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Both are fun, Barcelona has more tourists and more of a party city from what I noticed and more people seem who speak English
Madrid is cheaper for the most part, but just as fun...much much bigger
People in Madrid also seemed much nicer than the Catalans (the girls were better looking and more approachable as well in Madrid) not sure if that matters
They are equal for architecture, I didn't really travel the surrounding areas in Madrid but the area outside of Barcelona is beautiful..going towards Montserrat. Cuisine is equal, Spanish cuisine is meh at best, about equal for entertainment. Madrid seems more "Spanish", while Barcelona seemed really touristy. I met more Americans and Aussies in Barca than locals.
which has more to offer to the international tourist
architecture
cuisine
entertainment
culture
scenic tours outside the city
friendlieness of locals
Depends on the tourist.
Let's see...
Architecture....quite a difficult question since Barcelona is older, founded more that 2000 years old and already inhabited 8.000 years ago....
But Madrid is the capital, so you have the "Madrid de los Austrias" (Hapsburg's Madrid) with very beautiful neoclassisist architecture, Royal Palaces, Museums...and all the buildings that bring being the capital and spending "the king's powder"....
Madrid is a new city, less than 500 years ago, a city built drom the king's hunting pavilion..but beautiful.
Barcelona was an ancient Mediterranean republic and a very medieval city until 1870...that recovered the sea (beaches) as recently as 1992.
Cuisine....
Well, according to Michelin, Barcelona..but if you like popular Spanish food, real tapas, Madrid....Barcelona had good tapas and good food before touristic invasion.
Entertainment...
Both in their own ways..
Culture...Madrid has better museums...Barcelona more tradition.
Scenic tours...Madrid, you can visit Segovia, Avila, Toledo, very close.
Friendliness...Madrileños are quite hard to find if they ever existed, so the people that meet tourists are not locals, not in Madrid, not in Barcelona.
scenic tours outside the city- No idea, only visited the inner parts of both cities
I didn't enjoy Madrid as much as I enjoyed Barcelona. I visited Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. I'd visit Valencia again over Madrid. A very underrated city
which has more to offer to the international tourist
architecture
cuisine
entertainment
culture
scenic tours outside the city
friendlieness of locals
Architecture: Barcelona. I mean, you have Gaudi. There are some nice bank buildings in Madrid
Cuisine: Hmmm....tough one. I'll give it to both. I had some amazing cocido madrileno (stew) in Madrid. I am a big tapas fan so I loved having those in Barcelona.
Entertainment: My input may fail here. I was in Madrid and Barcelona with my parents, who have little interest in bars and stuff. Fellow study abroad students said they had a great time going out at night in Madrid, so there's that.
Culture: You have to realize that both cities have different cultures because Barcelona is Catalan and Madrid is Castilian. Huge difference to the peoples of Spain. In Madrid, you have the Prado, an amazing art museum, as well as the Reina Sofia, then the large Botanical Garden, and the Palacio Real. Toledo is one of my favorite places on this earth, and has plenty to offer if you love history. Barcelona has the Sagrada Familia tours and stunning architecture. I'm not as familiar with the museums. But it just feels different when you realize you are among different people, if it makes sense.
Scenic Tours: Barcelona has the more amazing scenery directly outside. The mountain Tibidabo gives you a great view. But Madrid has some varying scenery just around it. Castilla la Mancha is more than just arid and Segovia is in a totally different place up in Castilla y Leon closer to mountains. So I'd give this category to both.
I see here that I wasn't helpful as far as making up your mind, but it's really up to you and your girlfriend to determine what you want out of the trip. Many people love Barcelona, but if you want something new, Madrid is fun. Keep in mind that Madrid gets very hot in the summer and cold in the winter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jax419
People in Madrid also seemed much nicer than the Catalans (the girls were better looking and more approachable as well in Madrid) not sure if that matters [...] Madrid seems more "Spanish", while Barcelona seemed really touristy. I met more Americans and Aussies in Barca than locals.
Obviously Madrid seems more "Spanish" - that's where you get a lot of Castilians, which is what most Americans think of when they think of Spanish people. Catalans can be more reserved than Castilians, who are stereotypically outgoing, but certainly I wouldn't say anyone was nicer than the other. Madrid girls might seem cuter because younger madrilenos are more into fashion than in Barcelona. There's my shallow observation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perfect Stranger
The mind boggles. I guess that's why people thnk Americans are ignorant oafs.
So that poster is an ignorant oaf because they don't like a certain food?
For that matter, why do you assume that all Americans feel the same way about something? This thread is about Spain so keep it to that.
Barcelona is great, but IMO it's somewhat overrated. It's very "trendy" to say it's like the greatest city anywhere, and more beautiful than even a Paris or Rome.
I like Barcelona, but I don't quite get the "hype". The beaches are bad, the cultural riches (musuems, opera, etc.) are like a joke compared to Paris, London or Berlin, are there are some safety issues. But the city is beautiful and the surroundings are quite stunning. It's great fun to walk around everywhere, and the food is excellent.
Madrid, is a bit underrated, I think. It's a cultural heavyweight, unlike Barcelona, and has more "stuff" from the tourist perspective (IMO).
which has more to offer to the international tourist
I like Barcelona more than Madrid, but my favorite Spanish city is Cadiz.
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architecture
Barcelona
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cuisine
Hard to say, so I say its a tie.
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entertainment
Barcelona has water activities....
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culture
Barceloba
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scenic tours outside the city
Barcelona
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friendlieness of locals
Barcelona
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