Destination

Madrid or Barcelona ? That's a question readers often ask us when planning a trip to Spain. Do you take in Madrid's capital culture in the Spanish heartland of Castile-La Mancha, or visit Barcelona's hip Catalan city by the sea? Decisions, decisions. Here, with an eye toward aiding the hopelessly lost, we've pulled together a short list of things that reveal the very different characters of these two great cities.
Top Attraction
Barcelona: Some love it, some hate it, but most everyone who knows anything about art agrees that Antonio Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia (photo, right) is the crown jewel in Barcelona's treasure trove of Moderniste (Art Nouveau) landmarks. The unfinished cathedral is a symbol of Barcelona, and a testimony to the city's singular personality.
Madrid: When it was commissioned in 1785, the Prado was meant to be a natural-science museum, but by the time the building was completed in 1819 its purpose had changed to exhibiting the art collected by Spanish royalty since Ferdinand and Isabella. Expect to be wowed by masterpieces by Velazquez, El Greco, Francisco Goya, and Flemish, German, French and Italian artists.
The Perfect Day Trip
Barcelona: A favorite side trip from Barcelona is a visit to Montserrat (photo, right), 50 miles west of Barcelona. The dramatic, sawtooth peaks here have given rise to countless legends. Indeed, this is where St. Peter left a statue of the Virgin Mary carved by St. Luke, where Parsifal found the Holy Grail, and where Wagner sought inspiration for his opera based on the Parsifal legend. Montserrat is as memorable for its strange pink hills as for its religious treasures, so be sure to explore the area. The views of the Mediterranean and the Pyrenees are breathtaking.
Madrid: All roads lead to Toledo when it comes to day-tripping from Madrid. Long the spiritual capital of Spain, Toledo, about 44 miles southwest of Madrid, is perched atop a rocky mount with steep ocher hills rising on either side and is bound on three sides by the Tagus River. The Moors came in the 8th century and solidified the city's reputation as a center of religion and learning. The town's Moorish legacy is evident in Toledo's strong crafts tradition, the mazelike arrangement of the streets, and the predominance of brick rather than stone. Visitors enjoy winding through the medieval trappings, visiting such sites as the Gothic cathedral inspired by Chartres, and the Chapel of Santo Tomé, where you can see The Burial of Count Orgaz, a masterpiece by one-time Toledo resident El Greco.
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