Lisbon or Madrid? Which Iberian capital is best for a city break?

Have a question? Ask our expert Simon Calder

The Portuguese capital has the edge when it comes spectacular scenery (Rex)

Q I am part of a group of former schoolfriends – now fortysomething women – who are planning an April weekend away. We are torn between Lisbon and Madrid. Which would you recommend? We live in Hampshire and would prefer to fly from Gatwick.

Name withheld

A Both Iberian capitals are rich in culture, though Madrid has the edge because of the dazzling trilogy of art museums: the Prado, the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza and the modern art of the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, which includes Picasso’s vast and powerful Guernica. The Spanish capital also presents the enticing option of a tapas crawl.