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A question for tourists: Are people really different in friendliness in one city and another one?? I feel it as a Spaniard but I didn't know it was so notorious for tourists too.
A question for tourists: Are people really different in friendliness in one city and another one?? I feel it as a Spaniard but I didn't know it was so notorious for tourists too.
It is. It's not night and day, but it's tangible. I've been to both places between 3 and 5 times. Again, Barcelona has beaches. Nothing else intrigued me that much. However, I felt way more comfortable in Madrid. If I had to pick in which to LIVE, I'd pick Madrid. You can always take the AVE to Barcelona to go to the beach.
Barcelona, for sure! In my opinion climate is the major factor and Barcelona's climate is quite nice: not too hot, not too humid. Besides, coastal cities are always better (says a person living 300 miles from the nearest coast).
I prefer Barcelona but, Madrid is high on my list of world cities also. I would gladly move to either over most places in the U.S. if that tells you anything...
Quote:
Originally Posted by britinparis
Absolutely love both cities.. but I would say Madrid wins for me.
Barcelona is awesome too but it's very much a "second city", smaller and much more provincial than Madrid. It's Manchester to Britain's London, or Gothenburg to Sweden's Stockholm. The Catalan vibe is interesting but I think it makes for quite a closed city to integrate into. Foreigners basically have to master two languages to fit in. Plus it's very touristy. I guess what it does have going for it over Madrid is the beach and sea, the nicer climate (Mediterranean, against the cold winter/hot summer continental climate of the capital), and the mountains towering over it, give Barcelona an incredible natural setting that I suppose landlocked Madrid lacks.
I disagree, Barcelona is a top tier world destination city. Definitely nothing like Manchester or Gothenberg...way above those cities IMO. Countries can have more than one *very* nice city. It's more like NYC and LA...
I've never been to Paris, but when I was in Barcelona, it reminded me of what I imagined Paris would be like. Very nice city, I just prefer Madrid.
Yes, and most Gaudi and art noveau buildings are in the "ensanche" or "new Barcelona", the city built outside the walls when the walls were tore down (1860 or so). The old city is very similar to Paris before the city was remodelled by Hausmann. For example, the movie Perfume was filmed in Barcelona.
As to friendliness, people in Madrid used to be more talkative when they had no industry, but now both cities are very similar and in both cities a large part of waiters and people tending tourists are immigrants.
As to nice cities, Spain has plenty of nice cities. Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Segovia, Toledo, Salamanca, Santander, Santiago de Compostela, San Sebastian, Palencia, Orense, Oviedo, etc, etc.
I disagree, Barcelona is a top tier world destination city. Definitely nothing like Manchester or Gothenberg...way above those cities IMO. Countries can have more than one *very* nice city. It's more like NYC and LA...
You're mis-reading me - I didn't mean that Barcelona is like Machester or Gothenburg - I meant that it plays the role of "second city" to Madrid within Spanish life, in a similar way to these two other cities do in their respective countries.
I don't quite agree with your comparison with LA then - the US does not have a clear "second city" after NYC. Is it Chicago? LA? San Fran/Bay area? There are lots of contentors, the US is more polycentric - as is Germany, or China.
You're mis-reading me - I didn't mean that Barcelona is like Machester or Gothenburg - I meant that it plays the role of "second city" to Madrid within Spanish life, in a similar way to these two other cities do in their respective countries.
I don't quite agree with your comparison with LA then - the US does not have a clear "second city" after NYC. Is it Chicago? LA? San Fran/Bay area? There are lots of contentors, the US is more polycentric - as is Germany, or China.
In terms of a "nice city" it doesn't. In terms of the #2 city of culture/size/gdp/etc. it does. LA is close to 18 million people, chicago is close to 10, nyc is 22... boston is 7.5, as is SF... So tell me how there isn't a clear 2nd?
madrid these days is in a different league. i last visited these cities in.1993 and found them to be just as important as each other in most respects except for madrids obvious superior nightlife. i was blown away by how much madrid has advanced when i was in spin lasr year. there just is no rivalry anymore. barcelona looks so small in comparison. i also found madrid so much cleaner with a public transport that looked 50 years more advanced than barcelona. las ramblas seems alot more lively at night than what it did 19 years ago but iit is still no comparison to madrids w. barcelona seemed full of backpackers that gives the impression that it dors have a good nightlife but on closer inspection very few locals seem to form its night time activities instead it seemed over run with cheap tourists walking around like zombies. it also feels alot more dangerous than madrid. nothing feels more pleasurable than walking madrids sreets in the early hours of the morning w packed with life and yan amazing variety of things to do. barcelona has lost its soul. no originality what so ever. it felt like a sort of disneyland. i just hope madrid dorsnt go the same way when eurovegas is built. but madrid truly is spains great city. there is no comparison
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