danon

Another suggestion...leave Barcelona in the evening on th16th to have a full day in Madrid on the 17th. The train takes you center to center in less than 3 hours.
(This might give you time for a day trip from Madrid?)

Madrid is a great city...don't miss a walk through park Retiro and beautiful
Salamanca district just north of the park.
(I have visited both cities numerous times)

rialtogrl

I'm so glad you are staying in Madrid that first night. Its a fab city that will help keep you awake!

The cool thing about day trips is, you don't have to do it if you don't want to.

Bedar

Have a look at Hotel Mora, near Atocha train station. I think you're spending too much time in BCN but ...

kja

The Mercure Madrid Centro (then the Hotel Lope de Vega) in Madrid met my needs for a place near Atocha; not great, but good enough IMO.

PalenQ

Its a fab city that will help keep you awake!>

In one pension the family started cooking rather loudly around 11pm!

typical it seems.

sstemme

Visited Barcelona in Oct. and Madrid a few years ago. My suggestion is to do the Madrid segment first--you will be severely jet lagged (even if you sleep some on the plane), and will need the first day to be low key and not stressful. Madrid is much more "sedate" than Barcelona, and I think you'll be glad you don't have a lot of walking/cycling/strenuous exercise planned for the capital city. In Barcelona, be sure and take in a musical performance at the Palau--it was such a beautiful venue, and we had dinner at the restaurant adjacent to the center before attending. I suggest splurging at the 7 Portes Restaurant (you will need reservations)...it is on the waterfront adjacent to the medieval section of the city. We did Sunday mass at the Barcelona Cathedral and then walked the 8 or 9 blocks (in heels!) to the restaurant. Took a wonderful tasting tour of the city that included drinks, tapas, and finally churros. Would recommend for a very fun afternoon. The trip to Montserrat was worth the time and effort to get there--remember that the Boys Choir sings every week day around noon for 15 minutes and you need to be in the basillica early to get a seat! On the way back to Barcelona we stopped and did a cava tour and sampled the wines. Our Airbnb apt. was two blocks from the Sagrada Familia, and it is absolutely spectacular. One day we did the "hop on, hop off" bus and walked around the BFC complex. Super fun!

danon

"Madrid is much more "sedate" than Barcelona"

Madrid is a big city known for its nightlife, plazas, bars, flamenco shows..
Nothing " sedated" about it .