Eight towns and smaller cities across Spain have been highlighted for their combination of relatively low conventional crime, healthcare access, walkable centres and services designed to support older residents.

The selection focuses largely on inland Spain, rather than the country's more heavily visited coastal resort areas. The towns featured include Teruel, Ontinyent, Calahorra, Aranda de Duero, Ronda, Soria, Plasencia and Úbeda.

The selection is based on a combination of crime statistics and practical considerations for older residents, rather than crime figures alone.

Teruel

Teruel combines a relatively compact city centre with access to hospital services and municipal support for older residents.

Spain's Ministry of the Interior recorded 728 conventional criminal offences in Teruel during 2025, compared with 660 in 2024. No completed homicides were recorded in the municipality during the year.

Healthcare is provided locally through Hospital Obispo Polanco, which has an emergency department and specialist services.

The city also has a long-established senior community network. The Santa Emerenciana centre has been operating for 25 years, while the Teruel city council contributes €400,000 annually to its operation.

Ontinyent

Ontinyent, in Valencia province, recorded a notable reduction in conventional crime during 2025.

The Ministry of the Interior recorded 740 conventional offences, down from 840 in 2024, a decrease of 11.9%. Recorded thefts and burglaries also fell during the year.

Healthcare provision received a major upgrade in 2026 with the opening of the new Hospital General de Ontinyent. The new facility began hospitalisation, emergency, diagnostic and outpatient services in June.

For residents, the town also offers access to its historic centre, the La Vila district and the natural area around Pou Clar.

Calahorra

Calahorra in La Rioja is another town highlighted for its combination of falling conventional crime and dedicated senior services.

Conventional offences fell from 1,194 in 2024 to 967 in 2025, a decrease of 19%.

The town has also expanded its municipal programmes for residents aged over 65. In 2026, its Envejecimiento Activo y Saludable programme included activities aimed at exercise, social interaction, personal development and healthy ageing.

The town's programme continued into autumn with activities including cooking, wellbeing workshops, excursions and social events.

Aranda de Duero

Aranda de Duero in Burgos province recorded 1,096 conventional offences in 2025, down 3.7% from the previous year.

The town has local hospital provision through Hospital Santos Reyes, while its municipal services also offer programmes aimed at keeping older residents active.

The 2026 Actívate en Verano programme included gentle physical activity, yoga-Pilates, stretching, Nordic walking, cognitive activities and motor stimulation.

Aranda also offers a compact historic centre, the Duero River, traditional wine cellars and the Gothic Church of Santa María la Real.

Ronda

Ronda is one of the best-known destinations in the selection, famous for its dramatic gorge and historic architecture.

Its conventional crime total fell from 1,202 offences in 2024 to 1,074 in 2025, a decrease of 10.6%. No completed homicides were recorded in the municipality during 2025.

Healthcare is provided locally through Hospital de la Serranía de Ronda.

The town has also introduced programmes specifically aimed at older residents. One initiative, AMPARO, provided free digital-literacy courses for people over 65 living in Ronda's outlying areas, with the aim of reducing the digital divide and encouraging social connection.

Soria

Soria offers a different profile from some of the other towns on the list.

Its conventional crime total increased from 1,218 in 2024 to 1,274 in 2025. One completed homicide was recorded during the year.

The reasons for including Soria therefore extend beyond crime trends.

The city has a local hospital with a range of specialist services, while its municipal Aulas para Personas Mayores programme provides activities and classes for older residents.

For the 2026-27 academic year, activities include options ranging from Pilates and painting to English for travel, technology and other sociocultural activities.

Plasencia

Plasencia in Extremadura recorded an increase in conventional crime during 2025, rising from 1,103 offences in 2024 to 1,204.

Its inclusion is instead linked largely to healthcare and community infrastructure.

Hospital Virgen del Puerto provides hospital services in the city, while Plasencia also has specialist healthcare and a locally based emergency service.

The historic centre offers a concentrated collection of attractions, including the Old and New Cathedrals, Plaza Mayor and sections of the medieval walls.

The municipality also maintains services and activities aimed specifically at older residents.

Úbeda

Úbeda in Jaén province recorded 843 conventional offences in 2025, compared with 759 the previous year.

No completed homicides were recorded in the municipality during 2025.

Healthcare is provided through Hospital San Juan de la Cruz, a regional hospital with hospitalisation and emergency services as well as mental-health provision.

The UNESCO-listed Renaissance centre provides many attractions within a relatively compact historic area, including Plaza Vázquez de Molina, the Sacra Capilla del Salvador and the Hospital de Santiago.

Municipal activities for residents over 65 have included crafts, music therapy, memory exercises and social activities.

Safety Is More Than a Crime Figure

One of the main themes behind the selection is that senior-friendly living cannot be measured by crime statistics alone.

Crime totals also need to be considered in relation to population size, and conventional crime figures do not capture every aspect of personal safety or quality of life.

Healthcare access, emergency services, walkability, social programmes, community facilities and opportunities for older people to remain active can all influence the experience of living in a town.

That is why some towns on the list remain included despite recording an increase in conventional crime during 2025.

Inland Spain Takes Centre Stage

All eight locations highlighted are away from Spain's major coastal resort destinations.

They range from provincial capitals such as Teruel and Soria to smaller historic cities including Úbeda, Calahorra and Aranda de Duero.

Their common features include relatively manageable urban environments, established healthcare provision and municipal services aimed at maintaining social engagement among older residents.

A Different Side of Retirement in Spain

Spain is often associated with retirement destinations along the Mediterranean and southern coasts, but these towns illustrate another option.

For older residents looking for a quieter setting, inland locations can offer historic centres, cultural activities, healthcare facilities and established local communities without relying entirely on the tourism economy.

The eight towns highlighted here each offer a different combination of these features, and their suitability will ultimately depend on individual priorities such as climate, housing costs, healthcare needs, transport and lifestyle.

The Eight Towns

The towns highlighted are Teruel, Ontinyent, Calahorra, Aranda de Duero, Ronda, Soria, Plasencia and Úbeda.

Rather than presenting them as an official national ranking, the list provides a snapshot of Spanish locations where crime data, healthcare access and senior-focused community services are being brought together as factors in considering a place to live later in life.