Spain rewards a three-region structure. Three nights in Madrid for the Prado and the tapas triangle; three nights in Andalusia for the Moorish south (Seville cathedral and the Alhambra); three in Barcelona for Gaudí and the Mediterranean. AVE trains connect everything — Madrid to Seville is 2h 30m, Madrid to Barcelona is 2h 30m. No hire car needed.
Each day is written to balance structure with breathing room. Named hotels, named meals, named activities; logistics noted where they matter.
Land at MAD, 20-minute taxi to central Madrid. Check into a hotel near Plaza Mayor or Sol. First-night tapas crawl on Cava Baja in La Latina — Casa Lucas, Taberna La Concha, and Julián de Tolosa if you want a serious meal.
Morning at the Prado (book first-slot entry; focus: Velázquez Las Meninas, Goya, El Greco). Lunch at Casa Lucio or Sobrino de Botín (oldest restaurant in the world, 1725). Afternoon at the Reina Sofía for Picasso's Guernica, then a walk in Retiro Park. Dinner at StreetXO (by Dabiz Muñoz).
Option A: Day trip to Toledo (30 min AVE) — cathedral, Jewish quarter, El Greco Museum. Option B: Stay in Madrid for Malasaña (bohemian), Chueca (LGBTQ+ anchor), and the shopping streets. Evening at a flamenco show at Corral de la Morería or Cardamomo.
Morning AVE train from Madrid-Atocha to Seville (2h 30m). Check into your Seville hotel, typically in or near the Santa Cruz old town. Afternoon at the Seville Cathedral + Giralda tower (originally the minaret of the Almohad mosque). Evening tapas at Eslava or Bar Alfalfa.
Morning at the Real Alcázar (pre-booked first slot; stand-ins for Dorne in Game of Thrones). Lunch in the Triana quarter across the river. Afternoon at the Hospital de los Venerables for Velázquez + Murillo. Evening flamenco in Triana (Casa de la Memoria or Museo del Baile Flamenco).
Morning high-speed train Seville → Granada (3h; a new AVE line opened 2024 that cut this from 4h). Check into your Granada hotel. Afternoon is the Alhambra — book the Nasrid Palaces ticket 60+ days in advance, take a deliberate 4 hours with audio guide. Evening dinner at a carmen in the Albaicín.
Morning walking the Albaicín — the medieval Moorish quarter above the Darro river. Viewpoint at San Nicolás for the classic Alhambra + Sierra Nevada framing. Lunch at El Huerto de Juan Ranas. Afternoon in Sacromonte (the gypsy cave quarter); flamenco show at night.
Long transit day: morning flight Granada (GRX) or AVE via Madrid to Barcelona (6h total either way). Check in to your Barcelona hotel — Gothic Quarter, Eixample, or Born. Afternoon walking the Gothic Quarter, dinner at a tapas bar on Carrer del Bonsuccés.
Sagrada Família (book 06:30 first-slot to avoid queues), Park Güell, and Casa Batlló — Gaudí's three biggest works in one ambitious day. Lunch at Ciudad Condal (tapas). Evening in El Born neighbourhood, dinner at Bar del Pla.
A softer last day. Morning at Barceloneta beach + seafood lunch at La Mar Salada or Can Solé. Afternoon at Picasso Museum in Born. Evening flight or train back. If returning to Madrid for onward connection: AVE Barcelona → Madrid 2h 30m.
For Madrid, Andalusia, and Barcelona — yes, with Seville + Granada paired. Adding Valencia, the Basque Country (San Sebastián), or Mallorca would require 14+ days.
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