Record number of sexual encounters and infidelities: the 'promiscuity map' of Spain

An annual study by Diversual looks at sexual habits in Spain, offering a snapshot of what people say they do in bed (or wherever they choose). It draws on thousands of responses to map how often Spaniards have sex, how that varies across the country and what people experience in terms of satisfaction and relationships.

According to the report, people in Spain have sex an average of 5.9 times per month. That is likely to divide opinion: some will feel it overstates reality, while others will think it underestimates their own activity, which suggests there is a significant gap between different groups of people.

Geography, however, creates major differences in this otherwise uniform sexual average and in more qualitative (but arguably more interesting) aspects, such as where people achieve orgasm most often or which city reports the highest levels of infidelity.

Spain's "sex capital" does not sit on a party island full of nightclubs and barely dressed young people. Instead, it is Lleida. Residents there report 7.2 sexual encounters per month: the highest rate or the most enthusiastic respondents in the survey (which included more than 5,000 participants).

At the other end sits Salamanca, with 4.2 monthly encounters. Does this reflect a city of studious university life, where everyone spends too much time in the library? Probably not.

According to the report, people in Salamanca have sex less often, but enjoy it more: 87 per cent report reaching orgasm, placing the city top for "happy endings". This reflects quality over quantity. Zamora, by contrast, ranks at the bottom for orgasm rates, with the highest proportion of people reporting unfinished sexual encounters.

As sexologists Lucía Jiménez and Bea Montes explain: "Sexual satisfaction does not depend on frequency, but on quality. Reaching orgasm does not necessarily indicate quality and some very pleasurable experiences do not involve orgasm, while others with automatic orgasm are not necessarily satisfying. It matters more how comfortable, connected and safe the encounter feels."

What are the rates of infidelity? Burgos once again tops the ranking in Spain, with more than half of respondents admitting to cheating or "straying outside the relationship".

Surprised? Not really. The province has topped similar rankings before. Does Castilla's reputation for restraint hide a more secret double life? Or does Burgos function as a Spanish version of Las Vegas, "what happens in Burgos stays in Burgos"? The report leaves the question open. Meanwhile, Cuenca ranks as the most faithful city, with only 16 per cent admitting infidelity.

The threesome remains the most common sexual fantasy. Despite topping wish lists for years, it still does not translate into reality for many people.

Nearly 60 per cent of respondents express interest in a threesome. The figures rise to around 80 per cent in Palencia and Soria, suggesting something close to a collective obsession.

Among men, 93 per cent say they would accept a threesome without hesitation (although enthusiasm drops sharply depending on the mix of participants). Women, when they fantasise, more often prefer dominance scenarios or sex outside the bedroom.

The report also highlights more concerning findings. More than half of women (54 per cent) say they have had sex without a condom with strangers and 60 per cent of encounters originate through dating platforms.

Nearly half of respondents also report pressure not to use protection, often justified with the familiar line: "I don’t like it."