Check out the TripAdvisor Reviews for the Villa Baixa – Lisbon Luxury Apartments

Round One Barcelona vs. Lisbon: The Food

I always start with what is closest to my heart, or in this case what is closest to stopping my heart. The food in both countries was outstanding.  In my experience, only Greece can compare with these two in terms of freshness and quality. Having said this, my future still holds a lot of gluttonous adventures so that could change. Dissecting the food, I keep going back and forth between which city I loved more…

The Arguments for Barcelona

Barcelona has the best food market I have visited. La Boqueria was just old school enough to offer fresh seafood and meat handled out in the open, and prepared in front of you. The Time Out market in Lisbon on the other hand was too commercialized for my taste. Besides the tasty Pastel place, nothing really intrigued me.  On the other hand, we were regular visitors to the market in Barcelona.  This place had everything we wanted, with fresh fish, juice, and a great mojito stand.

Barcelona also has tapas, which afforded me the opportunity to stuff my face with as many things as possible. Add to this great sangria, wonderful empanadas, jamon iberico, and of course churros with some of the best chocolate I have ever tasted. It was also in Barcelona that I had one of the best meals of my life at Spoonik, a crazy multi-course (18!) restaurant which surprises you at every course. The fresh seafood, the tapas, the experience, it is easy to see why Barcelona wins this…on the other hand.

The Arguments for Lisbon

First, I will say I had the BEST meal of my life at the restaurant Alma in Lisbon. It was also a multi-course meal, everything was superb and was like eating art. The fresh seafood I received in Lisbon was equally on par with that of Barcelona (I wonder why). Where Barcelona had great razor clams and anchovies, Lisbon was all about the octopus and shrimp. Although to be fair I had a variety of seafood in both areas. Both cities are seafood heavy, although Lisbon was more so in my experience.

To add to the gluttony, Lisbon has Ramiro, another shrimp lover’s paradise. It also had one of the top chocolate cakes you will find, and much beloved cheap pork sandwiches called Bifana.

The cities alcohol is also more unique. First, you have Port, which was flowing from my veins by the time I left. In addition, the Ginjia stands are an awesome way to spend a Euro and 20 minutes at 9:30 in the morning. Ginja is a small shot of cherry liquor, with a cherry at the bottom, that gets you a lot more fd-up the you would think. It is no wonder that my bathroom scale broke upon my return. So, which has the better food Barcelona or Lisbon?

Category 1, Barcelona vs. Lisbon: Food Winner – TIE

Well that is a great way to start…I can’t decide, neither city left me disappointed at meal time. If you want an education on how seafood is done visit either area.

Round Two Barcelona vs. Lisbon: Things to Do

This one is slightly easier for me to decide, although once again both cities were packed with things to do. Barcelona has a lot, you could  probably hit a Gaudi exhibit every day for the entire week. There are a number of exceptional museums in the area, such as the Picasso museum. The Gothic Quarter is also a great place to spend your afternoons walking around, while killing times between meals…

Lisbon just felt like it had a greater amount of attractions than Barcelona. I wasn’t stressed for activities in Barcelona, but I did visit a few multiple times. Lisbon on the other hand felt as if there was more than I could see in the week (plus) that I was there. First you have the Castel Jorge, we stayed in a hotel that shared its walls. It was incredible to walk around and stay within a piece of history, with some of the best views in the city. Take a ride to Belem and visit the Belem tower, Jerónimos Monastery, or one of the many museums in the area.  There is also the option to spend the day getting lost (literally) in the Alfama neighborhood. There were so many beautiful statues and pieces of history scattered throughout the city, it was just a more grandiose experience. If your deciding between Barcelona or Lisbon on activities I give the nod to Lisbon.

Round Two Barcelona vs. Lisbon, Things to do – Lisbon

Round Three Barcelona vs. Lisbon: Environment

Lisbon is a very walkable city, that is assuming you have calves the size of pineapples and train for triathlons. I might be exaggerating a bit, but not by much. The city is extremely hilly, there are stretches of flat sections, but not many, if you walk as much as I do it can wear on you. In addition, getting lost in Alfama can be a bit trying also. The area is beautiful, but the streets are like a maze and can be tricky to navigate. Don’t get me wrong, there are worse things in life than getting lost in Lisbon.

Barcelona on the other hand was flat, which made walking a hell of a lot easier. In some sense, it felt a bit more spread out, but it didn’t bother me. Everything felt like a straight shot, and it seemed much easier to navigate.

Lisbon also felt a bit more touristy than Barcelona as well. Neither were the train wreck that is Rome, but I saw a more significate amount of fanny packs in Lisbon than in Barcelona. It was complete with the millennial homeless people begging for money and performing cheap “entertainment’.

Lastly, there was a slight seedy element in Lisbon at times. Never did I feel unsafe, no matter where I walked (although always be careful). I was approached several times to buy cocaine and other drugs especially in Rossio Square. I was high on shrimp (and Ginja) so I declined. For all these reasons, I give the edge to Barcelona in terms of environment.

Round Three Barcelona or Lisbon, Environment: Barcelona.

Round Four Barcelona vs. Lisbon: Visual Appeal

Barcelona and Lisbon are both beautiful cities. Both have incredible architecture and are unique. Despite the mentioned seediness, I believe Lisbon is more distinct and easier on the eyes. Yes, Barcelona has Gaudi, and the ancient Gothic Quarter. The city is also clean, with beautiful streets.

Lisbon, had me turning my head just a bit more often. The first thing I noticed were the buildings covered with decorative tiles. This added an element to the atmosphere I haven’t experienced in other areas. Maybe it was just the places we visited, but Lisbon felt more classical European than Barcelona. Every time I turned the corner there was a giant statue or enormous square. The streets of Alfama, although annoying at times, were beautiful in a peaceful, rustic way.

As I mentioned Lisbon is hilly, one benefit of hills is that they create great views. You can be chugging up a road, only to discover one of the most spectacular heights in the city, and an extraordinary sunset. As much as I loved the look of Barcelona, in my opinion Lisbon was much more attractive.

Round Four Lisbon vs. Barcelona– Beauty: Lisbon.

Final Round Barcelona vs. Lisbon: Value

According to most of my research Lisbon is 18% cheaper than Barcelona, specifically to food and housing; my experience differed slightly for our meals. For us in terms of food and entertainment I found both locations to be similar. Maybe the average meal in Barcelona was a bit cheaper, but the main driver behind that were the cheap (but good) tapas. Plus, in Lisbon, we gorged on shrimp and octopus every meal so that added to the cost.

CHECK OUT REVIEWS FOR THE MAJESTIC HOTEL & SPA BARCELONA

The real cost difference was in the hotel expense. Each hotel on both trips was outstanding, but the hotels in Lisbon were about half the price. In Lisbon, the Villa Baxia was an apartment like hotel, the size of a suite, but for only $120/night. In Barcelona we stayed in the Hotel Majestic. This property was also beautiful, with an amazing bar and great service.  The hotel can also go for up to $300 a night, which is pricier than most places in Lisbon. All trips differ, you may have a different experience or find a better value.

ONCE AGAIN, THE LINK IS HERE FOR THE VILLA BAIXA IN LISBON

Overall, I felt like Lisbon was more reasonable so I have to give a slight edge to Portugal.

Final Round Winner Barcelona or Lisbon: Lisbon.

Barcelona or Lisbon?

Since you can do simple math you know I lean towards Lisbon if choosing between Barcelona or Lisbon. Let me make it clear, it is really a very slight lean. I loved both cities immensely, they are two of my favorites in the world. The food, the culture, and the people are amazing in each. Some might tell you to go to both Barcelona and Lisbon, again I disagree… Unless you have about two weeks, each city deserves its own trip. There is so much to do and see in both that you really can’t go wrong when deciding between Barcelona or Lisbon. For me the winner was somewhat clear.

Winner Barcelona vs. Lisbon: Lisbon..and really YOU are winning at life to get to either city…

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I loved Barcelona, so much that it split my personality. One side said it is the best city I have visited.  Of course, there are other versions of me, who claim Budapest or Lisbon as the best…and still Barcelona has everything one could want. The people were nice, and of course the food was amazing. It would be difficult for me to love anyplace that didn’t have the power to add five pant sizes…

The Look of Barcelona, Spain

Someone once complained to me they didn’t like Barcelona, because it felt like just an “ordinary” city. I agree, because every city has a large gothic medieval section and buildings made by a man who may have bathed in absinthe and read Alice in Wonderland before designing them. Anyone who thinks Barcelona looks ordinary must have visited Mars, because compared to other earthy cities, it has a spectacular look and enveloping personality…

Gaudi’s architecture alone, present throughout the city, magnifies any street. Each of his works feels crazier than the last. The unfinished Sagrada Família was fantastic, the outside does not prepare you for the grandiose experience of walking inside (as a side maybe the thing would be finished if they didn’t take daily three-hour naps).

After seeing Gaudi’s amazing architecture, I continued walking down to the streets of the Gothic area. The area is complete with the obligatory giant church and Roman Ruins. I could spend hours just wandering the streets of Barcelona. Of course, walking the streets are just better when you have great places to stop and eat, which brings me to my next topic.

The Food of Barcelona

It wouldn’t be a Maninflight.com post without me talking how I stuffed my face, and stuff I did.  Barcelona is so good it made the initial top spot of my favorite eating destinations (update needed). My favorite item might be a bit strange, as anchovies very rarely make it to the top of a list.  Barcelona had anchovies that were delicious, fresh, and unique. I never thought I would give anchovies a second thought, but these were something special.  If they make anchovies that good, their other seafood must be amazing. 

Of course, it was, we gorged on grilled calamari, razor clams, octopus…all of the little mermaid’s friends. It was Barcelona, Spain that made me realize I was living a lie in terms of freshness of seafood. If there is one thing I like better than eating, it is eating cheap. Barcelona let me dine on a SeaWorld’s worth of sea creatures for a fraction of the price one would pay in the United States.

The La Boqueria market was particularly amazing, and is still to date, my favorite food market (sorry Athens). Following, Phil once again (from Somebody Feed Phil) we hit this place on multiple occasions throughout the day. We would go for breakfast, we would go for lunch, we would go for dinner…but we always went for $5 Mojitos. 

Outside of the market

Besides seafood and tasty creatures, I need to reiterate the tapas. I assume you know what they are, but if you don’t I will say, they are like our appetizers, only for $1-2 euro…not $13.  Small plates, eaten traditionally between 4-7 PM, this is to hold you off until your big dinner at midnight. Apparently, dinner is best when the sun is close to coming up. Barcelona, Spain had too many delicious items to count. The options to eat were endless, between the hot melted chocolate with Churros, Empanadas (from a great place near our hotel), Sangria, Iberico Dry Cured Ham…this is a city for foodies. Everything just tastes better there, because everything is fresher and cheaper.

Spoonik

I would be remise not to mention one of the best eating experiences of my life. My wonderful wife took me to a spot called Spoonik, a restaurant as crazy as any Picasso painting. The meal was 14-courses  paired with wine, it was as much a journey as it was a dinning experience.

Each of the small plates was more decadent than the next, and they were three or four bites of heaven. The entire meal took us 3-hours to eat, like so much of the city, it was just amazing. The atmosphere was equally entertaining, the lights would come on and off, the music would add to the atmosphere, it was truly dinner and a show.

I had the additional entertainment of a guy next to us who took his blind date there. A woman who complained that there were too many ingredients in the meal. Not sure what she expected from a three-hour, 14-course meal. Sir, if you’re reading, piece of advice, next time go to Starbucks on your first date.

Things to Do in Barcelona, Spain

I mentioned in one of my posts that Barcelona doesn’t have the in-depth history and art like Rome. Regardless, it has its own history (although ironically the Barcelona history museum is primarily a Roman ruin). Gaudi, who shaped many streets in the city, is featured throughout the area. Barcelona was also home to Picasso, who seems to be kind of famous. Be sure to head to the Gothic area and spend some time in the Picasso museum. It is strange how so many artists in Barcelona seem to have hit the Absinthe before work, but everything is very unique…

I know I keep coming back to Gaudi, but I really liked his work. I recommend hitting one of his buildings daily. We saved the Sagrada Família for last, if there is one touristy attraction this is it. Don’t let the long lines and selfie stick sellers scare you, this is worth the wait. Whether it is the Casa Batllo or the Casa Mila – La Pedrera (which I recommend going to at night) you should see everything he created for his city. 

Some “Other” things to do in the city

After eating your weight in clams and having your share of Mojitos from a cart, check out the Egyptian History Museum, regardless of its size, if you like Egyptian history it is worth the time and small fee.

For me just walking a city is my favorite past time. I already mentioned the Gothic area, but the whole city was beautiful. Every city has one street they are famous for, Los Ramblos is the one in Barcelona. This is the street that the market was one, so of course I was on it daily. It is in the heart of the city and connected everything. There was the added bonus of being able to buy Louis Vatton pocket books for 10% of the price! How do they offer such deals! Ok, the street might be a bit touristy for some, but when we went it wasn’t overwhelming and a great way to spend an afternoon.

The Night Life of Barcelona, Spain

This is not a city for the early bird. I personally am not a big clubber. I didn’t need to go clubbing to know the city is packed at night. When you go to a restaurant at 10:30 and there is a half hour wait, you get a feel for what it is like in Barcelona at night. Given the huge nap they take every afternoon, I guess it is like their dinner is lunch. The city is packed with bars, restaurants and places that are open to the wee hours.

There is an old saying that nothing good happens after 12:00 AM, I say Barcelona breaks this rule. Although I loved the city during the day, so many good things happened after dark. Whether it was a late-night Sangria and Empanadas, Mojitos in a random bar or full dinner at 11 PM, there was good to be had. Having travelled throughout Europe, I realize that Barcelona truly stays open later than the rest of the continent, which is much appreciated.

Conclusion

How do you describe the “feel” of a city? I can ramble on about all the things I love to eat and how beautiful the city is, but I don’t think that captured why I loved my visit. Sometimes, as soon as you start walking the streets the energy of the city just rubs you the right way. Maybe it was a combination of great people, great food, and laid-back atmosphere. If you are looking for something different, I would put Barcelona at the top of your list.

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First, I need to acknowledge that if one of your major problems is to not knowing whether to visit either Barcelona or Rome, then you are living a good life. Please take a second to thank whatever entity you may or may not worship, because problems don’t get much better. I loved both cities immensely, which is why I chose these two to start. I will divide it into 5 categories, Food/Drink, Art/History, Beauty of the City, Nightlife, and Things to Do.  So the bell has rung, let the smack down begin in this epic fight of Barcelona vs. Rome begin.

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Round One: Food

If you read my last post this is a little anticlimactic, given I have ranked Barcelona as my favorite food city. If I lived in either Rome or Barcelona, I feel I would quickly have to replace my wardrobe with Mumus. Writing this, I feel a month in Barcelona would add on an additional 4 chins, while in Rome I would get a mere two. The food in Rome, while excellent, was not always authentic. I would be minding my own business, and before I knew it found myself in a typical tourist trap in Rome, while in Barcelona everything felt more authentic. The meals, at times, may have gotten a bit repetitive in Spain, but the idea of gorging on seafood and tapas is more appealing than spinning the wheel in Rome in the hopes that I have a native cook.

Barcelona 1 Point

Round Two: Art/History

Here we have another easy one, I am not saying Barcelona is lacking in art and history, because it certainly is not. Rome is Rome…meaning it basically touches the history of the entire western world. Rome has so much art and history that it pushes its way into other cities; Barcelona being one of them. The major attraction of the Barcelona History museum are the Roman ruins beneath it…

As mentioned, Barcelona has its fair share of art/history including the Picasso Museum and numerous buildings by the architect Antoni Gaudí. When compared to Rome, Barcelona can’t hold Rome’s ‘big paintbrush’ in the art category. The Vatican City Museums would take days to fully appreciate, let alone the rest of the city. Rome itself is one giant museum and there is history at every corner. So, for Round two Barcelona vs. Rome, I have to give this to Rome by a long shot.

Rome 1 Point

Round Three: Beauty of the City

So, the first two installments of Barcelona vs. Rome seemed easy, but this next category is a bit trickier. The only way I can think to explain it, is to say that visiting Barcelona is like slowly dipping into a pool. The city unfolds gradually and envelopes you into its warmth, its beauty sneaks up on you the longer you stay. You get an appreciation for the architecture of Gaudi and areas like the Gothic Quarter show the true beauty of the city. It took me a second to really notice how unique this city is, but once I did, I felt I couldn’t look away. 

Whereas Barcelona is like a gradual envelopment, Rome is an ocean of riddles wrapped in an eternal enigma, Rome gives your eyes a feast at every turn, statues, art, giant monuments; my neck hurt from looking around. It would be unfair to give the an edge to either Barcelona or Rome.

Tie: No Point

Round Four:  Night Life

You will get worn out by either way, but to me the obvious winner in this category is Barcelona. Since residents don’t even start dinner until about 10 pm, the city is basically up all night… Good food, packed restaurants and cava flowing into the break of dawn.  Rome was the quiet glass of wine at 10:30, whereas Barcelona was the non-stop party.

Barcelona 2-1

Final Round: Things to do

While there is a ton to do and see in Barcelona, Rome simply has the edge. The sheer amount of churches, museums, fountains, and parks can get overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, I was never bored on my trip to Spain, it’s just Rome has so many things packed into it, it turns a Trip advisor map into an orange blur. You will spend an entire day in the Vatican alone, there are also catacombs, (which I missed) parks, and I believe I mentioned museums. Rome is a city where I will have to visit multiple times to even scratch its surface.

Final Tally 2-2.

Of course I can’t have a tie in my first city smack down, so I will add a tie-breaker. To settle the contest of Barcelona vs. Rome I will compare the quintessential drawback; tourist traps. The greater concentration of tourist traps in a city, the higher my disdain. Both cities (like all major cities) have there fair share of tourist traps. Unfortunately Rome takes this to the next level. Yes Las Ramblas, can be a touristy, but it pales in comparison to Rome.

Nothing awakens a more awe-inspired  experience than standing next to a 1000 year old statue and seeing a 19 year old millennial with a selfie stick making a duck face. It is not a pleasurable experience fighting your way through throngs of people texting to see the Trevi Fountain. In addition, the droves of overly eager restaurant owners pulling you towards  their over-priced, poorly made, microwaved food is maddening. When I travel I want a unique, authentic experience, like I am in a truly foreign land…not a circus.

The Vatican, for example, is so crowded you will lose your family and have to start anew. It isn’t all bad; if you’re looking for a selfie stick there are over 10,000 foreigners selling them in front of all the major attractions. I loved Rome, but the place can be a carnival wheel of misfortune with cargo-short filled crowds. 

Barcelona is subdued, it looks like a city that is lived in, with a respected nod to history; rather than an over-zealous euro-trash Disney..

Winner: Barcelona….for me.

Now if art/history is what your prefer and you don’t mind crowds, then by all means go to Rome. Hell visit both, then tell me which you believe to be the winner of the Barcelona vs. Rome city smack-down..

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