 93.4 per cent of respondents say they treat others with respect \u2013 one of the highest figures in the entire study. What drags the score down isn\u2019t rudeness, but emotional distance.<\/p>\n
High density, mass tourism, rising rents and constant turnover change how people relate. Interactions become shorter, patience thinner. It\u2019s not personal \u2013 it\u2019s urban fatigue.<\/p>\n
Madrid shows a similar pattern: direct, fast-paced, occasionally abrupt, but not inherently unkind.<\/p>\n
Age, gender \u2013 and who feels kindest overall<\/p>\n
Across all cities, people over 55 consistently scored highest for patience and empathy. Life experience seems to soften responses.<\/p>\n
Women were more likely to report behaviours that help others feel comfortable. Men tended to describe a more direct communication style \u2013 sometimes read as blunt, even when no offence is intended.<\/p>\n
What this ranking really tells us<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t a verdict on cities. It\u2019s a reflection of social atmosphere.<\/p>\n
Friendliness in Spain is widespread, but it isn\u2019t uniform. In some places it\u2019s loud and expressive. In others, it\u2019s quiet and respectful. And in big cities under pressure, it can be hidden beneath speed and stress.<\/p>\n
For anyone choosing where to live, retire or start over, these small differences often matter more than sunshine hours or rent prices.<\/p>\n
And if your city landed lower than expected? Chances are it\u2019s not unfriendly \u2013 just misunderstood.<\/p>\n
The real question is whether this ranking matches your lived experience\u2026 or challenges it.<\/p>\n
Does this ranking match your own experience? Have you noticed a warmer welcome in some Spanish cities than others? Let us know what you think \u2013\u00a0and where you\u2019ve felt most at home \u2013 in the comments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Daily life in Bilbao, ranked among Spain\u2019s most welcoming cities according to a recent national study. Credit :…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":697929,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5312],"tags":[2000,299,104],"class_list":{"0":"post-697928","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-spain","8":"tag-eu","9":"tag-europe","10":"tag-spain"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115899865674546403","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697928","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=697928"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/697928\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/697929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=697928"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=697928"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=697928"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}