madrid or edinburgh- pls help us decide
 

hi fellow travellers

help us decide which one to pick...
late twenties, couple, up for anything...
any response is greatly appreciated.

ooppsss.... late november visit.

Thanks

Well, I'm not a big fan of Madrid so I would go for Edinburgh. You know SCotland will be chilly and rainy. but Madrid is on a high plateau and is also quite cold in the winter. Days will be shorter in Scotland - but to me there is more to see and do.

Madrid ...great night life, day trips, museums , wine and food

For me , Spain rules.
Scotland. - not so much.

Your question will elicit nothing but people's preferences, which is rather meaningless because only you know which would be a better fit. Figure out why you've come to these choices and you can get guidance instead of a survey on who's invested in voting for Edinburgh or Madrid.

I've been to both and would return to Edinburgh first. That said, the weather in Edinburgh may suck and night will fall early (it's nearly the same latitude as Anchorage) in late November. Then again, I went to Poland in late December, so crap weather forecasts don't phase me.

A friend of ours went hiking for two weeks in Scotland this past September. It rained every day. At the B&B's they asked her why she chose to come in the winter. I suspect that Madrid may have better weather, and if you tire of the city, you can always take side trips to Toledo, Segovia and Avila.

What a fun question!

It's really quite impossible to answer, but there are some notable differences in food and wine, and bear in mind above all that Madrillenos don't eat dinner until about 10pm, so if that bothers you, Scotch Mardrid, so to speak.

Even if it is colder, it will be drier in Madrid.

Nobody in Mardrid wears kilts, but curiously, you can hear bagpipe music in Spain. (An argument for Paris?)

Lots of interesting day trips from Madrid, but if you like Charles Rennie MacIntosh, Glasgow is an easy hop from Edinburgh.

No garlic in Scotland.

No Sean Connery in Madrid.

They drink a lot of great warm, dark beer in Scotland and whiskey is cheaper.

They drink a lot of great wine, cold beer and great coffee in Madrid. Sherry and brandy.

They don't eat breakfast in Madrid. They eat huge breakfasts in Scotland.

Lots of petty vice on the streets of Madrid. Edinburgh is saintly.

One of the world's greatest museums of art in Madrid, the Prado.

Very stylish shopping in Madrid, if that's your style.

Shorter plane trip to Scotland, unless you have to change planes.

They speak Spanish in Madrid.

They drink tea in Scotland.

Edinburgh is green and windy and watery.

Madrid is industrial, glittering and has a zippy subway system.

Food. Really different food.

Loved the comparisons, zeppole! They don't eat much breakfast in Spain because they're just returning home from the night clubs then! ;-)

I was never more grateful for Italian restaurants and Starbucks
than in Edinburgh.

Loved the comparisons, zeppole! They don't eat much breakfast in Spain because they're just returning home from the night clubs then!

Love it, zeppole! Having been to both I would choose Madrid. And, in addition to other places already mentioned, make a daytrip to El Escorial.

The comparisons given are pretty accurate I think. I agree with most of them. And otherwise people are just giving your their preferences. But the key thing here is the fact that you are going in November. For me, and I think for the majority of people, that makes a HUGE difference.

Days are short anywhere in Europe in November, but in Scotland it will be dark by about 4 pm and in Madrid it will stay light out till 6 pm. In both places it won't get light till 7:30-8:00. When it is dark out, Madrid is better lit, so evening (of which you will have a lot) will be more pleasant.

If you get a lot of rain there is more to do in Madrid inside than in Edinburgh. Edinburgh does have some nice museums (I was there in July and it rained for six straight days so I did need to find a lot of indoor things to do) but Madrid has some absolutely wonderful museums. I enjoyed the shopping more in Madrid.

When it is grey or dark (rainy weather, evening) Madrid looks better. There is lots of color - the buildings are all different shades of red, rust, peach, yellow, etc (http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/image/84268564) whereas in Edidnburgh they are grey (http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/image/84335090).

The day trip possibilities are more interesting from Madrid, and in poor weather they will be more pleasant. Scotland has some great hiking, walks, etc but not too pleasant in the rain. From Madrid you can do Segovia, Avila, and Toledo. They are quick (about half an hour), easy train rides away. I spent three days each in Segovia and Toledo and was not bored so plenty to do on a day trip. The day trips from Edinburgh mostly involved buses, usually more than one, and you wait for the buses outside.

While I've been to both Spain and the UK numerous times, I've only been to Edinburgh and Madrid once, and interestingly they were on the same trip. I did enjoy Edinburgh but when I got there I really missed Madrid. And that was in July. In November it would be no contest for me.

Madrid is great atmosphere, the best nightlife (the madrileños are called Los gatos/The cats, and they don't go to sleep at night), clubs, culture, theaters, tapas bars, cafés and restaurants.

You could start a night out at Plaza Santa Ana/the Huertas district:
http://www.gomadrid.com/sights/plaza-santa-ana.html

Or go to alternative Malasaña where the so called Movida Madrileña (Pedro Almodóvar etc.) profoundly changed Spanish youth culture after Francoism.
http://gospain.about.com/od/madrid/a/malasana.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malasa%C3%B1a

Fabulous tapas bars in and around Calle Cava Baja in the Latina area, just off Plaza Mayor. http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/s...ew-140625.html
http://tapastalk.wordpress.com/tapas-bars/

Multicultural and good vibes in the Lavapies ditrict, just south of Plaza Mayor. http://www.travelinginspain.com/madrid/lavapies.htm

Have lunch or some tapas at Casa Granada, on the 6th floor of an apartment building just off Plaza Tirso de Molina. Hard to find and a great terrace. http://www.tripfilms.com/Travel_Vide...ada-Video.html

Café Central and Populart are excellent jazz clubs with only top artists. Both are close to Plaza Santa Ana. Concerts every night from about 10pm.

Madrid is the flamenco capital of the world. I go here all the time just to see this or that artist, so if you are interested I could give you some advice to which clubs/theaters to go to.

Flamenco dancing, Madrid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBe9r...eature=related

March out of the Massed Bands, Edinburgh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw1p9...eature=related

weather2travel.com easy choice for me

www.eurocheapo.com/madrid

Better weather less rainy dreary in Nov

Parador Ronda Andalucia close by awesome there

from personal experience in Nov www.booking.com

Happy Travels!

spainparador.com/Parador-Ronda.htm

Nothing like that in Edinburgh

www.catshostel.com great #1 for party for lots of action

betterbidding.com for 5* Madrid hotels for me from $100 or so

usually bidding priceline.com

Just came back from Madrid, I would definately choose it over Edinburgh in November. I was in Edinburgh in April and loved it, but I think there are more things to do in bad weather in Madrid. I felt quite safe the whole time I was there, and that was one of my concerns, after reading all the posts. I walked quite a lot, rode the metro and a lot of buses. Just make sure you have all your important items in a moneybelt or pouch. I am a 69 year old female.

Well at least this is not the standard Madrid or Barcelona discussion.

Up for anything? Toss a coin then...

This is a no brainer though-- Madrid of course :-?