Barcelona and Madrid are both great cities. I feel very lucky to have spent a lot of time in Spain. Some other cities to visit: Salamanca, near Portugual, has beautiful architecture. The Basque country, too. San Sebastian is possibly the most beautiful city in the region, but Bilbao is worth visiting for the Guggenheim museum and old town, and the little seaside village of Hondarabbia. Outside Madrid are towns like Segovia, Toledo, and Avila, Toledo is probably the most famous. And Andalucia in the south, Grenada for the Alhambra, and Cordoba is very charming. Seville is very touristic but the old quarter is fantastic and you have to visit the bull ring for a tour!
The Lonely Planet guide books are always an excellent source of info and they tend to be honest, too—some guidebooks manage to find charm everywhere, but LP tells it like it is, so you don't waste time or money. As for taking the train, I found buses to actually be better. They are quite cheap and reasonably comfortable. A friend and I took the bus from Madrid to Grenada, and then travelled by bus all over Andalucia, and it was fine.
Missed the Picasso museum in Barcelona! I spent too much time in the old town...
santiago de compostela

Spain is a spectacular and diverse country. My colleagues and I have made several times trip abroad and we unanimous deem that Spain is the most country we have been to. We not only enjoy its bullfights, flamenco dancers and crowded beaches, but also admire its social culture. Spanish people are very open-hearted and communicative. You won't have any problems to get to know someone, especially in the big cities like Madrid or Barcelona. If you want to go to Spain be on a tour, the sites costa brava holidays and ibiza beach may help you a lot.

A Spain travel can be enjoyable any time of year. This beautiful country also offers diverse activities and attractions in each city you decide to visit and all the year long! Spain is an easy country to travel, with an excellent accommodation offer. Airlines and affordable fares have turned Spain into a beach resort for Europeans. Start planning your Spain travel now: visit our cities, coasts and islands guides, reserve your hotel or rent one of the beautiful self catering villas, car hire in Tenerife .

Sometimes I'm asked what Spanish sites are not to be missed in a visit to Spain, to which I normally respond: the Alhambra in Granada, the Mezquita in Cordoba, etc. Funny thing is, some of the Spanish places I have the fondest memories of are not on my "must see list," things like my visit to the cave home in Guadix, the walled city of Laguardia, the Roman ruins in Merida, and the Palace of Lebrija in Seville. And tarragona and cadiz .