10-Day Spain Itinerary: Madrid, Seville, Granada & Barcelona

Day-by-day plan

1. 

   Day 1Madrid →

   Arrival + Sol/Gran Vía + tapas

   • •Land at Barajas (MAD); Metro Line 8 to Nuevos Ministerios (€5)
   • •Drop bags, walk Puerta del Sol → Plaza Mayor
   • •Tapas crawl in La Latina: jamón ibérico at Casa Lucio, gilda at El Tigre
   • •Vermouth at Bodegas Ricla (1867, six tables)
   • •Late dinner — Spaniards don't eat before 9 PM

   Stay near Sol, La Latina, or Malasaña for walkable nights.

2. 

   Day 2Madrid →

   Prado + Retiro + Royal Palace

   • •Prado Museum at 10 AM (Velázquez, Goya, Bosch — free 6-8 PM weekdays)
   • •Lunch: bocadillo de calamares at La Campana
   • •Retiro Park afternoon: rowboat on the lake, Crystal Palace
   • •Royal Palace + Almudena Cathedral late afternoon
   • •Mercado de San Miguel for tapas + cava (touristy but fun)
3. 

   Day 3Toledo →

   Toledo day trip + Reina Sofía evening

   • •AVE train Madrid → Toledo (33 min, €13)
   • •Toledo Cathedral, Synagogue of Santa María, El Greco Museum
   • •Lunch: cochinifrito + manchego at La Abadía
   • •Back to Madrid afternoon
   • •Reina Sofía Museum for Picasso's Guernica (free 7-9 PM)
   • •Flamenco at Casa Patas (book ahead, €40)

   → Next: bullet train · ~2h 30m · ~$60 — AVE Madrid Atocha → Sevilla Santa Justa.

4. 

   Day 4Seville →

   Seville: Alcázar + Cathedral + Triana

   • •Real Alcázar 9 AM (book ahead — Game of Thrones water gardens, $16)
   • •Seville Cathedral + Giralda climb (Columbus' tomb)
   • •Lunch in Santa Cruz: solomillo al whisky at Bar Las Teresas
   • •Plaza de España (afternoon for the gold-hour photos)
   • •Triana neighborhood evening: tapas at La Antigua Abacería
   • •Flamenco at Casa de la Memoria (intimate, €18)
5. 

   Day 5Granada →

   Granada day trip: Alhambra

   • •AVE Sevilla → Granada (~3h, €40)
   • •Alhambra: book the Nasrid Palaces ticket months ahead ($21)
   • •Generalife gardens + Alcazaba
   • •Lunch in Albaicín: free tapas with €3 beer at Bar Los Diamantes
   • •Sunset at Mirador de San Nicolás (Alhambra view across the gorge)
   • •Late train back to Seville (or stay overnight if extending)

   Alhambra Nasrid Palace tickets sell out 60-90 days in advance. Buy day 1, lock in days 5/10.

   → Next: bullet train · ~5h via Madrid · ~$100 — Long travel day. Alternative: fly Seville → Barcelona (1h, $40 with Ryanair).

6. 

   Day 6Barcelona →

   Barcelona: Sagrada Família + Gothic Quarter

   • •Sagrada Família 9 AM (book the tower ticket, $30)
   • •Lunch: pa amb tomàquet + jamón at Mercat de la Boqueria
   • •Gothic Quarter walk: Cathedral, Plaça del Rei, hidden courtyards
   • •Las Ramblas (briefly — overpriced) → El Born for cocktails
   • •Dinner at Cal Pep (no reservations, sit at the bar)
7. 

   Day 7Barcelona →

   Park Güell + Gràcia + Beach

   • •Park Güell 9 AM (book the monumental zone, $11)
   • •Walk Gaudí's lesser-known: Casa Vicens, Gràcia neighborhood
   • •Lunch in Gràcia: bombas at La Pepita
   • •Beach afternoon at Barceloneta — chiringuito + paella
   • •Sunset cocktails at W Hotel rooftop
8. 

   Day 8Barcelona →

   Casa Batlló + Picasso Museum + tapas crawl

   • •Casa Batlló 9 AM (more wow-factor than La Pedrera, $35)
   • •Picasso Museum (his early years, free first Sunday)
   • •Lunch: bombas + croquetas at El Quim de la Boqueria
   • •Montjuïc cable car + Magic Fountain show (free, 9:30 PM Thu-Sun)
   • •Late tapas at Quimet & Quimet (standing room only, €4 montaditos)
9. 

   Day 9Barcelona →

   Day trip: Montserrat or Costa Brava

   • •Montserrat monastery (1h train, escolania choir at 1 PM)
   • •— or — Tossa de Mar / Cadaqués on Costa Brava (rental car or bus)
   • •Lunch with Pyrenees views
   • •Back to Barcelona for last night
   • •Final dinner: Disfrutar (3 Michelin) or Llamber (more accessible)

   → Next: flight · ~30 min to BCN · ~$18

10. 

    Day 10Barcelona →

    Departure

    • •Last café con leche + croissant
    • •Aerobús to BCN airport (35 min, €6) or train
    • •Allow 3 hours for international departures

Want to swap something?

Skip Granada day-trip if you hate long travel days — extend Seville to a full 3 days for Cádiz/Cordoba. Beach focus: trade a Madrid day for San Sebastián (pintxos) + 2 days. With kids: skip Reina Sofía Day 3, do Madrid Río park instead.

Practical tips

• •AVE high-speed trains: Renfe.com 60 days ahead for €30 fares.
• •Spanish dinner is 9-11 PM, lunch 2-4 PM. Don't look for restaurants at 6 PM — they're closed.
• •Free tapas tradition still alive in Granada and parts of León — order a drink, get a small plate free.
• •Alhambra (Granada) and La Sagrada Família (Barcelona) tickets sell out months ahead. Book first, plan around them.
• •Best months: April-June for warm + wildflowers, September-October for harvest + beach. Avoid August in Madrid — hot and the locals are at the coast.