10:00 AM · 1 h
Arrive at MAD and metro to the centre
Metro and Cercanías are the cheapest, fastest transfers
Day-by-day plan, $5
Spain in 10 days
For anyone going to Madrid & Córdoba & Seville & Granada & Barcelona: all 10 days planned, 57 places in order.
Get the plan · $5
Apple Pay · Google Pay · card 7-day refundRead Day 1 free
- Its places average 4.4 on Google42 rated places, 2,569,606 reviews
Spend three days in Madrid, then day trips to Toledo and Córdoba before Seville and Granada's Alhambra, ending in Barcelona. Expect long lunches, museums, and sunsets over rooftops and palaces.
Day 1 is on us
10 days · 57 stops
What it's like in AprilExpect highs around 19°C (66°F) and lows near 7.4°C (45°F), with about 10 rainy days. Pack layers and a light rain jacket.
Day 1 · Free
Royal Madrid and Plaza Mayor
Palace tours, arcaded squares, and a late tapas dinner
Photo: Elgarfio / Google12:00 PM · 1 h 30 min
Royal Palace
Historical SiteEurope's grandest palace interiors, Stradivarius quartet and throne room
4.6(103,657)Google$$
13 min
Photo: M Vargas / Google2:15 PM · 1 h 15 min
Casa Lucio
Spanish restaurantThe famous huevos rotos on Cava Baja
4.2(11,236)Google$$
7 min
Photo: Jorge Franganillo / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.04:15 PM · 45 min
Plaza Mayor
Historic LandmarkMadrid's 17th-century main square, great for people-watching
4.6(176,480)Googlefree
22 min
Photo: Matt Joseph / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.07:30 PM · 1 h
Temple of Debod
MonumentA 2,200-year-old Egyptian temple glowing at dusk
4.4(71,034)Googlefree
14 min
Photo: Taberna Los Huevos de Lucio / Google9:00 PM · 1 h 30 min
Taberna Los Huevos de Lucio
Spanish restaurantCava Baja tapas with Madrid's late dining rhythm
4.0(6,651)Google$$
The rest of the plan
51 stops
Day 2
Art Triangle and Retiro Park
6 stops · Paseo del Prado, Retiro, Atocha
Day 3
Toledo day trip
7 stops · Toledo old town
Day 4
Córdoba stopover to Seville
6 stops · Judería, Córdoba
Day 5
Palaces and flamenco in Seville
6 stops · Santa Cruz, Triana
Day 6
Parks, plazas and Las Setas
5 stops · María Luisa, Encarnación
Day 7
Alhambra and Albaicín in Granada
6 stops · Alhambra, Albaicín
Day 8
Gothic Quarter in Barcelona
6 stops · Barri Gòtic, El Born
Day 9
Gaudí's Barcelona
4 stops · Eixample, Gràcia
Day 10
Boqueria, beach and Montjuïc
5 stops · Raval, Barceloneta, Montjuïc
Get all 10 days
Everything below Day 1, plus offline maps and updates until you go.
- 10-day plan: Madrid, Seville, Granada, Barcelona
- Train legs and times between cities
- What to book ahead: Alhambra, Sagrada Família, Alcázar
- Offline maps in the app
Apple Pay · Google Pay · card 7-day refund
Give it as a giftNot ready yet? Tell Sally why.
Thanks, that helps.
Sally can plan your ownRead Day 1 freeSpain itinerary for 10 days: Madrid to Barcelona by train
This 10-day Spain itinerary is for two people on a first trip, by train with no car, flying into Madrid and out of Barcelona. It spends three nights in Madrid with a Toledo day trip, stops in Córdoba on the way to three nights in Seville, then one night in Granada and two in Barcelona. It is built around the Prado, Seville's Royal Alcázar, the Alhambra and Gaudí's Barcelona.
How the 10 days fit together
- Day 1, royal Madrid: the metro in from MAD, the Royal Palace at noon, huevos rotos at Casa Lucio, Plaza Mayor, sunset at the Temple of Debod, then late tapas on Cava Baja.
- Day 2, the art museums: the Prado at opening, a walk around Retiro Park, cocido at La Bola, Guernica at the Reina Sofía, and vermouth at the Mercado de San Miguel.
- Day 3, Toledo by Avant train: the cathedral's Transparente and El Greco, Plaza de Zocodover, lunch at Adolfo, and the Mirador del Valle view.
- Day 4, Córdoba to Seville: the Judería lanes and a tortilla slice at Bar Santos, then the train on to Seville.
- Day 5, Seville: the Royal Alcázar at opening, the cathedral and the Giralda ramps, Triana Market, then flamenco at Casa de la Memoria.
- Day 6, Seville: Plaza de España and María Luisa Park, the Santa Cruz lanes, and sunset on the Metropol Parasol.
- Day 7, Granada: free tapas at Bodegas Castañeda, the Nasrid Palaces and the Generalife, then dusk at the Mirador de San Nicolás.
- Day 8, fly to Barcelona: El Xampanyet, the Picasso Museum, the cathedral cloister, the Gothic Quarter and Cal Pep.
- Day 9, Gaudí: the Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló and Park Güell.
- Day 10, La Boqueria early, Barceloneta Beach, seafood at Can Solé and sunset from the Mirador de Miramar on Montjuïc.
Getting around Spain by train
The Avant to Toledo takes 33 minutes; reserve both directions, especially the afternoon return. The AVE to Córdoba runs with Renfe, Iryo or Ouigo, there are lockers outside Córdoba station for bags, and Seville is under an hour further on. The Avant from Seville to Granada takes about 2.5 hours; book it 60 to 90 days ahead. From Granada the plan flies to Barcelona, which saves about three hours over the train, with the six-hour AVE as the backup.
What to book ahead
The Royal Palace, the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Picasso Museum also take pre-booked timed tickets in this plan.
| What | When or where | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Alhambra, Nasrid Palaces | Only on the official Patronato site | The slot is strict; arrive 30 minutes early |
| Sagrada Família | 60 to 90 days ahead | Online tickets only |
| Avant, Seville to Granada | 60 to 90 days ahead | About 2.5 hours, leaving at 7:30 AM |
| Royal Alcázar of Seville | A timed ticket | Essential; the plan goes at opening |
| Flamenco, Casa de la Memoria | 1 to 2 weeks ahead | Unamplified guitar in a small courtyard |
| Park Güell | Online | Timed entry is required |
Eating on Spanish time
Most dinners here start between 8:45 and 9:15 PM, in step with Madrid's late dining rhythm, and lunch falls between 1 and 2:30 PM. Casa Mingo, an Asturian cider house known for roast chicken, takes no reservations, and Cal Pep's counter in El Born means queuing early. In Granada, Bodegas Castañeda pours free tapas with every drink. Keep bags zipped on the metro and skip La Rambla at peak hours.
Adding Portugal, or more of Spain
To pair Spain with Portugal, the Portugal in 7 days plan covers Lisbon, Sintra and Porto. For the 2027 eclipse, the Spain eclipse road trip spends four days on the Cádiz coast, and more routes are on the Spain trip plans page.
How this plan was made. Sally, Highlights' AI trip planner, wrote it from a brief written for this trip. Its stops are matched to their Google Maps listings (checked Nov 12, 2026), and the ratings, hours and addresses come from Google.
Questions
Is 10 days enough to see Spain?
Ten days fits four cities on this route: three nights in Madrid with a Toledo day trip, a Córdoba stop on the way to three nights in Seville, one night in Granada for the Alhambra, and two in Barcelona. It moves by train and one flight, with no car.
How do you get from Seville to Granada?
This plan takes the Renfe Avant at 7:30 AM, about 2.5 hours, booked 60 to 90 days ahead. That leaves time for a free-tapas lunch at Bodegas Castañeda before the Nasrid Palaces at 3 PM, then the Generalife gardens and the Mirador de San Nicolás at dusk.
How do you book the Alhambra's Nasrid Palaces?
Buy only on the official Patronato site. The Nasrid Palaces entry slot is strict, so the plan arrives 30 minutes early for its afternoon visit, which also takes in the Alcazaba. The Avant train that gets you to Granada that morning should be booked 60 to 90 days ahead.
Should you fly or take the train from Granada to Barcelona?
This plan flies from Granada's airport (GRX), which saves about three hours over the train; allow 25 minutes by taxi to the airport. The six-hour AVE is the backup. On arrival, the plan's first stop is a 1 PM lunch of cava and anchovies at El Xampanyet in El Born.
What is the weather like in Spain in April?
The plan's April weather note gives highs around 19°C (66°F) and lows near 7°C (45°F), with about 10 rainy days, so pack layers and a light rain jacket. Four evenings end at a sunset viewpoint: the Temple of Debod, the Metropol Parasol, the Mirador de San Nicolás and Montjuïc's Mirador de Miramar.
