Madrid or Barcelona: Which City Is Best for You?

Choosing between Madrid or Barcelona can be a tough decision. Choosing where to go in Spain, period, can be tough because there are SO many amazing cities, small towns and islands.

However, Madrid and Barcelona are often on the itinerary list, either as a home base or at least as the city to fly into.

So which should you choose?

Here is my personal experience and thoughts regarding size/navigability, architecture, food, night life, weather, cost, cleanliness and more comparing Barcelona and Madrid. Then you should have a good idea of what to expect and a better understanding of which would be your best fit!

Madrid or Barcelona Overview

You may not think two major cities relatively close to each other in the same country would be so different, but they are. Kind of like Paris is so different from Nice.

While both have great things to offer, they are just different.

Madrid has the traditional, European capital vibes that are more polished, busy and put together.

Barcelona has coastal vibes that are more laid back and artsy.

Here are comparisons on size/navigability, architecture, food, nightlife, weather, cost, cleanliness and more to help you decide which city will be best for you! PLUS, my humble opinion on which I enjoyed more!

Size & Navigability

Barcelona is about half the size of Madrid, both in population and physical size.

However, despite the size difference, I found Madrid to be much easier to navigate. It has a more extensive and efficient metro system and more logical grid-like layout. And I found a lot of the major things to see and do in Madrid are well-grouped, and, thus, more efficient to see.

Barcelona, despite being smaller, seems more spread out and less efficient to see. Being a city on the coast, your highlights span from the beaches of Barcelona all the way to the hilltop must-see, Park Güell, which is 34 minutes away by public transportation and an hour and 13 minutes by walking.

It just felt like everything required public transportation in Barcelona. Whereas, once you got to a central location in Madrid, you could walk to several different sites before having to metro to another area and then walk and see those sites.

For me: Madrid is easier to navigate and walk around.

Architecture

Madrid is the epitome of a European capital. It has the streets lined with grand buildings, palaces and symmetrical, classic architecture.

Barcelona has its own unique style. It is known for the architecture designed by Antoni Gaudí which is colorful, vibrant, rounded with no sharp lines or edges and generally quirky and very different than traditional European architecture. This is combined with the vibes of a city on the beach.

For me: the winner in architecture is Barcelona. The Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and Casa Bastlló are just very different from anything you will see in another European city.

Food Life

I’m not a foodie (I know, sorry,) so take this with a grain of salt.

But I can still tell you the difference of what you will find in each city.

Madrid is home to more traditional Spanish food. Hearty meals (like cocido, which is a stew-type food and paella, a rice dish) and a BIG tapa scene. If you want to go on a tapa-hop, Madrid is the place to be.

Barcelona, being on the coast, has more of a Mediterranean take on Spanish foods. You will find more seafood, lighter meals and, generally, more of a mixing pot of different cuisines.

For me: the winner is Barcelona. Though I did LOVE the tapa scene in Madrid, I generally am a fan of more Mediterranean-style foods. However, if you want more traditional Spanish foods, Madrid will be your city. (also, food is more expensive in Barcelona, fyi.)

Night Life

Being large cities, you are going to find a good night life in both cities (though, admittedly, I didn’t try it out on my solo trip to Barcelona.)

Madrid has a large variety in clubs and bars and many that are known for staying open LATE– like to dawn 😅

However, Barcelona often falls into the list of top places to visit for nightlife. It has great rooftop and underground clubs, but what sets it apart from many of the other top nightlife European cities is its blend with the seaside beach clubs.

For me: I’m not the right person to ask 😆 We did go out a little in Madrid since we were visiting for my friends birthday. However, we most certainly didn’t stay out until dawn and didn’t club hop much. But, in general, my “night life” days are diminishing 🙂

Weather

With Madrid being inland, it is going to have a more drastic shift in temperatures. Summers will be hot and winters will be cold. Shoulder season will be amazing.

Madrid is the same latitude and NYC in the United States, so it is pretty far north. We visited Madrid in February and it was chilly enough to require coats on some days, but nice on days when the sun was out.

Barcelona is coastal, so its temperatures are going to be more mild year-round. However, it will also be more humid throughout the year. I visited in July and it was 🥵 But, many people also flock to the beach in the hot months, so you can get some reprieve from the heat.

For me: As someone who generally doesn’t like to be cold and prefers milder temps, the winner is Barcelona.

Cost to Visit

Madrid is going be a little more affordable due to the popularity and higher number of tourists in Barcelona.

Both accommodations and things like food and drinks will likely be more expensive in Barcelona than in Madrid.

This is especially true during summer months. Barcelona is a popular summertime city, so you will pay more for accommodations than you will in Madrid.

Remember, Barcelona is in a bit of a housing crisis for locals due to investors spiking housing rates by purchasing apartments for AirBnBs. This has caused locals to get frustrated with the influx of tourists and how it is effecting the price of living for them.

But tourism is still a big part of Barcelona’s economy. If you want to visit Barcelona with less effect on the housing crisis, consider booking a hotel room rather than an AirBnB while in Barcelona.

The winner for most affordable: Madrid.

Cleanliness

I hate to talk negatively, but Barcelona isn’t as clean as Madrid. Madrid is a very pristine city and one of the cleaner European cities I have been to.

On the other hand, Barcelona has more graffiti and run-down areas than Madrid.

Barcelona is also visited by more tourists, and, per usual, comes with more litter in the streets as well.

Now, Barcelona isn’t so bad that it isn’t worth visiting (obviously, since it continues to be a top destination,) but, in general, it is good to know that it may have a little more trash and graffiti than Madrid.

Madrid or Barcelona: My Personal Favorite

As I’ve typed this, I’ve thought “wow, Barcelona sounds way better.” The vibes, architecture and beachside location really appeal to me.

However, for some reason, I enjoyed Madrid more. Even after having visited Barcelona twice.

I don’t know if it was because Madrid has great, small Spanish towns nearby that I LOVED so much and that made me, generally, love the trip. Or, if it was the news of locals protesting tourism in Barcelona that made me feel like maybe I wasn’t wanted there.

I can’t put my finger on it, but, overall, I think I preferred Madrid over Barcelona.

But, again, that doesn’t mean Barcelona isn’t worth visiting. It really does have great aspects that make it worth the visit. Just know that it may be a bit more crowded and pricey than Madrid.

Everything to know about a day trip to Toledo and a day trip to Segovia from Madrid!

Final Thoughts on Choosing Madrid or Barcelona

Whichever city you decide to choose, you will have a great time in Spain! Just remember, some restaurants take siesta time very seriously; they may be closed from around 2pm to 5pm!

I also recommend brushing up on your Spanish, especially if you want to visit smaller towns. It will go a long way in communication and general respect for the locals!

Have fun enjoying Spain!

How to spend 5 days in Madrid with day trips to two amazing, small towns and how to spend one day in Barcelona!