How many days in Spain? 10 days: Madrid, Andalusia and Barcelona by high-speed train
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Spain's high-speed AVE trains make a classic first trip easy: Madrid to Córdoba in under 2 hours, on to Seville in 45 minutes, and Granada and Barcelona linked by train or a short flight. Ten days covers the capital, the three great cities of Andalusia and Barcelona. The two bookings that matter most: the Alhambra (weeks ahead) and the Sagrada Família (days ahead).
Short answer
Seven days covers Madrid, Seville and Granada, or Madrid and Barcelona with a day in Toledo. Ten days links them all.
The 10-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Madrid: the Prado and the Retiro
Morning. Enter the Prado at 10:00 (about €15) for Velázquez's Las Meninas, Goya's Black Paintings and Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights. Allow 3 hours.
Afternoon. Walk into the Retiro Park next door, row a boat on the lake (about €6) and see the glass Palacio de Cristal.
Evening. Go for tapas in La Latina along Cava Baja, about €3-5 a plate, and have dinner after 21:00, as Madrileños do.
The Prado is free from 18:00 to 20:00 Monday to Saturday and 17:00 to 19:00 on Sundays; the queue starts early.
Day 2: Madrid: the Royal Palace and Guernica
Morning. Visit the Royal Palace (about €14), with more than 3,000 rooms, then walk through the Plaza Mayor to the Mercado de San Miguel.
Afternoon. See Picasso's Guernica at the Reina Sofía (about €12), near Atocha station.
Evening. Watch sunset at the Templo de Debod, an Egyptian temple given to Spain in 1968, then eat in Malasaña.
Madrid's metro costs about €1.50-2 a ride; a 10-trip card shared by two people saves money.
Day 3: Day trip to Toledo
Morning. Take the train from Atocha to Toledo (about 33 minutes, roughly €14 each way). Walk up to the Cathedral (about €12), one of the great Gothic churches of Spain.
Afternoon. See El Greco's 'The Burial of the Count of Orgaz' in Santo Tomé church and the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, from the 12th century.
Evening. Watch sunset from the Mirador del Valle across the river, then return to Madrid.
Toledo is steep; public escalators climb from the Paseo de Recaredo to the old town.
Day 4: Córdoba's Mezquita, on to Seville
Morning. Take the AVE to Córdoba (about 1h45). Visit the Mezquita (about €13), the great mosque with 850 red-and-white arches and a cathedral built inside it.
Afternoon. Walk the Judería, with flower-filled patios, and cross the Roman Bridge. Continue to Seville (45 minutes by train).
Evening. Have tapas in Santa Cruz, the old Jewish quarter of Seville, whose lanes are barely wider than a person. Try Bodega Santa Cruz for cheap standing tapas.
In early May, the Festival de los Patios opens private courtyards to visitors for free.
Day 5: Seville: the Alcázar and the Cathedral
Morning. Enter the Real Alcázar at 9:30 (about €15-25, timed tickets): a royal palace of Mudéjar courtyards and gardens.
Afternoon. Visit the Cathedral (about €13-16), the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, with Columbus's tomb, and climb the Giralda ramps.
Evening. See flamenco at a tablao (€25-45) or a peña in Triana.
Book the Alcázar online a week ahead in spring; queues without tickets can be hours long.
Day 6: Seville: Plaza de España and Triana
Morning. Walk to the Plaza de España, a semicircle with tiled benches for every Spanish province, and the María Luisa Park.
Afternoon. Cross the Triana Bridge to the potters' quarter and its market, then visit the Metropol Parasol ('Las Setas', about €15), with a rooftop walkway.
Evening. Have tapas along the Calle Betis riverfront, facing the Torre del Oro. Order montaditos and a cold manzanilla sherry, about €2-4 each.
In July and August Seville reaches 40°C; plan sightseeing before 13:00.
Day 7: Granada and the Alhambra
Morning. Take the ALSA bus or train from Seville to Granada (about 2.5-3 hours, roughly €25-35). Drop your bags and have lunch near the Plaza Nueva.
Afternoon. Visit the Alhambra (about €20): the Nasrid Palaces at your timed slot, the Generalife gardens and the Alcazaba fortress. Allow 3-4 hours.
Evening. Eat in the bars around Calle Navas, where a tapa comes free with every drink (drinks about €3-4).
Alhambra tickets sell out weeks ahead; buy only on the official site.
Day 8: Granada: the Albaicín, then to Barcelona
Morning. Climb into the Albaicín, the old Moorish quarter, to the Mirador de San Nicolás for the Alhambra view, then walk through Sacromonte.
Afternoon. Fly from Granada to Barcelona (about 1h30), or take the direct train (about 6.5 hours).
Evening. Arrive in Barcelona and eat late tapas in El Born.
Flights are usually cheaper than the train if booked early.
Day 9: Barcelona: Gaudí
Morning. Visit the Sagrada Família (from about €26, more with tower access) at your timed slot. Allow 2 hours.
Afternoon. Walk Passeig de Gràcia to Casa Batlló and La Pedrera, then visit Park Güell (about €18), booked in advance.
Evening. Have dinner in Gràcia, around Plaça del Sol.
Book the Sagrada Família morning slots for the best light in the stained glass.
Day 10: Barcelona: the Gothic Quarter and the sea
Morning. Walk the Gothic Quarter and the Cathedral, then the Picasso Museum in El Born (about €15).
Afternoon. Visit the La Boqueria market on La Rambla, then walk to Barceloneta beach.
Evening. Watch sunset from the Bunkers del Carmel, then eat seafood paella in Barceloneta.
Pickpockets work on La Rambla and the metro; keep phones zipped away.
Only have 7 days?
With 7 days, choose Madrid plus Andalusia (Madrid, Córdoba, Seville and Granada), or Madrid plus Barcelona with Toledo. Trying to do all three means two days lost in transit.
Got extra days?
Extra days fit Valencia, San Sebastián and the Basque Country, the white villages of Ronda, or Montserrat from Barcelona.
Where to stay in Spain
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Madrid Lavapiés / Seville Macarena | Cheaper rooms within walking distance of the centre. | €70-110 |
| Mid-range | Madrid Sol / Barcelona Eixample | Central, on the metro, near the main sights. | €140-230 |
| Mid-range | Seville Santa Cruz / Granada Albaicín | Old-town houses with patios. | €120-200 |
| Comfort | Barcelona Passeig de Gràcia / Madrid Salamanca | Design and five-star hotels. | €300-600 |
Getting around
Book AVE and Iryo or Ouigo high-speed trains on the Renfe or operator sites up to several months ahead; Madrid-Córdoba fares start around €20-40. Granada has a slow train link, so a flight to Barcelona is often better. In cities, use metros: about €1.50-2.50 a ride, and contactless cards work at most gates. From Madrid-Barajas, metro line 8 reaches the city in about 30 minutes, and the Airport Express bus runs to Atocha for about €5. From Barcelona El Prat, the Aerobús reaches Plaça de Catalunya in about 35 minutes. Seville, Córdoba and Granada old towns are best on foot.
What to eat in Spain
Spain eats late: lunch at 14:00-16:00, dinner from 21:00, and many kitchens are closed in between. Try jamón ibérico, tortilla de patatas and croquetas everywhere; cocido madrileño (chickpea stew) and a bocadillo de calamares in Madrid; salmorejo (thick cold tomato soup) and flamenquín in Córdoba; pescaíto frito and espinacas con garbanzos in Seville; and seafood paella in Barcelona, at lunchtime, never for dinner. A weekday menú del día of three courses with wine or water costs €12-18. Drink vermut at noon on Sundays, tinto de verano, and Rioja or Ribera del Duero reds.
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October, with highs of 20-28°C. July and August are very hot in Andalusia and Madrid (often 38-42°C), though Barcelona is milder by the sea. Seville's Holy Week (Semana Santa) and Feria de Abril fill hotels and triple prices, as do Córdoba's patio festival in May. Winter is mild in the south (15-18°C) and the quietest time for the Alhambra and the Alcázar.
Month-by-month weather for Spain →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €40 | €85 | €200 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €55 | €110 |
| Sights & tickets | €15 | €30 | €60 |
| Local transport | €5 | €10 | €30 |
| Total per person, per day | about €90 | about €180 | about €400 |
Approximate 2026 prices in euros, excluding high-speed trains and flights; **Barcelona** charges a tourist tax of roughly €3-8 per person per night depending on the hotel class.
Before you go
Common questions
When should I book the Alhambra?
As soon as your dates are fixed: in spring and autumn, tickets for the Nasrid Palaces often sell out three to six weeks ahead. Buy only on the official Alhambra website or through licensed tour companies. You must enter the palaces at the exact time on your ticket, and bring the passport whose number is printed on it.
Train or flights between cities?
High-speed trains for Madrid, Córdoba, Seville and Barcelona: they go centre to centre and are often faster than flying once you count airports. Granada is the exception, with slower rail links, so a 1.5-hour flight to Barcelona saves a day. Book trains early, as cheap fares sell out.
Is Spain expensive?
Mid-range for Western Europe. Madrid and Andalusia are cheaper than Barcelona, and Granada is famous for free tapas with drinks. Save with the menú del día at lunch, free museum hours (the Prado every evening), and early train bookings. Hotels in Seville during Holy Week and the April Fair can triple.
Is it too hot to visit Spain in summer?
Inland Spain is very hot in July and August, with afternoons around 40°C in Seville, Córdoba and Madrid. If you must go then, sightsee early, rest in the afternoon as Spaniards do, and add coastal time. Barcelona is humid but cooler. Spring and autumn are far more pleasant.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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