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Loved Madrid. Felt more urban, more "real." It felt like the Spanish New York (especially Gran Via). Most of the foreigners seemed to be from former Spanish colonies. That made it feel less touristy because those people actually lived and worked there. I hardly ever spoke English with anyone. Barcelona was overrun with tourists from everywhere. It seemed that I heard every language but Spanish, yes I know that Catalan is what they speak, but I also heard a lot of French, Italian, English, and everything else from the tourists. Barcelona was aesthetically pleasing though. I liked that there were large medians in the roads and those medians had cafes and vendors. But I still liked the urban feeling of Madrid much better. It felt so much more alive, even though Barcelona is the 4th most visited city in Europe.
And like others mentioned above, people in Madrid are friendly. I didn't expect that from a big city.
Loved Madrid. Felt more urban, more "real." It felt like the Spanish New York (especially Gran Via). Most of the foreigners seemed to be from former Spanish colonies. That made it feel less touristy because those people actually lived and worked there. I hardly ever spoke English with anyone. Barcelona was overrun with tourists from everywhere. It seemed that I heard every language but Spanish, yes I know that Catalan is what they speak, but I also heard a lot of French, Italian, English, and everything else from the tourists. Barcelona was aesthetically pleasing though. I liked that there were large medians in the roads and those medians had cafes and vendors. But I still liked the urban feeling of Madrid much better. It felt so much more alive, even though Barcelona is the 4th most visited city in Europe.
And like others mentioned above, people in Madrid are friendly. I didn't expect that from a big city.
Now I'm on the border of changing my vote, which I can't do. Being able to walk down Las Ramblas, avoiding the vendors and the mimes, to the waterfront and to the beach is why I voted for Barcelona.
However, my cousins and I were discussing Barcelona and Lisbon (not to digress). We all agreed on Lisbon, hands down.
Many cities with some type of a harbor are often preferred to inland ones. However, France, Germany, and England, among others, would have to be exceptions to this rule of thumb.
Surprisingly, customer service in Madrid, even in places like the RENFE Atocha station, was good throughout the city and noticeably better than in Barcelona. Madrid is a great city to walk around and has more of a core than does Barcelona, along the Gran Via and in arcaded Plaza Mayor.
It helps that I am conversant in Spanish. In Madrid, they just speak Castilian Spanish to you as if it's no big deal. In Barcelona, I was taking pictures of the port from Montjuic and I got into a conversation with a local lady and her husband. She asked where I learned it. I told her I took Spanish at my university. Then she muttered "Espanol ... Espanol ..." It sunk in. Sorry, lady, spare me the lesson in local politics. That's what it's called in America. Just appreciate that I bothered to learn the language.
I was told by a woman that "you should learn Catalan..." I still wonder, what for?? lol Not useful at all for me as they also speak Spanish and if they don't it is because they don't want.
So people I tell you something, if you go to Barcelona don't be afraid of the Catalan language as every local from there can speak a perfect Spanish.
I was told by a woman that "you should learn Catalan..." I still wonder, what for?? lol Not useful at all for me as they also speak Spanish and if they don't it is because they don't want.
So people I tell you something, if you go to Barcelona don't be afraid of the Catalan language as every local from there can speak a perfect Spanish.
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.
Was in Barcelona last summer, and was kind of disappointed. It felt too family-oriented and too touristy in many parts for me (Las Ramblas...UGH), but it was still very, very nice. It was also the only place I've ever been to abroad where I didn't meet and become attached to someone who showed me around and explained their POV as a local, so maybe it's the lack of fond memories too.
I'm going to Madrid this spring and I am PUMPED. In retrospect, the reason I flew in to BCN was because I had never been near a sea at the time and just wanted to be in one that badly. At this point, I am way more attracted to Madrid and am unbelievably excited for all the food and wandering around...and maybe some late nights.
I haven't been to Spain but Barcelona draws me more, I think largely because I'm a big fan of Gaudi and his work.
There is a Gaudi house here and there. They look goofy to me. I think they inspired some of the goofy rip-offs used for "organic" looking houses and restaurants by the sea in Southern California.
On top of that, Sagrada Familia is one of the biggest wastes of time. It is incomplete. Your admission ticket helps pay for its completion. The autonomous region of Catalonia should pay a bigger share. Good luck trying to take a picture of it without having a crane or construction equipment in the way.
The buildings in Madrid are more interesting, overall. One of the few interesting buildings in Barcelona is Richard Meier's Museum of Contemporary Art, partly because you are walking through an old neighborhood, and it's like an apparition.
I only stayed in Madrid for one entire day and for four days in Barcelona. I felt it was easier getting around Madrid with public transportation. The people seemed more helpful whenever i stopped to ask questions about museums, restaurants, etc. It was a bit more fun in Barcelona though....many things to do and not enough time in Barcelona. I'll still take Sevilla over both cities. I thoroughly enjoyed it much more!
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