... Here’s a quick peek at the ride from Madrid to Barcelona … We are also planning a trip to Spain this year. Edited to add: The Catania airport has more flights than Palermo. The old town part has a more Medieval compact feel while the Eixample is a modern (early 20th century) city with a grid layout. My experiences in Madrid … Now, enjoy this opportunity to imagine joining in on all this Euro-festival fun. - Take an AVE train to Madrid Their market Boqueria looks bigger than Madrid's Mercado San Miguel. Madrid is really too large a city to be a day-trip destination from Barcelona. Only 1 left in stock - order … We want to spend a few days in Barcelona and maybe a few days in Madrid. Rick … Having done both i wholeheartedly advocate barcelona over madrid (which is the third largest city in europe). If you want to see a different city, you can reach the charming Girona in about an hour. But Madrid has just as much, without the presence of the actual seacoast. We had our first train picnic with our fellow travelers. Many thanks to all of you for your responses. The Rick Steves Best of Barcelona & Madrid tour combines Spain's top cities to create a sparkling, full-bodied eight-day adventure. But it's a much newer city than Barcelona with, to my mind, less varied sights. 4.2 out of 5 stars 54. You'll get more "traditional" Spanish foods than in Barcelona. Home Pre Tour Barcelona Madrid Focal Points story People and places are unique: all of them have stories. In June 2019, we decided to travel to Spain on a Rick Steves' Tour- Best of Barcelona & Madrid in 8 days. I like walking around the streets, taking in life. I feel more at home in traditional Madrid. Or is flying from Madrid to Palermo easier to plan? We will end a cruise in Barcelona. His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. Madrid has the three great art museums, Parque de Buen Retiro, Palacio Real, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor. We also met our other Rick Steves’ travel companions … Skip to main content. - Fly to Palermo via connection in Barcelona with Vueling, or Rome with Alitalia. Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. Barcelona is Spain's second … Rick produces a … We didn't realize that the Roman Empire extended into … One of the things I found really interesting about Spain was … Madrid's daytrip options are fantastic: Toledo is a compact, Medieval city filled with Moorish, Jewish and Post-Reconquista Catholic culture and architecture. I landed in Barcelona at 6:00am and found it easy to catch the Aerobus (the express bus from the airport to the city). If you decide you do want to spend a few nights in Madrid, you'll save a great deal of money on the AVE tickets by making the purchase very early. All If you have time ... I prefer Madrid and feel it has great museums (Prado, Reina, Thysson, etc) and better day trips (Toledo, Segovia, Avila, etc) than Barcelona. each is worth three full days minimum (without day trips). I've heard conflicting things about Barcelona, but it seems to be more cosmopolitan than Madrid (at least from what I've seen). Some travelers fly into one and out of the other in order to eliminate some backtracking. Madrid. I will be in the minority here in saying overall I prefer Madrid to Barcelona. I have been to both Madrid and Barcelona several times each - in fact, I am visiting both again in October. If you can spend three nights in Barcelona and three nights in Madrid, then do that. Rick Steves tours perfectly blend group and solo adventure opportunities into one package - you have access to all the perks of group travel, including expedited entrances into major sightseeing … Enric created a special thread no long ago in which he goes into considerable detail about visiting Montserrat. Both cities would be an excellent choice. Have just completed the "Best of Barcelona and Madrid in 8 Days" tour. His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. Rick Steves' Barcelona & Madrid 2014. According to this wiki page (scroll down to the table listing airlines) Iberia and RyanAir have "seasonal" flights between Madrid and Palermo and Vueling has regularly scheduled flights from Barcelona. Fares vary a lot, so check your planned travel date right away. My Account. When is your trip, and how much time will you have in Sicily? Any suggestions? It has beaches. Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. Although it is one of the largest cities in Europe, it had a modern and comfortable feel and the city center was easy to navigate and explore. I'm not anti-Madrid and would have enjoyed an extra day or two there. Rick Steves' Barcelona & Madrid 2014. Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity. By Rick Steves. The Barri Gothic in Barcelona is nice except late when it becomes creepy, and the cathedral is underrated. Add to that the Market Boqueria and just the joy of wandering around, and I would head back to Barcelona in a heartbeat. I love Spain & am a tapas foodie. Partial to Madrid because of Prado & Thyssen museums where I can spend hours. Rick Steves' Europe. It's a toss up between Spain and Croatia and I keep going back and forth on the two. So much to see, so little time. As we turned 60, we decided to relax and let Rick … Posted on May 20, 2018 May 18, 2018. The art focusses more on 20th century modern and abstract (Picasso, Miro, Dali). To help you plan your sightseeing, I've listed my ideal itineraries for Barcelona, whether you're going for one day, two days, three days, or more. Inside Rick Steves Barcelona you'll find:Comprehensive coverage for spending a week or more exploring BarcelonaRick's strategic advice on how to get the most out of your time and money, … I felt sightlines were much more affected by construction inside Leon's magnificent cathedral. We need to fly from one of those cities to either Rome or (preferably) Palermo. Buying at the beginning of the sales period would probably save you more than 50% of that cost. There is no right or wrong answer as both are great cities with much to do to fill five days. In fact, Madrid, inland several hours from the sea, is called "the seaport of Spain" inasmuch as the fresh seafood comes to it to be sent out to the rest of the country. All are easily reached by train. I would advise against day tripping from one to the other. From Barcelona, we took a 3-hour high-speed train to Madrid, Spain’s capital and largest city. I prefer Madrid and feel it has great museums (Prado, Reina, Thysson, etc) and better day trips (Toledo, Segovia, Avila, etc) than Barcelona… I have not been to Madrid, spent a week in Barcelona. Rick Steves Spain 2020 | Savor authentic paella, run with the bulls in Pamplona, or relax on Barcelona's beaches: experience Spain with Rick Steves Inside Rick Steves Spain 2020 you'll find: Comprehensive … And I do like art. Segovia has perhaps the greatest Roman aquaduct in the world and another charming Medieval city with a great cathedral and so-so Moorish alcazar (mostly modern reconstruction). The books were extremely helpful, but it still took us a lot of time to make all the travel arrangements. Certainly Madrid wins in Museums, but Barcelona does have a nice Picasso museum, a Maritime museum, the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, multiple other Gaudi landmarks. Rick Steves' Barcelona & Madrid 2014. Madrid is a good destination for people who are interested in its three important art museums and/or the Palacio Real and those who have the time to take in some of the really wonderful surrounding cities (Toledo, Segovia and Cuenca being my favorites). Paperback $6.20 $ 6. The best plan depends upon how many days total you have. Buying on the day of the trip could cost you 120 euros each, or perhaps even more. For overall authentic urban vibe, Madrid hands down. I don't think you can go wrong with either. First, you'll experience the pride and energy of Barcelona — tapping into … Rick Steves' Best of Barcelona & Madrid: Home; Early Arrival; Barcelona. Home Pre Tour Barcelona Madrid Focal Points barcelona day 1. arrival day: pre tour. ... On the Rick Steves … The Picasso Museum is good but it's one artist for a limited time span, and otherwise it's not a great art city. After hearing friends share their own experiences of Rick Steves tours to other countries, I decided to go on a one-week tour to Madrid, Barcelona … It will depend entirely on your own interests, so be sure to research each a little more to see which one inspires you more. Barcelona Travel Guide by Rick Steves For coronavirus (COVID-19) … I have been to both Madrid and Barcelona several times each - in fact, I am visiting both again in October. You can take a look at the train schedule on the Renfe website. Rick Steves' Barcelona & Madrid 2014. Madrid is Spain's capital and largest city. Barcelona has decent museums however and is great for just walking around and cafe' hopping. People tend to have a picture of Barcelona as if there is Moderisme architecture on every street corner, but those buildings are few and far between. As for modernista sites, the Modernisme Route lists about 115 sites in Barcelona. Rick Steves' Europe. Get inspired with Rick Steves’ recommended places to go and things to do, with tips, photos, videos, and travel information on Barcelona. That's one-way. 12/12/16 10:51 PM. And once you reach the end of the train ride, you still need to get to the sights you want to see or back to your hotel. It is known for its amazing Gaudi architecture. . Strained relations are nothing new between Barcelona and Madrid… At 5:00 pm, it was time to go downstairs to meet our tour guide and fellow travelers. So.....do we sleep in Barcelona the whole time and do day trips to Madrid, etc? We've been used to a day or two in any one … This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity. Sagrada Familia did not knock my socks off, too much scaffolding when I was there (September 2005), maybe it's better now. The shortest trip is 2-1/2 hours on the AVE. ©2020 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy. Amazon.com: Rick Steves Madrid. Likewise for 'walking around' activities. You can make easy day trips from Madrid to Segovia & Toledo & also Barcelona (a stretch though) & Valencia. Bon día, I'm Rick Steves back with more of the Best of Europe.This time we're in the land of Picasso, Gaudí, Salvador Dalí, and café con leche…it's Barcelona!. To check flights from Spain to Sicily, I suggest using skyscanner.com/. Rick Steves' Spain & Portugal: Including Barcelona, Madrid & Lisbon City Maps Rick Steves' Spain & Dec 29, 2006. Try Prime Hello, Sign in Account & Lists Sign in Account & Lists Returns & Orders Try Prime Cart. Hugs from Madrid, Federico. We got tired of running into walls and people because our noses were in a book. The city museum in Barcelona, and Parc Guell, Casa Bottlo and/or Casa Mila are all great. Barcelona and Madrid. Toledo; Adios; Barcelona - Gothic Quarter. It was our first visit to the region and we had an amazing time! Rick produces a … The tour started in Barcelona and then moved on to Madrid… His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. The big question for many: Is it safe to travel in Barcelona … This tour focused on two major cities (Barcelona and Madrid) with a day trip to Toledo. There was at least one of those when I visited in August. I was able to balance … This was my first Rick Steves tour experience and I can honestly say it exceeded my expectations. And the recent news of the Catalan government pushing to separate from Spain, along with Madrid’s harsh response, has taken many by surprise. Check flight options around Europe at www.skyscanner.com. - Spend 3-4 nights in Madrid (possible day trip to Toledo) Barcelona is … Both Barcelona and Madrid have rather large main stations, so you'd need to allow time at the beginning of each leg to find your way to the correct platform. Using Rick Steves' guide books, we traveled to Europe several times on our own. A few highlights of each that might help: Barcelona has a more French cultural feel and food. ... One huge benefit on being part of a Rick Steves… While Madrid has many museums, so does Barcelona. The Rick Steves Best of Barcelona & Madrid tour combines Spain's top cities to create a sparkling, full-bodied eight-day adventure. (This clip is also available in Rick Steves Classroom Europe, my free — and … The art is more traditional Renaissance through 19th century and the Prado is one of the world's greatest collections. We didn't know . Or you could venture to Montserrat. I found that I appreciated them all the more because they were not all in one place. ©2020 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy. Juan: Barcelona! Madrid is a more modern city and lacks a compact, Medieval core but has a lot of charming 19th and early 20th century architecture. Enjoy! I randomly checked the month of April 2017 and found that there are some non-stops into both Catania and Palermo from both Barcelona and Madrid (not necessarily every day). We are trying to plan our yearly European trip and not sure if Barcelona or Madrid will be beset for a 5 day stay. the Ramblas is a big scene, packed with tourists. 20. Still glad I saw both. I'll bet in 2005 they didn't have very many of the beautiful stained-glass windows installed. Madrid Travel Guide by Rick Steves For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel … Madrid is great even if you are not into art, but if you are into art then it's one of the great art cities of Europe. First, you'll experience the pride and energy of Barcelona — tapping into … I started looking at different websites about Spain and initially I was looking at Madrid, but Barcelona looked more laid back. I like museums, but not looking to spend my whole time in them and it seems that Madrid has a ton of museums. The day trips to El Escorial, Toledo, Segovia are of the charts great but don't just do day trips and miss Madrid. Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. Day trip from Barcelona to Montserrat is great but not with just a few days. Most people don't daytrip between Barcelona and Madrid as the train ride is 2.5 - 3 hours each way. - Spend 3-4 nights in Barcelona What a treat! Get inspired with Rick Steves’ recommended places to go and things to do, with tips, photos, videos, and travel information on Madrid. There are some daytrip options like Montserrat (mountainside monastery), Figueres (Dali museum), and Girona (a more charming riverside city known as the Venice of Spain), all of which can be reached by train. To enhance your art experience, you can find a clip related to this artwork at Rick Steves Classroom Europe; just search for Gaudi. Each of you will get an autographed copy of the “Rick Steves European Festivals” book hot off the press this fall, when the companion public television special airs across the USA. But that's not unique to that particular church. Read all the airline's rules carefully to avoid really unpleasant surprises like baggage fees and departures from an airport that may be nowhere near the city you're in. My room had a small balcony. We met our friendly and energetic tour guide, Helen. Madrid as a day trip from Barcelona would be crazy (and probably really expensive). Like many of you, I am a big fan of Rick Steves travel shows (on PBS) and had used his guidebooks to help me when planning my own autonomous travel. If you aren't much interested in art, I don't think it makes sense to go to Madrid in order to head right out of town to other cities. I took a few pictures and enjoyed the fresh air … Home Pre Tour Barcelona Madrid Focal Points madrid madrid. El Escorial is Spain's version of Versailles. having said that. Flying to Palermo from Barcelona? Unlike Barcelona, you will find charming plazas with cafes and restaurants lining the edges. Barcelona, frankly, is more immediately engaging for most tourists. VS, your experience at La Sagrada Familia is pretty dated. Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. This was our third Rick Steves tour, and was very possibly the best. It was the Palacio Real that left me cold. Rick produces a … Barcelona is the "Paris of Spain" and has the seacoast. Check flight options around Europe at www.skyscanner.com. Below, you can watch the part of my Madrid episode that is, thankfully, now out of date. His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. Home Pre Tour Barcelona Madrid Focal Points barcelona day 3 morning views. . His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. $3.99 shipping. All in all, I'd expect the round-trip to take about 8 hours. Thank you so much! We chose to visit both of these cities since there's a high speed train connecting them that takes only 2 hours. I have been to both and enjoy both. You're right that work continues on the church, so there's potential to encounter an area that's partitioned off, at least down at floor level. My favorite in Barcelona is concert hall Palau de la musica catalana. 16743 posts. Flip a coin and you will be pleased either way. 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