Barcelona or Madrid? Catalonia or Castilla? Catalan or Spanish food? Modernista or Classico? If you are wondering where you should study next year, here’s some suggestion to think about your choice in the endless battle between Madrid and Barcelona.
I fell in love with Spain some time ago. I went to Barcelona and it impressed me for its parties, its nightlife and its barrios. I thought it was one of the best city of the world, but then I discovered Madrid. And I changed my mind.
Fiestas
If you are young, you’ll probably looking for occasions to have fun. Each city will give you the opportunity to live the nightlife enjoying yourself around the city. In Barcelona you will probably go to the club around Barceloneta area, after a day spent on the beach.
While in Madrid you must try to enjoy the parties they have in each Barrios: Lavapies, Malasana or La Latina are my favourite. Each barrios has its own identity and you should discover it. You should enjoy a religious feast, which, at night, will have a drag queen show. Or step into an electronic festival in Cascorro.
Looking for ‘spanishmood’
The point is: if you are a foreigner, you will feel at home in Madrid, rather than in Barcelona. Why? Because madrillenos fill the city, while, in Barcelona you will find too many tourists around the city. Barcelonians are rarities in some places of the city. They should also be a treasure, if you find one.
But if you want to feel the Spanish vibrations, you should choose Madrid. In the city capital they say
“If you are in Madrid, you are from Madrid”.
This is completely true. While you are walking or drinking something in the colourful streets of its Barrios, one out of two Madrillenos will welcome you, help you and have a talk with you.
Trips outdoor
Madrid provides better day trips such as Toledo, Salamanca, Avila or Segovia.
From Barcelona it takes you than two hours to visit some interesting places like Valencia or Zaragoza.
Do you speak Spanish or Catalan?
Locals speak Castilian Spanish in Madrid, which is often referred to as the pure or traditional form of Spanish you typically learn in school. This makes studying abroad in Madrid an easy choice for students focused primarily on improving Spanish-speaking abilities while studying abroad in Spain. So, if you want to improve your knowledge about Spanish language, you should choose the capital.
Barcelonians are fiercely proud of their strong Catalan heritage, as evidenced by its enduring influence in daily life and the fact that Catalan remains the official language of Barcelona. So if you go to Barcelona, you must learn Catalan, which is more difficult than Spanish. So be sure that the university you are going to has lessons in English or Spanish.
Goya or Dalì?
I like them both, not equally, but in different ways. I love Madrid because it taught me how beautiful Spain is. Madrid have better museums, for example Museo del Prado or Reina Sofia, where you can find Picasso’s Guernica. It has Goya’s and El Greco’s masterpieces. It is home to 73 museums, noteworthy architecture and countless traditional festivals, so study abroad programs in Madrid offer endless down-time options.
Barcelona has a variety of artistic structures that study abroad students interested in art will greatly appreciate: Museum Picasso and Dalì’s masterpieces are some of them. Barcelona has also Parc Guell, but you should pay an admission fee to enter its terrazza. There are a lot of attractions in Barcelona but, as a result of it, prices in Barcelona maintain a slightly higher rate than Madrid, however.
Are you hungry?
The prices in Madrid remain slightly lower than those in Barcelona. If you are hungry, you can go to one of the mercados located in each barrio. Some of the dishes you should try are: Cocido madrileno (popular beef and vegetables stew), Callos a la madrilena, Bocadillos de calamares. And tapas, of course.
If you want to taste Catalan cuisine, go to the Mercado de la Boqueria and you will find Barcelona’s culinary traditions. Some of the dishes you should try are: Botifarra amb mongetes (barbecued or grilled sausage and fried beans served with allioli sauce), Calamars a la Romana (Calamari Rings), Fricando (Meat and vegetable stew) and Xai a la brasa (Barbecued lamb).
In the end, I should say that I both love Barcelona and Madrid because they are stunning. But Barcelona is something quick, like a kiss, a stolen kiss someone gave you, while Madrid would probably represent an endless love. In Barcelona everything is on the surface, while Madrid is a city to be discovered day by day.
So, now it’s up to you!