Lisbon and Barcelona are two of the most iconic cities on the Iberian Peninsula. Both cities are the largest coastal cities in their countries. Between nightlife, beaches, and architecture, these two cities are impressive places to explore. If you are trying to decide whether to visit Lisbon or Barcelona, this is the ultimate guide to help you decide which to visit.
Table of Contents
Lisbon or Barcelona Overview
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital and largest city in Portugal with just over 500,000 people living in the city and a much larger metro area. It has a long history, deeply involved with the sea through being a major port city and a history of colonization throughout the world. It is the second oldest city in Europe, only younger than Athens.
Today the city is known as an incredible coastal city with impressive architecture and landmarks found throughout the city. It is the cheapest capital city in Western Europe which makes it a dream city for most travelers. Lisbon is often referred to as “the San Francisco of Europe” for obvious reasons.
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second-largest city in Spain and the capital of Catalonia. It is one of the most visited cities in all of Europe (for good reason). The city is known for its setting between the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. Barcelona has a beautiful Gothic quarter, beautiful beaches, and a unique building grid system towards the mountains.
Some of the most famous landmarks in Spain, like Sagrada Familia and Park Güell, are located here. Barcelona is also unique from the rest of Spain because the people here speak Catalan as their first language and Castilian Spanish as their second language.
Things to See
Lisbon
Belém Tower is a fort built in the 16th and even used as a prison. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Praça do Comércio is an impressive public square found near the water’s edge in Lisbon.
The Church of Santa Engrácia, or the National Pantheon, is where many famous Portuguese people are buried.
Parque Eduardo VII is a picturesque city park with views of the city and the bay.
São Jorge Castle is a castle on a hill overlooking the city. It was built in the 8th century with parts of it built in the 1st century.
Barcelona
Sagrada Familia is a cathedral designed by Antoni Gaudi that began construction in 1882 and is still under construction to this day.
Park Güell is one of the most iconic places in the city and was designed by Barcelona’s favorite architect, Antoni Gaudi.
The Cathedral of Barcelona is a Gothic cathedral completed in 1448.
Tibidabo is a large hill with the Sagrat Cor Church and an amusement park overlooking the city.
The MNAC is the National Museum of Art of Catalonia and sits at the base of the mountain Montjuic which has a historic fortress overlooking the city.
Food
Lisbon
Besides a lot of mesmerizing views, colonialist history, tourist attractions, warm beaches, and citizens, Lisbon is the home to some very flavorful local cuisines that Portugal has to offer. One of these is the small but plentiful “Pastel de Nata” which is an egg tart that’s frequently dusted with cinnamon and is very rich in history, dating back to the 1800s.
Apart from the tasty cakes, desserts, pastries, and tarts, Lisbon also has some simple sandwiches such as “Bifana” and “Prego” (made of beef and pork). Other must-try foods when you are in the Portuguese capital are traditional foods from the Portuguese cuisine – “Bacalhau“, “Caldo Verde“, “Cataplana de Marisco“, “Cozido“, “Feijoada“, and “Shellfish”, all of which include different types of meat, fish or sausages.
Barcelona
Many of the traditional dishes found in Barcelona are found throughout Spain. Paella is a popular dish that originated just to the south in Valencia so you can expect to find many restaurants serving excellent paella. Tapas are another staple among the locals and are just part of the culture in Barcelona. For those of you who don’t know, tapas are basically the Spanish version of appetizers but oftentimes are used as the entrée if someone were to order enough.
Sangria is one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in Barcelona so you should definitely consider ordering a pitcher when eating out. Calçots are green onions that deliciously prepared and served with a special sauce.
Getting Around
Lisbon
Lisbon is an incredibly beautiful city to be explored on foot. The areas around Praça do Comércio are excellent to see while walking. If you want to see the National Sanctuary of Christ the King or the Lisbon Aquarium, you will want to utilize public transportation. The Viva Viagem Card is a rechargeable card used for most public transportation. Trams and the funicular are traditional forms of getting around the city if you want to truly indulge in the culture. Another great way to get around the city is by riding on the ferries to get a vantage point from the water.
Barcelona
For a city the size of Barcelona, it is actually quite walkable. You will want to use public transportation in order to explore different parts of the city on foot. Just looking at a map of the metro system can be a little intimidating but it is actually quite easy and efficient to use so don’t be scared! The buses and the metro use the same tickets which makes getting around even easier. I would recommend investing in a T-10 pass which gives you 10 rides at your leisure. Renting a scooter or a bike is excellent for riding along the beach but probably not in the rest of the city.
Nightlife
Lisbon
Nightlife in Lisbon is much like the nightlife in Spain in regards to knowing how to party. The people here party late into the night and oftentimes don’t go home until the sun is up. Fado houses are restaurants that have live music while you eat and they are very popular places to start a night out in Lisbon. Nightclubs and bars are found throughout the city. The area around Estátua do Duque da Terceira has an abundance of nightlife options including the famous “Pink Street”. Some of the best nightclubs in the city are LuxFrágil (quite expensive), Dock’s Club, Kremlin, Radio-Hotel, and Urban Beach Club.
Barcelona
Barcelona is known around the globe for being one of the best places to party in the world. The city is full of bars, pubs, and nightclubs. There are nightclubs for people of all ages and some of the most famous clubs in the world are located here. Be sure to dress up a little because most places won’t let you in wearing regular street clothes. Some great bars to experience are Dow Jones Bar and The George Payne Irish Pub. Some of the best clubs in the city are Sutton, Opium, Razzmatazz, Input, Pacha, and so many others.
Day Trips
Lisbon
Park and National Palace of Pena is a castle on a hill above the city of Sintra, less than an hour from Lisbon.
Tomar is a historic city built on Roman ruins by the Knights Templar.
The area around Cascais is full of beautiful beaches and is not far from Lisbon.
Barcelona
Girona is a city along the coast just to the north of Barcelona. It is known for its Old Quarter and for being a filming location for Game of Thrones.
Montserrat is a small mountain range with a picturesque monastery not far from Barcelona.
Tarragona is a coastal city to the south of Barcelona, known for its Roman ruins.
While you’re in exploring the Iberian Peninsula, you should consider visiting cities like Madrid, Valencia, or Malaga. There is so much to see in the part of Europe if you have the time.
Overall
Lisbon and Barcelona are two of the most iconic cities on the Iberian Peninsula. They are the largest coastal cities in their countries which help make them more appealing to visitors who love being in close proximity to the sea. Barcelona has more tourists than Lisbon which isn’t always a bad thing because of how many sights there are to see in Barcelona.
If you hate tourists and want to explore a city with prices similar to cities in Eastern Europe, Lisbon is the choice for you. One thing to keep in mind is that Lisbon is a hilly city so it may not be as fun to explore for certain people. If you have more than a couple of days to spend in a certain city, you will want to go to Barcelona because there are more things to see and do.
