Warmsake

My husband and I are trying to narrow down options for a trip for our 10th Anniversary. We have been to London, Paris and Amsterdam and are eager to experience Spain. We will only have time for one city (Wed- Sunday) and are torn. Should we choose Madrid or Barcelona? Arguments for either?

Viajero2

Madrid will be warmer and have glorious choices for daytrips using public transportation; Toledo, Segovia, Avila. Barcelona is a beautiful city, no doubts, but IMHO, for March travel to a Spain first timer, definitely Madrid.

tobyo

we're going to Spain for our 20th anniversary next March. and we chose Malaga and Madrid with possible day trips to Cordoba and Toledo. I was going to say a similar thing about the weather, that Madrid will likely be warmer than Barcelona in March. so....I'd choose Madrid too. You'll likely get responses from both sides of the aisle. I have a personal preference for Madrid as well as I lived there as a student 30 years ago.

good luck with your decision and enjoy your anniversary trip!!

Viajero2

I agree that you will likely get arguments for both, which only means you can't go wrong! That said, been to Madrid many times as well as to Barcelona and to me, I can go back again and again to Madrid and have a deep connection to the streets and sights. Not so with Barcelona. Beautiful, but kind of a cold city, reminded me of NYC, IMHO.

Warmsake

Thank you both for your feedback and tobyo congrats on your upcoming 20th anniversary.

Egbert

I like Madrid because of the art museums but they're both world class cities.

kimhe

If you decide for Madrid, I recently posted these suggestions on another thread:

Have breakfast at Café del Círculo de Bellas Artes in down town Calle Alcalá, 42. One of the city's most emblematic cafés. Grab a window table and watch Madrid wake up on bustling Calle Alcalá. Later in the day, you should take the lift up to the roof topp terrace (the azotea) for the most spectacular views of the city. http://www.esmadrid.com/en/cargarApl...ntificador=179
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/madrid/D51874.html

The Reina Sofia contemporary art museum. The second floor with Picasso, Dalí, lots of other painitings, posters, films, photos etc., dealing with a couple of the greatest civilizational breakdowns of the 20th century, The Spanish Civil War and WWII, completely blew my mind off last year. Free admission on Saturday from 2.30 pm to closing at 9pm, Sundays from 10 am to closing at 2.30 and Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 7pm (closing at 9pm).

(And of course Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza museums)

A stroll in beautiful Retiro Park. http://www.aviewoncities.com/madrid/parquedelretiro.htm

Sunday morning shopping at the Rastro market: http://www.madrid-guide-spain.com/el-rastro.html

The Chueca and Malasaña area, north of Gran Vía, is Madrid's most lively shopping district that "combine both originality and the avant-garde. Specifically, the section made up of little streets perpendicular to Fuencarral and Hortaleza streets is a shoppers’ paradise".
http://www.softguides.com/madrid_gui...ne.html#chueca

Watch the sunset over the Guadarrama mountains from the terrace at El Ventorrillo in the Vistillas park. Great pollo al ajillo, some say the best in town. Map, video and some pictures: http://11870.com/pro/restaurante-ventorrillo

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

Medina Mayrit, an Arab bath-house just off Plaza Mayor in Calle Atotcha, 14. (Mayrit is the old Arab name (from the 9th century) of Madrid, meaning running water and referring to the water sources beneath the city). http://www.medinamayrit.com/

Café Central, just off bustling Plaza Santa Ana, is a fabulous jazz venue with live performances from the best artists every night at 10. Entrance 11€. Good food also.

Experience world class flamenco at one of the best tablaos. Madrid is arguably the flamenco capital of the world. Although the art form comes from the South (Andalucía), everybody has to conquer Madrid to get to the top. On their way there, or as an opportunity to try out new things and get an up close audience, many of them work the top tablaos. I recommend Casa Patas and Cardamomo, both close to Plaza Santa Ana.
http://www.casapatas.com/
http://www.cardamomo.es/

Txirimiri in Calle del Humilladero, 6 gives you an idea of why the Basque kitchen is considered among the best in the world. In the midst of one of the best tapas/restaurant districts in town, in and around Calle Cava Baja in La Latina.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ri-Madrid.html

I never leave Madrid without having had the squid in its own ink and the famous cod at Casa Revuelta, also in the same district.
http://11870.com/pro/casa-revuelta

You should also try the excellent salmorejo, a somewhat thicker variant of the tomato/vegetable soup gazpacho, in Según Emma just behind the newly reopened gourmet-oriented San Miguel food market. http://11870.com/pro/segun-emma
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...ma-Madrid.html

Fine dining at El Mentidero de la Villa:
http://www.mentiderodelavilla.es/
http://11870.com/pro/el-mentidero-la-villa

And, for the 10th anniversary dinner, you should also take a look at Maribel's Madrid guide for excellent recommendations:
http://maribelsguides.com/mg_guides.html#madrid

This site is great about Madrid. http://www.esmadrid.com/en/portal.do

Ifnotnow_when

It's no question for me, having just spent a week in each city. Barcelona was warm, fun and had amazing sites. The Gaudi houses and Parc Guell and the Ramblas were all fun and interesting. We enjoyed the Picasso Museum also. We also took a day trip to Figueres (Dali Museum). On the other hand we found Madrid to be just ok. The city didn't have the same warm feel to it and we weren't especially impressed with the three major museums we visited. Oddly enough, we did enjoy the Navel Museum in Madrid. They had replicas of many of their old ships. It is a milatary museum so you must show your passport.

Aduchamp1

Madrid is a very Spanish city. Barcelona is an international city. The art of Madrid is in the museums. The art of Barcelona is in the architecture. Madrid is an excellent hub to visit the near by worthwhile towns. Barclona is a wonderful place to wander and get lost. Madrid is a business and governmental center. Barcelona has a unique joie de vivre.

Balance what you like before you choose.

danon

what Adu said
Several days in Madrid will not give you time for side trips.
I was in Barcelona second week in March last year - the weather was very nice.
Barcelona would be my choice. It is walkable, romantic and unlike any city in Europe.