Madrid, Spain
I didn't know what to expect from Madrid, but we loved the city! It was beautiful, 30-degree weather, with fewer crowds than Barcelona, and it has palaces and art museums that rival better-know counterparts in France, methinks.
We caught a high-speed train (285 km/hr) from Barcelona which cuts the travel time from 9 to 3 hours. It was interesting to watch the scenery change from lush green in Catalunya to the high, dry plains as you get closer to Madrid.
We got...