SPAIN’s best English-speaking city isn’t Madrid or Barcelona, but a coastal hotspot topping the rankings thanks to its immersive approach to language learning.
When it comes to English proficiency in Spain, most would expect the frequently visited places like Barcelona or Madrid to take the top spot.
However, according to Education First’s (EF) recent English Proficiency Index, the Galician city of Vigo is once again leading the pack.
Vigo has topped the rankings with an impressive score of 569, placing it ahead of larger, more internationally known cities like Barcelona (566) and Valencia (564).
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Madrid, the capital city often assumed to dominate such lists, trailed slightly behind with a score of 560.
Spain itself continues to show steady improvement.
The country now ranks 36th globally with a score of 540 – well above the worldwide average of 488 – and has seen a consistent upward trend in English levels since 2011.
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Graph of Spain’s English proficiency trend from 2011-2025, from EF’s official data.
Reading remains the strongest skill among Spaniards, while speaking still lags behind.
This isn’t the first time Vigo has placed at the top for Spanish cities, either.
The western city was also listed as the number one spot for English in all of Spain in 2024 as well.
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So what is behind Vigo’s continued success? Experts point to its long-running focus on immersive learning.
For years, local students have taken part in exchange programmes in the UK and Ireland, living with host families and attending school abroad.
The result is a shift from textbook learning to real-world communication – where English becomes a daily necessity rather than just another subject.
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Regionally, northern Spain dominates the rankings, with Galicia, Madrid, Navarre and Asturias all scoring highly.
Meanwhile, cities like Zaragoza, Granada and Gijon are also proving strong contenders for their level of English.
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