Last reviewed 6 October 2026
For a nine-day introduction, our suggested allocation is three nights in Madrid, three in Seville and two in Granada. Spend the first Madrid afternoon orienting yourself around the centre; reserve the following day for the Prado and Retiro, with the remaining full day for another museum or Toledo. In Seville, separate the Alcázar and cathedral visits if you prefer time to linger, then leave an afternoon for Plaza de España and María Luisa Park. Granada gets a complete palace day rather than the tired hours after arriving with luggage.
A shorter seven-day version needs a different pace: two nights in each of those three cities. That leaves one full day per base, plus whatever useful time survives arrival and transfer days. You will have to choose between Madrid’s museum depth and a day trip, and between a long Seville monument visit and another excursion. A late first flight or an early final departure makes two bases the kinder option. Before committing to Granada as the finish, find a usable departing flight. Flying home from Madrid needs the different night allocation in the return-flight FAQ below; it cannot simply be added to the end of the two-nights-per-city plan.
Barcelona and Valencia can fill the same week with fewer moves: three nights in each, flying into one and out of the other where flights permit. In Barcelona, give Gaudí one day, the old town and markets another, then decide whether the remaining time goes to the beach or a museum. Valencia changes the emphasis: pair the Central Market and Silk Exchange, spend a different day around the Turia gardens and City of Arts and Sciences, and keep beach time separate. Adding Madrid introduces another train ride and hotel change; it is an option for a longer holiday, rather than something this coastal week requires.
The north is a worthwhile alternative for summer travellers who would rather have green scenery and cooler conditions than Andalusia’s heat. San Sebastián combines the La Concha waterfront, the old town and Basque food within one compact city. Give a food-led stay three nights so meals and the beach are not squeezed into a stopover. Rain can interrupt even a summer visit, so include San Telmo Museum or another indoor plan. A northern coast journey is a different trip from the Madrid–Andalusia circuit; it deserves its own travel days rather than a hurried detour at the end.
Mallorca rewards travellers who want coves, villages and mountain scenery alongside Palma’s cathedral and courtyards. Choose Palma for a city stay with excursions, or a coastal base when the beach is the main event; moving between the two changes your daily transport needs. A car is useful for dispersed rural stops, but an island address still needs a workable parking and arrival plan. For winter warmth, consider the Canaries instead of assuming every Spanish island has the same conditions. Their volcanic landscapes offer a different holiday, and a mainland-to-island flight consumes time beyond the hours in the air.
Food helps explain the region you have chosen. Valencia’s rice dishes make a lunch destination; in Málaga, Pedregalejo’s sardine grills shift the meal towards the sea. San Sebastián’s pintxos bars suit small orders rather than one formal dinner. A menú del día is a set lunch, often with several courses; its price and inclusions depend on the restaurant. Distinguish a tapa from a larger ración before ordering for a group, since several full portions can make a light evening expensive. Hotel breakfast may simplify an early train day, while a market visit works better when you are staying put.
The Alhambra booking can decide your Granada dates. Its General ticket includes the Nasrid Palaces, Generalife, Alcazaba and Partal; gardens-only admission is a different product. General admission was €22.27 per adult on 6 October 2026. The palace time is fixed and original identification is required: carry the document used for booking and allow a substantial part of the day. A taxi or city minibus can avoid the uphill approach, but not walking within the complex.
Barcelona’s Sagrada Família starts at €26 per adult for the standard visit with its audioguide app, checked on the same date; a tower ticket costs €36. These are distinct experiences, not interchangeable ticket labels. Keep the tower choice separate from the decision to see the basilica, particularly where stairs or heights may be a concern. In Madrid, choose a timed Prado visit through the museum’s own booking service rather than fitting its collection into the last minutes of a transfer day. Admission money pays for entry; transport to a site, a guided tour and meals can be separate costs.
Choose accommodation for its daily use. Madrid’s Las Letras favours the museum corridor; Seville’s historic centre puts monuments before immediate station access. Granada’s lower centre avoids some of the Albaicín’s slopes, while Valencia’s beach and old town serve different holidays. Compare room type, permitted occupants, air-conditioning, lift access and cancellation terms. A Spanish hostal may be a private-room guesthouse rather than a dormitory hostel. Families should compare the beds and occupancy with two rooms; couples should establish whether a quoted rate is per room or per guest.
For a priced six-night example, take a different route: Barcelona for two nights, Madrid for two, Córdoba for one and Seville for one, from 19 to 25 October 2026. Two adults share a double room with bathroom. INE’s October 2025 room-only averages were €190.29, €202.87, €106.39 and €161 per night respectively. Applied to those nights, they give €1,053.71 before tax, about €1,160 with 10% hotel VAT. These are historical averages across hotel categories and booking channels, not available rooms or a promise about district, breakfast or cancellation terms.
Rail adds €297.20 for the pair. Renfe fares observed on 7 October were €87.15 per adult for Barcelona–Madrid on 21 October, €49 for Madrid–Córdoba on 23 October and €12.45 for Córdoba–Seville on 24 October. These were selected direct AVE departures in Standard class on Básico fares, not a price for every train or a held reservation. Ordinary cancellation gives no refund; one change costs €10 plus any fare increase and must be made at least 24 hours before departure. Seat selection and other paid extras are additional.
Add chosen allowances of €700 for seven days of meals and ordinary drinks (€50 per person daily), €100 for airport and local travel, and €180 for Sagrada Família, Prado, Mezquita and Alcázar admission with fee headroom. A conditional Barcelona four-star levy adds €36.96 for two adults and two nights, including VAT; other categories differ. Those components plus a €40 reserve come to roughly €2,515, rounded up to about €2,550 for two. This is an illustrative planning budget, not a bookable package; use separate prices for the Madrid–Seville–Granada circuit.
Madrid
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