in Madrid, you should take particular care with pickpockets and petty thieves in the Puerta del Sol and surrounding streets including the Plaza Mayor, Callao, Gran Vía, Lavapies and the Retiro park and on the underground particularly on line number 8 from the airport
drivers, especially on the M30 and M40 Madrid ring roads, the A4 and A5 should be wary of approaches by bogus police officers, in plain clothes and travelling in unmarked cars. In all traffic-related matters police officers will be in uniform. Unmarked vehicles will have a flashing electronic sign on the rear window which reads Policia or Guardia Civil, and normally have blue flashing lights incorporated into the headlights, which are activated by the Police when they stop you
in non-related traffic matters police officers may be in plain clothes but in any case members of the public have the right to ask police officers to identify themselves. The Guardia Civil or Police will ask you to show them your documents only and do not request that you hand over your bag or wallet. If in any doubt, drivers should converse through the car window and contact the Guardia Civil on 062 or the Spanish National Police on 112 and ask them to confirm that the registration number of the vehicle corresponds to an official police vehicle.
Local laws and customs
the Madrid City has banned the consumption of alcohol in the street. Failure to respect this law may result in the imposition of fines.
