As the days become shorter and the weather gets colder, it’s always great if you can book in a long weekend away somewhere brighter and sunnier – if not especially warmer.Find the names of two cities in travel to Spain perfect for a weekend getaway and all of the reasons why they are so great.
With all the low budget airlines in operation across Europe, it’s easy and cheap for Northern Europeans to head south to a country like Spain for the weekend. Of course, there’s a wealth of different destinations to choose but two great choices are Barcelona and Madrid.
Travel to Spain – Top Cities for a Weekend Trip
Beautiful Barcelona
Photo by: Jesus Solana
Barcelona is a city that draws visitors from all over Europe and all over the world. It is a city that is compact enough to walk around the centre easily, but there’s great public transport there too. To feel the real spirit of this vibrant city, a trip down Las Ramblas is a must. Here you’ll find street entertainers, great tapas bars and the rest of the tourist population mixed in with the locals who hang out there too.
You’ll easily find the masterpiece that sculptor Anton Gaudi is most well-known for creating – his Sagrada Familia – an incredible cathedral that was not completed until long after his death. In Park Guell, you can also find out more about Gaudi when visiting his former home, now a museum where many of his tile and sculpture works are displayed.
For a great taste of the different regions of Spain without leaving the city of Barcelona, visit the Spanish Village. Originally created for the 1929 Exhibition, you’ll find here replicas of different buildings and streets from all over Spain.
Marvellous Madrid
Photo by: Igor
In Madrid one of the must-see attractions is the Royal Palace. It’s the largest palace in Western Europe. While you’re there, make sure you visit the Templo de Debod, an Egyptian temple from 2nd century BC, and the Madrid Cathedral. If you want to soak up the views without wearing out your legs, take the Madrid cable car, the Teleférico, across the city.
Witness a football master class
Of course, both Barcelona and Madrid are home to teams that are dominant in La Liga – the Spanish equivalent to the English Premier League. If you’re a fan of the beautiful game, look at seeing if you can get tickets to a match while you’re there. You can always find out details about La Liga betting and get a bet on online or on your mobile at a site like bet365, so that you’ll have that much more to cheer about if your chosen team do well. If there’s no chance of getting a match ticket, you’ll probably still be able to do a stadium tour – find out more about Real Madrid’s stadium tour here.
Whatever you decide to while in Madrid or Barcelona for a winter weekend getaway, you’ll go back to life back at home feeling like you’ve had a reprieve from the winter; even if it was only for a few days!
