Better to spend more time in Madrid or Barcelona?
 

I will be making an upcoming trip to Spain and I would like to know is it better to spend more time in Madrid or Barcelona? My trip will be 12 days in total.

Barcelona! The Gaudi architecture alone is worth the trip.

Of course, if you're a big museum fan, Madrid has the Prado, the Reina Sofia, and The Thyssen. The Palacio Royale is also interesting.

Madrid because you can take so many day trips from there-Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, Avila, Salamanca......

Yes.

I personal preference is Madrid; food, day-trips, general atmosphere! Did I mention the food?

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/29/tr...drid.html?_r=0

Your call! You need to decide which of these two VERY different cities best matches YOUR interests. I recommend that you get some good guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, note their opening/closing times, and mark them on a calendar. Then pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from your lodging, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting oriented, etc.). Then see how things fit together.

Madrid felt more like a big city.

If you love museums, Madrid would be better.

If you love Gaudi and odd architecture Barcelona would be better.

There are interesting daytrips that can be done from both cities.

From Madrid I did daytrips to Toledo, Segovia, Aranjuez and El Escorial.

From Barcelona I did daytrips to Girona, Montserrat and Tarragona.

I have a friend who says Madrid is Spanish city and Barcelona is an international city.

I've been to BOTH and they are BOTH IN SPAIN although they each have a unique character. I think this "international" vs. "spanish" notion does absolutely NOTHING to answer the question posed.

I agree regarding the museums vs. the Gaudi stuff (assuming you like that sort of thing) and NONE of the museums in Barcelona compare to the Prado alone.

There is another difference: the weather! Barcelona is HUMID whereas Madrid is more or less high and dry and if you fancy being at 98 degrees around midnight in the summer you'll get that in Madrid.

Is your 12 days including arrival and departure days? If so, then 5 days in each place, take the train between. If not, then 6 days in each place, take the train.

Five days will be enough time to get a good flavour of both places, 6 even better.

Equal days in both. I love Madrid more but others have a different view. You can't go wrong in either city.

Hi penguin_traveller, those are the only 2 cities in Spain I have visited. I really enjoyed the Gaudi in Barcelona but absolutely fell in love with Madrid. I love art very much so keep that in mind.

If it were for me, I'd try to split but give 6 days to Madrid. The 3 museums Peg mentions above are top notch. Do google what those cities offer--only you know what calls out.

I've been to BOTH and they are BOTH IN SPAIN although they each have a unique character. I think this "international" vs. "spanish" notion does absolutely NOTHING to answer the question posed.
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True, if one only thinks in literal terms. Others with a greater imagination should understand.

Having spent considerable time in both cities, they each have their charms. Madrid has world class museums with an emphasis on Spanish art or art that once taken from lands that under Spanish rule and is an excellent hub for seeing many worthwhile towns nearby.

The art of Barcelona is in the streets, highlighted by the structures that help create and inspire the Modernisme movement. There is a rare joie de vivre where the main language is Catalan which is founded in provençale. Catalans also have a strange attraction to things scatological. When you add Roman architecture and its previous history as a maritime commercial center, you have a very international city. For those who are interested in the history and culture of Barcelona I direct them to a wonderfully erudite but witty book by the now dead art critic Robert Hughes, oddly enough entitled Barcelona.

Two of them are amazing!
If you want to visit Toledo and Segovia (they are incredible too) too for a day trip while you are in Madrid, if I were you I would spend more time in Madrid.