Spain Travel Route
Spain is the second-largest country in Western Europe and you cannot see it all in two weeks. What you can do is see the spine: Madrid in the center, south to Andalusia, then east to Barcelona. This route gives you the capital, the Moorish south, and the Catalan coast — three versions of Spain that have almost nothing in common with each other.
Day 1-4: Madrid and Toledo
Arrive in Madrid. Stay in the Malasaña or La Latina neighborhoods (€70-120/night) — central, authentic, and full of restaurants. Avoid Gran Vía — it's loud and touristy.
Day 1: The Prado (€15, go at 5 PM for free entry). Goya's Black Paintings, Velázquez's Las Meninas, Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights. Then walk to the Mercado de San Miguel for tapas (€3-6 per plate).
Day 2: Day trip to Toledo (30 minutes by AVE train, €13 round-trip). Toledo was Spain's capital for 400 years — a medieval city on a hill, surrounded on three sides by the Tagus river. The cathedral (€11) has El Greco's Burial of the Count of Orgaz. The synagogue (€4) is one of three remaining in Spain from before the 1492 expulsion. Go at 9 AM, leave by 2 PM — the tour buses arrive at 11 and the city becomes a mob.
Day 3: The Reina Sofía (€10, go in the morning) — Picasso's Guernica. Then the Retiro park — rent a rowboat on the lake (€6/45 min). Walk to the Plaza Mayor and eat calamari sandwiches at La Campana (€3.50).
Day 4: Food day. Mercado de San Miguel for breakfast (€4-6). Walk to Lavapiés for the best Indian food in Madrid (Shaporo, €12-15). Dinner at Casa Lucio (€30-40) — the huevos estrellados (fried eggs over potatoes) is what Obama ate when he visited.
Day 5-7: Seville and Córdoba
Take the AVE train from Madrid to Seville (2.5 hours, €40-80 if booked ahead on renfe.com). The AVE hits 300 km/h and the route crosses La Mancha — the flat, windmill-dotted plain of Don Quixote.
Day 5: Seville. Stay in the Santa Cruz neighborhood (€70-110/night) — the old Jewish quarter, narrow streets and orange trees. Visit the Alcázar (€13.50, book ahead) — a Moorish palace still used by the royal family. The gardens are the best in Spain. Then the Cathedral (€9) — climb the Giralda tower (35 ramps, no stairs) for the view. Walk to the Plaza de España at sunset (free) — the most beautiful public space in Spain.
Day 6: Day trip to Córdoba (45 minutes by AVE from Seville, €25 round-trip). The Mezquita (€11) is the most extraordinary building in Spain — a mosque with a cathedral built inside it. The forest of red-and-white arches is 8th century Islamic architecture at its peak. Walk the Jewish quarter and the Roman bridge. Eat salmorejo (thick tomato soup, €4) at La Salmoreteja. Return to Seville for dinner.
Day 7: Seville deep dive. Walk the Triana neighborhood (across the river) — the ceramics district, with workshops you can visit. Go to a flamenco show at La Casa de la Memoria (€25, book ahead) — small venue, real dancers, no dinner theater. Eat at Las Teresas (€20-30) — the best tapas in Seville, the mojama (cured tuna) and the montadito de pringá (pork sandwich) are the dishes.
Day 8-9: Granada
Take the train from Seville to Granada (1.5 hours, €25-40). Or take the ALSA bus (2.5 hours, €25) — the bus is sometimes more convenient because the train route is indirect.
Day 8: The Alhambra. Book 2-3 months ahead at tickets.alhambra.es — €14 general ticket. The Nasrid Palaces (the highlight) have a timed entry slot — arrive 30 minutes before your slot or you don't get in. The Alhambra is the best Islamic architecture in Europe — a palace-fortress complex on a hill above the city, with courtyards, fountains, and tile work that took 150 years to build. Plan 4-5 hours. Bring water and snacks — the café is expensive.
Day 9: Granada city. The Albaicín (the Arab quarter) — a maze of white houses and cobbled lanes. Walk to the Mirador de San Nicolás for the view of the Alhambra with the Sierra Nevada behind it (free, best at sunset). The Granada Cathedral (€5) has the Royal Chapel where Ferdinand and Isabella are buried. Eat tapas — Granada is the last city in Spain where tapas are free. Order a drink (€2-3) and a plate of food arrives. Go to Bar Los Diamantes for the fried fish (€3 for a beer + free tapa).
Day 10-14: Barcelona
Fly from Granada to Barcelona (Vueling, €40-70, 1.5 hours) — the train takes 7+ hours and requires changes. Or take the ALSA overnight bus (€35-50, 12 hours).
Day 10: Barcelona. Stay in El Born or Gràcia (€80-130/night) — both are real neighborhoods with restaurants and bars, not tourist corridors. Avoid Las Ramblas — it's a tourist trap with nothing you can't find elsewhere.
Day 11: The Sagrada Família (€26-36, book ahead at sagradafamilia.org). Go at 9 AM for the best light. The interior is a forest of stone — columns that branch like trees and light that changes color through the stained glass. 2 hours. Then walk to Park Güell (€10, book ahead) — go at 11 AM, the mosaic salamander and the serpentine bench.
Day 12: The Gothic Quarter and El Born. Walk the narrow medieval streets — the cathedral cloister has 13 white geese. Visit the Picasso Museum (€12, book ahead) — 4,000 works in five medieval palaces. Eat at the Mercat de Santa Caterina (€10-15) — less touristy than La Boqueria and the food is better.
Day 13: Montjuïc. Take the cable car from Barceloneta (€12 round-trip) to the castle on the hill. Walk down through the gardens. Visit the Fundació Joan Miró (€12) — the best modern art museum in Barcelona. Evening: the Magic Fountain (free, 7-9 PM) — water and light show.
Day 14: Beach day. Barceloneta beach — swim, sunbathe, eat paella at Can Majó (€22, on the beachfront). Or take the train to Sitges (40 minutes, €4.50 round-trip) — a quieter beach town with a charming old center.
Route Summary
| Day | City | Transport | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Madrid + Toledo | Train (to Toledo) | 30 min each way |
| 5-7 | Seville + Córdoba | AVE from Madrid | 2.5h |
| 8-9 | Granada | Train from Seville | 1.5h |
| 10-14 | Barcelona | Flight from Granada | 1.5h |
Transport costs: AVE Madrid-Seville €40-80, Seville-Córdoba day trip €25, Seville-Granada €25-40, Granada-Barcelona flight €40-70. Total: €130-215. Book AVE tickets 2+ months ahead on renfe.com.
When to Go
March-May and September-October are ideal — 20-28°C, the orange blossoms in Seville (March-April) smell incredible, and the crowds are half of summer. July-August is 35-40°C in Madrid and Seville — brutal. Barcelona is cooler but packed. November-February is 12-18°C — cold for the beach but perfect for museums and tapas.
What to Skip
- Valencia: Beautiful city but it's a 5-hour detour from the route. Save it for a separate trip.
- The Costa del Sol: High-rise resorts and British pubs. If you want a beach, go to Cádiz (1.5 hours from Seville) — Atlantic side, real Spanish city, cheaper.
- Salamanca: Stunning university city but 2.5 hours from Madrid in the wrong direction. Save for a northern Spain trip.
Money
Spain is affordable. Hotels: €70-120/night. Meals: €12-25 for lunch, €25-40 for dinner. Tapas: €3-6 per plate. Trains: €25-80 per leg if booked ahead. Attractions: €9-15. Budget €80-120/day including accommodation. The most expensive part is the AVE trains — book ahead to save 50%.