How to See a Doctor in Spain as a Tourist
Your options for medical care in Spain as a visitor — public ER, private clinics, home doctors, pharmacies — plus realistic prices and what travel insurance covers.
As a tourist in Spain you have four ways to see a doctor: the public hospital ER (free with EHIC/GHIC; non-EU visitors are billed afterwards, typically €100–300 a visit), a private clinic (€60–150 for a GP visit), a home-visit doctor who comes to where you're staying, and the pharmacy for minor ailments. For an emergency, call 112. For routine illness — fever, stomach upset, a UTI, prescriptions — a home-visit doctor or private clinic is fastest and most comfortable. Private and home visits issue an invoice your travel insurer usually reimburses.
What are the four ways to see a doctor in Spain?
Spain has both a public health system (Sistema Nacional de Salud, SNS) and a parallel private sector, and as a tourist you can use either. The four routes are the public hospital emergency room, a private hospital or clinic, a home-visit doctor who comes to where you're staying, and the pharmacy for minor ailments.
1. How does the public emergency room (Urgencias) work?
Every public hospital has a 24/7 emergency department. Walk in, get triaged, get treated. EU/EEA citizens with a valid EHIC card and UK citizens with a GHIC card receive care under the same conditions as Spanish residents — meaning no out-of-pocket cost for the medical attention itself (though some prescription medication may carry a small co-pay).
Non-EU tourists (US, Canada, Australia, Latin America, etc.) can still go to a public ER, but you'll receive an invoice afterwards. A standard ER visit without admission typically costs €100–300; with imaging and a short stay it can run €500–1,500. Your travel insurance should reimburse this — keep every piece of paper they give you.
Public ER waiting times in tourist areas during peak season can be long: 3–6 hours for non-urgent triage levels is common. If your symptoms are clearly non-life-threatening, the public ER is rarely the fastest option.
2. What is a private hospital or clinic like?
Spain has a strong private healthcare sector — Quirónsalud, HM Hospitales, Hospiten, Vithas and dozens of regional groups — offering same-day or walk-in appointments, English-speaking doctors in tourist areas, and imaging and lab tests in one stop. A standard GP visit costs €60–150, fully reimbursable by most travel insurers.
Spain has a strong private healthcare sector — names you'll recognise include Quirónsalud, HM Hospitales, Hospiten, Vithas, and dozens of regional groups. Private clinics offer:
- Same-day or walk-in appointments for routine visits
- Often English-speaking doctors in tourist areas
- Direct billing for travel insurance partners (ask before booking)
- Imaging, blood tests, prescriptions in one stop
A standard GP visit at a private clinic costs €60–150. Specialist visits run €100–250. Most travel insurers reimburse fully if you save the invoice.
3. What is a home-visit doctor (médico a domicilio)?
A home-visit doctor is the option most tourists don't know about and end up wishing they had. A licensed Spanish GP comes to your hotel, villa or apartment — usually within 30–90 minutes — examines you, treats common conditions, and issues prescriptions, with an invoice accepted by travel insurers.
A licensed Spanish GP comes to your hotel, villa, or apartment — usually within 30–90 minutes of your call — examines you, treats common conditions, and issues prescriptions if needed.
Typical market price: €120–180 for a standard daytime visit, with a small surcharge for nights and Sundays. The doctor is colegiated (officially registered) and carries professional liability insurance. You receive an itemised invoice with the doctor's licence number, fully accepted by travel insurers.
When does this make sense?
- You have a sick child and don't want to drag them to a busy ER.
- You're feverish, exhausted, or vomiting and the idea of a 4-hour ER wait is unbearable.
- You're staying somewhere (Ibiza, Mallorca, Costa del Sol) where the nearest hospital is a 30-minute drive away.
- You need a prescription for something you'd normally get from your GP back home.
- You want a doctor who speaks your language.
4. What can the farmacia (pharmacy) do?
Spanish pharmacists are highly trained and advise on minor conditions — mild fever, sunburn, mosquito bites, traveller's diarrhoea, hangover, mild allergic reactions and headaches. Many products that need a prescription elsewhere are sold over the counter here, and every town has a 24/7 pharmacy on duty.
Spanish pharmacists are highly trained and can advise on minor conditions: mild fever, sunburn, mosquito bites, traveller's diarrhoea, hangover, mild allergic reactions, headaches. Many over-the-counter products that require a prescription elsewhere (some antibiotics excluded) are sold across the counter here.
Look for the green cross outside any pharmacy. There's always at least one pharmacy on duty 24/7 in any town — the rotating "farmacia de guardia" is posted on each pharmacy's door.
Which option fits my situation?
The right option depends on your symptoms: 112 for life-threatening emergencies, the pharmacy for minor issues, a home-visit doctor or private clinic for illness in between, and the public ER for serious-but-not-life-threatening cases when you have no insurance. This table matches each situation to its best option.
| Situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| Chest pain, severe trauma, fainting, breathing difficulty | Call 112 immediately |
| Sick child with high fever, won't keep fluids down | Home-visit doctor or pediatric ER |
| Adult with fever, GI symptoms, suspected UTI | Home-visit doctor or private clinic |
| Need a prescription refill / lost medication | Pharmacy first; if not allowed without prescription, home-visit doctor |
| Mild sunburn, jellyfish sting, bug bites | Pharmacy |
| Routine check-up, second opinion | Private clinic appointment |
| Suspected fracture, deep cut, head injury | Hospital ER |
What do I need to bring to see a doctor in Spain?
To see a doctor in Spain, always bring your passport or national ID, your travel insurance policy number with its emergency contact phone, your EHIC or GHIC card if you're EU/UK, a list of your current medications and doses, and a credit card for upfront payment in private settings — which you'll get reimbursed.
- Passport or national ID (always)
- Travel insurance policy number + emergency contact phone
- EHIC / GHIC card if EU/UK
- List of your current medications and doses (write it on your phone)
- Credit card for upfront payment in private settings (you'll get reimbursed)
How does insurance reimbursement work in Spain?
Reimbursement in Spain works on two documents: the factura — an itemised invoice with the doctor's name, licence number, date and amount paid — and the medical report, a one-page summary of diagnosis, treatment and prescriptions. Both are standard in private and home-visit care; the public ER provides them if you ask before discharge.
The two pieces of paper that make insurance reimbursement work in Spain are:
- The factura — itemised invoice with the doctor's name, licence number (Nº colegiado), the date, and the amount paid. Always get it.
- The medical report (informe médico) — a one-page summary of the diagnosis, treatment given, and prescriptions. Insurers ask for this before reimbursing larger claims.
Both documents are standard in private and home-visit care. Public ER will give you both if you ask before discharge.
Do doctors in Spain speak English?
In Ibiza, Mallorca, Tenerife, the Costa del Sol, the Costa Blanca and Barcelona, English-speaking doctors are easy to find, especially in private and home-visit care. In smaller inland towns, expect Spanish or basic English; a translation app covers routine visits, and for anything serious you can confirm your language when booking.
In Ibiza, Mallorca, Tenerife, the Costa del Sol, the Costa Blanca, and Barcelona, English-speaking doctors are easy to find — especially in private and home-visit care. In smaller inland towns, expect Spanish or basic English. A translation app on your phone covers the gap for routine visits; for anything serious, ask the clinic or service when booking whether your language is available.
What's the practical rule for choosing care in Spain?
The practical rule is not to default to "go to the hospital" but to pick the option that fits your symptoms: 112 if it's an emergency, a pharmacy if it's minor, a home-visit doctor or private clinic if it's somewhere in between, and the public ER for serious-but-not-life-threatening cases when you have no insurance.
If you're in Spain and feel unwell, don't default to "go to the hospital." Default to the option that fits your symptoms:
- 112 if it's an emergency.
- A pharmacy if it's minor.
- A home-visit doctor or private clinic if it's somewhere in between.
- The public ER for serious-but-not-life-threatening when you don't have insurance.
Most tourist health needs in Spain are squarely in the "home-visit doctor or private clinic" lane. Knowing that ahead of time saves a lot of waiting and a lot of stress.