I will be going to Italy in May 2015 (5th time) and want to break up the long flight home, and see a different country, by spending a few days elsewhere. My options are Barcelona or Lisbon. I am allotting 3-4 days. Any suggestions? We are laid back and prefer local spots. Not into fancy hotels or nightlife. Thanks in advance!
Charlotte
Total Personal preference: Lisbon
Barcelona is nice. It is a big city, and a lot of traffic.
Lisbon is nearly as big, but the old centre (in a valley leading down to the sea) has mostly escaped re-building caused by the prosperity that has turned Lisbon into a first world country since it joined the EU. Typical Portugese blue-and-white tiles everywhere. Nice monuments. The outskirts of the city are masses of modern typical hot-climate concrete apartment blocks with no tourist appeal, but that is also true of Barcelona. Prices are up to European norms, it is no longer cheap like it was when the locals were poor.
So I would vote Lisbon. It is very pretty. 5-star. Day trip to the royal palaces at Sintra recommended (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Are you planning on flying from Italy to your next destination, before heading home? Are the arival/departure times and prices better in one place or the other? Lisbon is, obviously, farther from Italy, so will likely take a bit longer to get to. Either one gets you to the edge of the ocean.
In Lisbon, you can have salted cod fixed 20 different ways (all good), listen to fado music, and take interesting side trips to Sintra and Belem. Portuguese beer is stronger than its Spanish counterpart. In a 2002 trip, the Rick Steves-recommended place we stayed at, 8 floors of stairs up, was definitely NOT fancy, but it was the best deal for us at the time. You'll enjoy the ornate black and white cobbled sidewalks, hilly streets, and funky tram cars.
In Barcelona, developed in-part after the olympic games a while back, you'll have a big-time big city, with interesting old and modern parts, great Picasso and Miro museums, the awesome and still-under-construction Sagrada Familia church, and other Modernista architectural creations by Gaudi and his compatriots. Spaniards (including the Catalunyans in Barcelona) stay up later, and stay out later than many, if you actually were looking for nightlife.
Hi Charlotte,
I would agree with Chris and go to Lisbon, but it's really personal preference. Both cities have a lot to offer and either one is a fine choice. I suggest watching Rick's T.V. show for each city to see which would be the most interesting for you. You can watch all of Rick's T.V. shows online here: www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show
They are very different cities. You really do need to check each out and make a decision on which is more appealing to you. If you head to Europe every so often, Barcelona will be easier to get to at some future date. Lisbon, and Portugal in general, is not well connected to the rest of Europe (even Spain). Perhaps that would be a deciding factor. You can see both fairly well on the surface in 3-4 days.
My husband and I were in both Lisbon and Barcelona in May 2014. Our overall impression was that Barcelona was significantly more appealing.
Barcelona is divided up into sections that make touring easy. Other than one day using a hop on hop off bus, we walked all around this charming and beautiful city. Lisbon, on the other hand, is a much smaller city and seemed to have a much larger percentage of run-down areas than Barcelona.
We loved the tapas restaurants in Barcelona which made it easy to eat earlier than the typical Spanish custom of waiting till 9PM or later to dine. The tapas bars are either open all day or open around 7PM. The cuisine in Barcelona was more to our liking than that in Portugal.
There is so much to see in Barcelona. Views of the city can be enjoyed from Monjuic or Park Guell. We love the Gaudi architectural masterpieces-the Sagrada Familia cathedral, La Pedrera, Park Guell and other modernist buildings. Barcelona's architecture consists of an impressive variety of styles from the medieval to the modern. The Palace of Catalan Music is a jewel of art nouveau design; you can take a tour of the theater or get tickets to a musical performance. Then there is the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona that goes back to the 1500's--narrow streets, Gothic cathedrals, Jewish museum and synagogue, other preserved buildings, fountains and squares. The Picasso museum is housed in several 13th -15th century mansions that form a beautiful setting for the largest collection of Picasso's early works. Don't forget the beach and the waterfront promenade along the Mediterranean Sea. Sidewalk cafes, art museums and designer stores abound in Barcelona. You can partake of the ubiquitous dry cured ham, marvelous seafood dishes and the combo of delicious churros ( a long donut) and sinful hot chocolate(more like a drinkable pudding). La Ramblas is a pedestrian street with lots of street performers and bars. However, after dark, the southern section of La Ramblas becomes a seedy red light district.
We were in Barcelona 3 days. We didn't have time to visit the Miro museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art or the National Museum of Catalan Art. There so much to see and do in Barcelona, itself, so we did not get to Montserrat which is a day trip to the north that is famous for its dramatic beauty.
Lisbon was the last stop on a tour we took. We were given a walking tour and told where not to go. There is high unemployment and a lot of locals just loitering around. I would not have felt comfortable walking around after dark in Lisbon. There are trams and a couple of circa 1900 street elevators to help you get up the hilly city streets. St. George's castle (11th c.) looks down upon the city from its lofty position.
The Belem section of the city has the largest concentration of things to see. The Monument to the Discoveries, Belem tower, and the Jeronimos Monastery are great. Salted cod is the national dish and there are supposedly 365 ways to serve it. Pastries are the thing that Portugal has done right. Delicious specialties exist in every sector; the pasteis de Belem are outstanding.
On a day trip, we went to Sintra which was a treasure trove, and Cascais, a seaside resort village. Both were worth visiting.
If you want to just stay in the city of Lisbon, I don't think you will have enough to do for 3 or 4 days. To my husband and I, it just doesn't compare with what one sees and experiences in Barcelona.
Margo
Thank you all so much! I will do more research, but your input helps a lot before I decide!
I think Barcelona is a great city to visit. It has history, a unique culture, museums, beaches, unique Moderniste architecture.
I haven't yet visited Lisboa so I can't give you a comparison.
I LOVE LISBON. If you go look into the Orange3 Guesthouse. Fantastic and in a fantastic location!
