Although these three cities are remarkably different in texture and attractions, each is evocative of the region it presides over: Barcelona, capital of Catalonia; Madrid, capital of Castile (and the entire country); and Seville, capital of Andalusia. To walk their streets, to sample their cuisine, to view their monuments, to taste and observe their daily life: These are reasons enough to visit Spain. If you do miss the rest of the country, it would be a pity; but if you at least manage the cities covered in this guide, you'll have found a window on the three different worlds that best exemplify Spain: Catalonia, Castile, and Andalusia.
Barcelona, progressive and industrial, is the most European of Spanish cities, yet also Mediterranean in both climate and atmosphere. Cataláns often speak of their "schizophrenia"--that is, the tension caused by their desires both to maintain the traditional and to embrace the new.
Though the city's palm tree-lined streets may seem languid, there's activity aplenty as Barcelona races to keep up with other major cities in Europe. Economic vigor is one part of the mix--one-fourth of the country's goods are manufactured here--but 21st-century Barcelona is also a place to have fun and relax. Never before have there been so many good restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, and new attractions.
Since the 1992 Olympics, the city has undergone a veritable renaissance, sprucing up its buildings and improving its tourist facilities at a rate equaled by no other city in Spain, not even Madrid.
Speaking of the capital city: Once staid, almost seedy in its decay, Madrid has burst upon the European scene with newfound enthusiasm for the modern world. Lively at all hours, the city appears to be recovering from a long and dreary sleep, determined to stay up every minute of the day and night for fear of missing out on anything.
It's true that Madrid doesn't match the great attractions and architecture of London, Paris, or Rome, but it does have the Prado and its other stellar art galleries. It offers visitors a fascinating nightlife scene, great restaurants, and deluxe hotels, and it's within striking distance of some of the country's best day trips, including Toledo, Segovia, and El Escorial. Neither Barcelona nor Seville can be used as a base for such a diverse array of attractions. Heading south, the temperature rises and the pace slows as we approach Seville, center of world attention during the 1992 Expo. It doesn't boast the great art museums of Barcelona or Madrid, but it does possess a stunning cathedral, along with truly incomparable Moorish architecture. Orange and palm trees line its streets, where panoramic vistas await at every turn. Chances are you won't be singing in the rain, as Seville is dry, dusty, and hot--in fact, it's the hottest city in Iberia.
Famed for its Easter festivities, when hooded and robed penitents march through the streets, Seville follows those events with its April Fair, a week of celebrations. Sevillanos ride on horseback looking like stage extras from Carmen, and the entire city celebrates with food, wine, and bullfights, followed by nightly flamenco dancing and the region's own special dance, the sevillanas. Almost any time of the year is ideal for a visit to Andalusia's capital, although we prefer the spring or fall. Seville's cathedral is one of the finest in Spain; the Alcazar evokes memories of a great Moorish civilization; and the Museo de Bellas Artes has one of the country's best art collections. But Seville offers much more: Visitors can enjoy the sensory pleasures of Andalusia itself.
