Quick answer
A 7-day Spain itinerary gives three days each to Madrid and Barcelona, linked by a high-speed train of about two and a half hours; ten days adds Seville and Granada.
A 7-day Spain itinerary gives 3 days to Madrid and 3 to Barcelona, about 2 hours 30 minutes apart by high-speed train, with Toledo as a day trip. With 10 days, add Seville and Granada in the south; with 2 weeks, add Valencia or the coast at Málaga. Choose fewer cities and more days in each: Spain’s distances are larger than they look on the map.
The Spain itinerary at a glance
Every version uses the high-speed trains, which link the main cities from Madrid in about two and a half hours or less.
| Length | Route | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 7 days, the classic | Madrid 3 with Toledo, Barcelona 3, travel day | A first trip |
| 7 days, the south | Madrid 2, Seville 3, Córdoba 1, Granada 1 | Monuments and Andalusia |
| 10 days | Barcelona 3, Madrid 3, Seville 2, Granada 2 | The highlights in one trip |
| 14 days | Barcelona 3, Valencia 2, Madrid 3, Seville 3, Granada 2, Málaga 1 | A slow first trip |
Book the high-speed trains on Renfe or the other operators on the same lines a few weeks ahead for the best fares; seats are reserved and popular routes fill at weekends.
Where to sleep on this route
A plan built one area at a time only works if you sleep near those areas. The map shows the same property across Booking.com and Agoda, with prices live from them.
Seven days in Spain: Madrid and Barcelona
Madrid and Barcelona, the two great cities, fit into a week at a pace that leaves time for the evenings, which are half the point of Spain.
- Days 1 and 2, Madrid: old Madrid and the Prado, then Retiro Park and the Reina Sofía for Guernica.
- Day 3: Toledo, 33 minutes by high-speed train, for the cathedral and the old Jewish quarter.
- Day 4: the high-speed train to Barcelona, about two and a half hours, then the Gothic Quarter in the evening.
- Day 5, Barcelona: the Gaudí day, with timed slots for the Sagrada Família and Park Güell.
- Day 6, Barcelona: El Born, the waterfront and Montjuïc.
- Day 7: Barcelona’s beach or Montserrat, then the flight home.
For the city days in detail, see Madrid in 3 days and Barcelona in 3 days.
Seven days in the south instead
If the Alhambra and the Andalusian cities matter more than Barcelona, spend the week in the south: two days in Madrid, the high-speed train to Seville for three days, Córdoba on the way east, and a final night in Granada with an Alhambra slot booked weeks ahead. Fly home from Málaga or Granada.
Ten days in Spain: the highlights
Barcelona, Madrid, Seville and Granada fit into one trip, travelling by train and finishing in the south.
- Days 1 to 3, Barcelona: the Gaudí buildings, the Gothic Quarter and El Born, Montjuïc.
- Day 4: the high-speed train to Madrid, then old Madrid in the evening.
- Days 5 and 6, Madrid: the Prado, Retiro and the Reina Sofía, or Toledo for a day.
- Day 7: the high-speed train to Seville, about two and a half hours, and Santa Cruz in the evening.
- Day 8, Seville: the Real Alcázar, the cathedral and Triana.
- Day 9: Córdoba in the morning, then on to Granada, about 1 hour 30 minutes by train.
- Day 10, Granada: the Alhambra, then the flight home from Granada or Málaga.
For more time in Seville, see the Seville itinerary, and for Madrid day trips beyond Toledo, day trips from Madrid.
Two weeks in Spain: add Valencia and the coast
The extra days add Valencia between Barcelona and Madrid, more time in Andalusia, and a last day by the sea in Málaga.
- Days 1 to 3, Barcelona.
- Days 4 and 5, Valencia: about 2 hours 40 minutes from Barcelona by train, for the old town, the City of Arts and Sciences and paella where it was born.
- Days 6 to 8, Madrid: about 1 hour 40 minutes from Valencia by high-speed train, with Toledo or Segovia.
- Days 9 to 11, Seville, with Córdoba as a day trip.
- Days 12 and 13, Granada and the Alhambra.
- Day 14, Málaga: the coast and the airport, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Granada.
With a car for part of the second week, add Ronda and the white towns between Seville and Málaga. For the south in more depth, see things to do in Málaga.
Spain and Portugal in two weeks
Two weeks can also cover Spain and Portugal together: Madrid and Seville for a week, then a flight or a long bus to Lisbon for four days and Porto for three. There is no fast train between Spain and Portugal, so plan a flight for the border. For the Portuguese half, see the Portugal itinerary.
Getting around Spain: trains and one flight
High-speed trains are fastest between the big cities, with a domestic flight only when the route jumps from Barcelona to the far south.
- Madrid to Barcelona and Madrid to Seville: about two and a half hours each by high-speed train.
- Madrid to Valencia: about 1 hour 40 minutes; Valencia to Barcelona about 2 hours 40 minutes.
- Seville to Granada and Córdoba to Granada: fewer direct trains; check times, or take the bus.
- Barcelona to Seville or Málaga: a long train via Madrid, or a domestic flight of under two hours.
Inside the cities, walk and use the metro; a car is a burden in every centre on these routes. Hire one only for Andalusia’s white towns.
When to go: heat in the south, rain on the coast
The south is far hotter than the north in summer, so timing matters more in Spain than in most of Europe. AEMET‘s 1981-2010 normals put July highs at 36.0°C in Seville, 32.1°C in Madrid and 28.0°C in Barcelona.
- May, June, September and October suit every version of the route.
- July and August favour the Barcelona and Madrid week; the south needs early starts and long afternoon breaks.
- Holy Week and the April Fair fill Seville; book months ahead or avoid those weeks.
- Winter suits the cities and the Alhambra, with short days and cool evenings.
For month-by-month figures, see the best time to visit Seville and the best time to visit Barcelona.
What not to build a Spain trip around
Trying to see too much is behind each of these mistakes:
- Five cities in seven days: each move costs half a day, and Spain’s evenings need you to stay put.
- Granada without an Alhambra ticket: the palaces are entered by timed slot, booked weeks ahead.
- Seville in July and August as the centre of the trip: mean highs reach 36.0°C.
- Returning to the arrival city: fly into Barcelona and out of Madrid, Seville or Málaga.
Common questions
Is 7 days enough for Spain?
Seven days is enough for two Spanish cities done well: Madrid and Barcelona, three days each, with Toledo as a day trip, or Seville, Córdoba and Granada in the south. It is not enough for both the north and Andalusia; for that, plan ten days or two weeks.
What is the best 10-day Spain itinerary?
The best 10-day Spain itinerary for a first trip is Barcelona for three days, Madrid for three, Seville for two with Córdoba on the way east, and Granada for the Alhambra at the end. High-speed trains link every step, and the flight home leaves from Granada or Málaga.
Should you visit Madrid or Barcelona first?
Visit Barcelona first if the trip continues south to Andalusia, because Madrid sits on the way to Seville. Visit Madrid first if you end in Barcelona for the beach. The high-speed train between them takes about two and a half hours, so either order works.
How many cities should you visit in 2 weeks in Spain?
Visit five or six cities in two weeks in Spain: Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Seville, Granada and Málaga is the most a relaxed trip can hold. Two or three nights in each, with day trips to Toledo and Córdoba, beats moving every day.
Is it better to take the train or fly within Spain?
The train is better within Spain for most routes: high-speed lines link Madrid with Barcelona, Seville, Valencia and Málaga in under three hours, centre to centre. Fly only for long jumps such as Barcelona to Seville or Málaga, where the train goes via Madrid.
Keep planning Spain
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