Barcelona / Madrid

[cruiser53]

We will be ending a cruise this July in Barcelona. After the cruise ends we have 6 days/5 nights to do what we want before returning home. We were thinking of spliting up our time between Barcelona and Madrid.

The question I have is should we stay in Barcelona for 3 nights and Madrid for 2 nights or vice a versa. We have never been to either city and am not sure how much there is to see in each place.

Can you please give me some guidance on this.

 

Thanks

Cruiser53

[cruiseluv]

Hi cruiser,

 

There is an endless debate about what city is better, so you will probably not find consensus. People that have been to both cities seem to be either Barcelona people or Madrid people. I am a Madrid person. I have been to both cities several times, Madrid more often. I still can't see the fascination with Barcelona. Madrid is a very cosmopolitan city, with great Museums and restaurants. It also is very close to other interesting cities such as Segovia and Toledo to which you can easily do day trips.

 

Based on the above I would recommend 3 nts Madrid and 2 nts Barcelona.

[cruiser53]

Hi Cruiseluv,

 

Thanks for your opinion. Since I have never been to either place before, what highlights in Madrid would you recommend for a first timer if we do stay in Madrid for the 3 nights. We have tentative reservations at the Best Western Arosa do you know of it. Do you have any recommendations as far as moderate priced hotel in Madrid.

Thanks so much for your insight, I really appreciate your time.

 

 

 

Regards

Cruiser53

[ab0si]

Here's a vote for Barcelona. It is, IMHO, a much more "alive" city with a very active art and music scene. If it were me, I'd skip Madrid completely (except, of course, it has three of the great art museums in the world).

 

As someone else mentioned, Segovia and Toledo are remarkable cities -- Toledo especially.

 

Paul

[CruisinGerman]

Greetings from our home city of Barcelona. We also have a home in Madrid, because I divide my time during the week for professional purposes between both cities.

 

We are equally in love with both cities but for different reasons. Madrid is the administrative capital of Spain, so most business (even from Barcelona) is done here. Madrid is where you will find the true, deep Spanish history and the finest art museums in the world (Prado Museum, Reina Sofía and Thyssen). There is a beautiful park in Madrid (The Retiro -- our version of Central Park), the Plaza Mayor (barrio de los Austrias), Royal Palace, etc. Outside of Madrid you have some great places to visit such as Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial.

 

That being said, most foreign tourists seem to prefer Barcelona. It is on the water, for one. While Barcelona's museums are not as world class as the Madrid museums, Barcelona is actually an open-air museum (Gaudí architecture, Sagrada Familia, Parque Güell, etc.). Barcelona looks and feels like a larger city than Madrid because Barcelona has such wide, light-filled streets, even though Barcelona actually has half the population.

 

In Madrid, while we have elegant streets such as Paseo de la Castellana, Alfonso XII, Paseo de Recoletos, calle Serrano, Gran Vía, we have nothing in Madrid like Paseo de Gracia, Diagonal, and Las Ramblas. A street like Las Ramblas is very unique to Barcelona. While most of us who live here find that part of Barcelona a somewhat low-life, seedy area, you Americans seem to go bonkers over Las Ramblas.

 

The shopping is similar in both cities. The food is similar in both cities. Madrid is famous for non-stop night life (the term "movida" has its origin in Madrid), while Barcelona is not.

 

Also, bear in mind that you will be here in July. The heat in Central Spain (Madrid) is sweltering in the summer months (although the positive aspect of this is that there is virtually no humidity in Madrid, so it is a dry heat which means one doesn't sweat). Most people in Madrid prefer to migrate to the coasts in the summer months if they can (most people in Madrid take their vacations in July and August, mostly August).

 

The psychological mood in Madrid in the summer (everyone wanting to be at the beach) might make you wish you stayed in Barcelona.

 

My vote would be for 3 nights in Barcelona -- do all of the outdoor stuff, maybe go to Sitges, Tarragona or the Costa Brava for the day. Then in Madrid, make sure you see the famous museums, the Royal Palace, the Plaza Mayor, the Retiro Park, Gran Vía, Puerta del Sol, calle Serrano, perhaps some shopping. Go for a half day tour (either organized bus tour or by high-speed train on your own) to Toledo, relax and go home. Because Madrid is the capital, your flight connections back home may be easier from Madrid.

 

Both cities are very different and worthwhile visiting. I just think that in the summer months you will find Barcelona more interesting.

 

Let me know if I can be of any help.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[dbh62ark]

Cruiser53, just to add another option for you, have you considered Seville? You can get cheap flights there from Barcelona (watch the luggage weight though), and Seville is FABULOUS!

 

Have a great trip,

Donna

[CruisinGerman]

in the summer months. Most people would not choose to vacation in Seville in the summer.

 

Anyway, you can basically see the interesting sights in Seville from a tourist standpoint in one day. Seville is charming but is not considered to be a world class city such as Madrid or Barcelona. The nicest time to go to Seville is around Semana Santa (Holy Week) to see the processions and the famous Feria de Abril in April.

 

Seville would be nice if you had some more time to do a circuit tour of Spain, or if you were planning on going to the Southern Coasts.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[cruiser53]

Dear Gunther and Uta,

 

Thank you so much for your detailed posting. I have so many questions If you have some time can you email me at my email address "cotroneot@aol.com" since you live in Spain I would love to go over my itinerary with you and ask you some further questions. I would greatly appreciate your help.

 

Thanks once again for taking the time to post all that information. I really appreciate it.

 

Donna - Thanks for your suggestion of Seville, as much as I have heard it is indeed a beautiful city I think it will be out of my reach this trip.

 

Regards

Tony

[dbh62ark]

in the summer months. Most people would not choose to vacation in Seville in the summer.

 

Anyway, you can basically see the interesting sights in Seville from a tourist standpoint in one day. Seville is charming but is not considered to be a world class city such as Madrid or Barcelona. The nicest time to go to Seville is around Semana Santa (Holy Week) to see the processions and the famous Feria de Abril in April.

Oh yes, I didn't note the July timing (we visited in September). But I disagree that Seville can and should be seen in a day. We spent 3 days there and had a wonderful trip. And I disagree that Seville is not a world class city. I love Barcelona too.

 

Donna

[dbh62ark]

Donna - Thanks for your suggestion of Seville, as much as I have heard it is indeed a beautiful city I think it will be out of my reach this trip.

 

Regards

Tony

You're welcome, and have a great trip! :)

 

Donna

[Bruin Steve]

I'm obviously not as much an expert as Gunther and Uta, but I am a multiple-time visitor to both cities (and I've been elsewhere in Spain as well--San Sebastian, Seville, Granada, Girona and elsewhere--You could easily do an entire multi week vacation just visiting all of the wonderful places in Spain)...

 

But, just trying to split only 5 nights in these two cities is a very tough choice...I could easily outline how you could spend a wonderful five nights/six days entirely in either of them...

 

As for me, I love both cities...

 

Barcelona is one of my favorite cities in Europe, let alone Spain...mostly because it is so different and distinct...For me, the greatest thing about Barcelona is the architecture--specifically Gaudi...As long as your cruise ends up there, you should spend, IMHO, two nights there...Make sure you see the Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, Casa Mila and Casa Batllo (all Gaudi works), stroll Las Ramblas and wander through the Barri Gotic...Most of all, enjoy the city itself...Eat in outdoor cafes and visit the Placa Catalunya at night...

 

Then I would fly to Madrid and stay three nights there...Visit the Prado, the Plaza Mayor...and then take a trip or two OUT of the city...The one "must" is Toledo... a simply spectacular historical city...take a full day tour there...we also, on our most recent visit, took a full day tour to Avila and Segovia...both are also exquisite...I love Madrid, but these nearby towns are a great part of the experience...When you get back to Madrid each night, remember a good part of the Madrid experience is still yet to come...Dinner in Madrid is a LATE night affair...You will get strange looks walking into a restaurant at 10:00 pm...11 is more like normal dinner time...

 

Both cities, BTW, are very tourist friendly...Great for walking, outstanding transportation systems, many good restaurants ranging from cheap to luxurious... Also, BTW, the architecture in Madrid is pretty fascinating as well...just pay attention to the details and the art on many of the buildings downtown...

 

Have fun...

[cruiser53]

Hi Bruin Steve

 

Thanks so much for your recommendations, I know its a tough decision.

I have been thinking I might want to make the trip to Sitges by train from Barcelona, I hear it is beautiful, in order to do that I would have to give up a night in Madrid, and might have to forgo going to Toledo. In your estimation which would be more important to see Sitges for the day or Toledo. I guess it us up to that wether we stay in Barcelona for 3 nights or Madrid for 3 nights. Thanks so much for your help.

 

Regards

Tony

[Bruin Steve]

I have been thinking I might want to make the trip to Sitges by train from Barcelona, I hear it is beautiful, in order to do that I would have to give up a night in Madrid, and might have to forgo going to Toledo. In your estimation which would be more important to see Sitges for the day or Toledo. I guess it us up to that wether we stay in Barcelona for 3 nights or Madrid for 3 nights.

 

Tony,

Of course the important part of the decision is based on individual priorities. For ME, I would never give up Toledo for Sitges...But the two places are totally opposite. Toledo is a great historical city dating back to medeival times...It is a fortress city, sitting atop a mountain within the fork of two converging rivers...It is the home of El Greco and the site of two medeival synagogues...My main interests are history, religion, culture...Sitges is a very scenic small city...a beach resort extremely popular with the European Gay community...known for its beaches and its nightlife...

 

If your interests are more to the nightlife and the beach scene, this may be the better choice for you..You might want to go here straight from the ship, spend one night spend a relaxing afternoon on the beach, then hit the bars and night scene, then return to Barcelona for a couple and then fly from there to Madrid...With just the two nights in Madrid, you might still (depending on how early you get in and how late your flight home is at the end) want to take at least a half day trip over to Toledo--it really is a rather fascinating town...and you can still get enough of Madrid on the other day or parts of days and during the nights (Look for Tapas Bars)...

 

Enjoy...