Has anyone been to Barcelona or Madrid?

[mainer]

Any recommendations? Thanks!

We're planning to visit Spain for the first time, so all suggestions warmly received. We'll have about a week in the country. The only thing I've heard was "avoid Iberia Airlines."

(I speak some rudimentary high school Spanish.)

[elleng]

1. Been to both,

Madrid MANY years ago. See the Prado Museum, if you like art.

Barcelona: WALK the Ramblas, and view Gaudi architecture.

Dining hours differ a lot from ours; dinner can be VERY late, so earlier, try Tapas bars, and select from many small plates of good stuff.

Have fun!!!

[mainer]

2. I love tapas, and I'm so looking forward to the dining experience!

Luckily our stomachs will be on East Coast time, so late dinners in Spain will mean early dinners for our stomachs.

[cbayer]

3. They are both wonderful but amazingly different.

And they have a very sibling like relationship.

If you can, I would visit both.

Madrid is old, dignified, stately.

Barcelona is younger, more playful. Barcelona has Gaudi, including the cathedral which should not be missed. Walking around Barcelona in the evening going from one tapas bar to the next is something you will never forget.

You can take a train between the two easily.

I woud also look at airbnb for accommodations in both places.

As with many countries in Europe, if you make an effort to speak their language, they will love you and be much more responsive. A few phrases will get you a long way.

I've never heard of problems with Iberia.

[mainer]

4. Thanks!

I think we will take train to visit both. Hubby worried about pickpockets but true all over Europe.

[cbayer]

5. Not true about pickpockets.

Europe is wonderful. People are great. There is not more risk there than there is in the US.

Enjoy! Can't wait to hear your stories when you get back.

[mainer]

6. We lived in Paris for 2 months -- both our visitors got pick-pocketed!

I've been pick-pocketed once in Paris. We had two sets of visitors come to see us, and both lost their wallets. My sister-in-law (a stewardess) had her valuables stolen from her hotel room in Spain. Interestingly, we've been to Turkey and Italy many times, and never had any problems.

At least there's very little violent crime there. I'd rather deal with a pick-pocket!.

[cbayer]

7. That's really unfortunate.

There is a hilarious story by David Sedaris about the metro in Paris, btw. You might enjoy it.

[rhett o rick]

8. Europe is wonderful but watch out for pickpockets in the major cities esp. Naples

and Paris. And they love passports. And don't think they are all shady looking guys. We had two teenage girls plus a couple of younger girls approach us and ask for directions. They had a map that we used to help them, but when I pulled the map up, one of the girls hands was groping my wife's fanny pack. They will drive by with a motorcycle and grab your purse or backpack. Taking some easy precautions will discourage them to look elsewhere.

Also watch out for people pretending to be taxi drivers. and ask what the approx fare will be to your destination. Make sure they use their meters.

I highly recommend Rick Steve's Guide books, they are the best.

Safe travels.

[mainer]

9. I found Naples scary.

We were there during a trash strike. The graffiti was everywhere, and the streets were piled high with garbage. A taxi driver ripped us off. We wouldn't have gone to Naples at all except to see the museum with the mosaics from Pompeii. At least the harbor was nice.

[rhett o rick]

10. I also found it scary. We enjoyed the museum but that's about it. We only

went there because the fast train from Rome stopped there. We were on our way to the Amalfi Coast which was wonderful.

[DrDan]

11. visited both a couple months back - plus Sevilla

Plan a bit more time in Barcelona - we found it much more interesting.

Plan ahead for admissions. For example, be sure to see the Gaudi Sagrada Familia. You can purchase entrance tickets before you leave and save a LOT of time. Same is true for the Prado in Madrid.

The museum under the Sagrada Familia is fascinating.

Other must sees - Picasso Museum in Barcelona
Picasso's Guernica in Madrid.

I can give you a few recs for tapas if interested. Let me know.

The Barcelona Circle tours are worth the money. Two different routes. Just bought metro tickets for Madrid.

I certainly recommend the fast train if traveling between Barcelona and Madrid. Hits 300 kph, just as smooth and quiet as it can be. A great experience.

[mainer]

12. Thank you! Any tapas places you can rec would be great

We're trying to figure out how much time to devote to Barcelona vs. madrid. Was Sevilla worth visiting? We'll have a total of about 10 days. We're planning to fly to Madrid and take the train to Barcelona and back.

[DrDan]

13. I will send you a couple of tapas recs - there was one in Barcelona in particular that was

very good - went here a couple of nights

and another in Madrid where we ended up spending several hours because of the view

need to go back and get specifics

If you get a chance - take the fast train between Barcelona and Madrid - and if possible, book first class

We did enjoy Sevilla - but in order - Barcelona was definitely our favorite - then Madrid - then Sevilla.

If you enjoy art - then the museums are absolutely first class. If your are science-bent, then make sure to

- see the museum under the Gaudi Sacrada Familia - fascinating how he used mathematics and life sciences
in his architecture.
- In Sevilla - in a non-descript museum - the Archives of the Indies - see Newton's Principia and other significant mathematicians works

Must sees - Inside the Sacrada Familia in Barcelona and Picasso's Guernica in Madrid - perhaps the most important work of art in Europe imo

[DrDan]

14. pm sent