Have a weekend to spend in either city. Haven't been to Spain or Italy before. Which do you recommend?

VENICE! I haven't been to Barcelona but visited Venice on our honeymoon.

Susan, <BR>I have to chime in with Jamie. It has admittedly been a long time since I was in Barcelona and I have been to Venice twice in the past 1 1/2 years and am going again in October. So obviously I am biased. BUT, there is so much to see and do in Venice that you can't go wrong there. I frankly don't remember what, if anything, we did/saw in Barcelona. I will probably get flamed by Barcelona fans, but this is just my opinion!

When are you going? Venice has a nasty rainy season when the streets flood, so you'd want to avoid it (it's Novemberish) then. Otherwise, it's a great city to visit (tourist season can be crowded); so is Barcelona. <BR> <BR>Barcelona might be less expensive all told - but either city gets two thumbs up from me...

I love both Venice and Barcelona--however, for just a weekend I would recommend Venice. Is there anything more wonderful than the view of the Grand Canal when you exit the train station? It is so different and exciting that when you have such a limited time this would be the place to go to have a great experience. Just be prepared for crowds and hot weather if you are going this summer. Barcelona is wonderful but on a larger scale and, in my opinion, needs far more than a weekend to really experience.

Venice, Venice, Venice! Even in November, with the aqu'alta in November, Venice is superb.

One more vote for Venice. It is probably the most unique city in Europe. In my book, only second to Paris.

Thanks for your responses. I forgot to mention that this trip will be in mid August. I've heard that the crowds in Venice will be terrible and that Barcelona won't be as bad. What do you think?

It seems like Venice is always crowded. Just get away from San Marcos and wander around. I bet Barcelona will have plenty of tourists at the museums and other sites! I'd vote for Venice! I think someone else also said that a weekend in Barcelona is barely enough.

Hey, what happened to all those who have professed undying affection for Barcelona? <BR> <BR>If you go to Venice because everyone says you have to see Venice once in your life, you will have a hot, sticky, buggy weekend jammed in with other tourists and barely able to see the sights for the crowds. And you better love Renaissance art and architecture. You'll keep telling yourself this is a Great Trip and when you leave you'll feel guilty for being relieved when you get away because, after all, it's VENICE. It will be a very mixed memory. <BR> <BR>Barcelona, on the other hand, will be a constant discovery for you. Yes, the posters are right who say a weekend is barely enough, but when you leave you'll have the sense of having discovered something for yourself that makes you want to come back a.s.a.p. It's a beautiful, sea-side city of cosmopolitan tastes, old and modern history, great variety of art and food. Yes, there will be other tourists there, but nothing like the shoulder-to-shoulder crush of Venice. And you'll actually have a much wider choice of what to see. <BR> <BR>Unequivocally, I'd say BARCELONA!

<BR> <BR>The difference is, that the main income of Barcelona is not tourism <BR> <BR>If you want to see a city as a form of art, go to venice. If you want to see a city that lives and gets by very well without tourists-dollars go to barcelona. <BR> <BR>Either way, have fun.