I have visited Spain three times, once to Madrid and twice to Barcelona. My trip durations to Madrid were approximately 1 week and 2 days respectively. Like many large urban environments, I found it crowded and a little too grimy for my taste. Though my visit to Barcelona was very short about 2 days I found the city vibrant and full of good energy. Sadly its cost of living is beyond my retirement budget. As with other first-world countries I need to look at less popul...