The verdict
Madrid wins for 15 of 16 traveller profiles. Check your own row though: for some people the other city is still the right call.
Who wins, profile by profile
| Travelling as | Madrid | Barcelona | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anyone | 75 | 73 | Madrid |
| Solo woman | 77 | 75 | Madrid |
| Solo man | 74 | 73 | Madrid |
| Gay man | 81 | 80 | Madrid |
| Lesbian woman | 81 | 80 | Madrid |
| Bi/pan person | 81 | 80 | Madrid |
| Trans person | 86 | 85 | Madrid |
| Non-binary person | 86 | 85 | Madrid |
| Over 50 | 74 | 72 | Madrid |
| First time | 76 | 74 | Madrid |
| On a budget | 71 | 67 | Madrid |
| High end | 78 | 78 | = |
| Digital nomad | 73 | 71 | Madrid |
| After a breakup | 75 | 74 | Madrid |
| On my own | 75 | 73 | Madrid |
| Single parent | 75 | 73 | Madrid |
The nine components
- Safety
- 84 · 84
- Safety for women
- 87 · 87
- LGBTQ+ inclusivity
- 95 · 95
- Trans recognition
- 95 · 95
- Social life
- 63 · 58
- Ease
- 71 · 71
- Cost for one
- 59 · 49
- Nightlife and events
- 90 · 100
- Singles demographics
- 52 · 52
Money and seasons
| Mid budget per day | ~110 € | ~130 € |
|---|---|---|
| Best season | Sept–Oct | Apr–Jul |
| Month | Madrid | Barcelona |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11° | 14° |
| Feb | 14° | 15° |
| Mar | 16° | 16° |
| Apr | 19° | 18° |
| May | 24° | 21° |
| Jun | 30° | 26° |
| Jul | 34° | 29° |
| Aug | 34° | 29° |
| Sept | 27° | 25° |
| Oct | 22° | 22° |
| Nov | 14° | 18° |
| Dec | 11° | 15° |
Madrid
Yes, and it may be the best European capital for going out alone at night. The metro runs until 1.30am and 27 night bus lines take over from there, the big museums have free final hours and language exchanges happen several evenings a week. It is wrong for anyone who wants dinner at seven or a rock-bottom bed in the centre.
Read the guide →Barcelona
It depends how much you will spend and how closely you will watch your wallet. On Saturdays the metro runs all night, hostels lay on dinners and paella for guests and the LGBTQ+ scene is one of Europe's largest. But the city surcharge is now 5 euros a night, the big sights are expensive and pickpocketing is the number one risk.
Read the guide →