Route ideas
Barcelona, Madrid, Seville: a 9-day Spain itinerary
Spain has Europe's best high-speed rail network. You can do the entire route from Barcelona to Seville without getting on a plane — and from city centre to city centre.
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You can't know Spain from a single city. Barcelona looks out on the Mediterranean, speaks Catalan and was shaped by modernist architecture; Madrid is the country's administrative and artistic centre, and one of the capitals that stays up latest; Seville carries Andalusia's Moorish inheritance and is a completely different climate. The distances between them are long, but Spain's high-speed rail network makes those distances irrelevant.
The connections: why you aren't flying
| Leg | Train time | Booked early | Last minute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona → Madrid | 2 hours 30 minutes | 25-45 € | 80-140 € |
| Madrid → Seville | 2 hours 30 minutes | 20-40 € | 70-120 € |
| Seville → Granada (extra stop) | 2 hours 30 minutes | 25-35 € | 45-60 € |
| Madrid → Toledo (day trip) | 35 minutes | 12-15 € | 20-25 € |
Three competing operators run the Barcelona-Madrid line, and that rivalry produces some of Europe's cheapest high-speed tickets. Flying the same distance is both longer and, more often than not, more expensive once you add airport transfers and waiting time.
Day-by-day 9-day plan
Days 1-3: Barcelona
Spend the first day walking the Gothic Quarter and El Born, and finish the evening towards Barceloneta. Make day two a Gaudí day: Sagrada Familia in the morning, Park Güell in the afternoon, Casa Batlló in the early evening. Give day three to Montjuïc hill and Gràcia, the less touristy face of the city.
Days 4-6: Madrid
Madrid's three great museums are within walking distance of each other: the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza. Give the Prado a half-day, and see Guernica at Reina Sofía. Spend one afternoon in Retiro Park. On day three take a day trip to Toledo — 35 minutes by train and you arrive in a completely different city.
Days 7-9: Seville
The rhythm changes in Seville: hot, slower and more intimate. The Alcázar and the Cathedral fill a full day; Plaza de España and the Triana neighbourhood another. Keep one evening for a real flamenco venue — the programmes in small rooms, not the tourist shows, are the ones worth going to.
Tickets you must buy in advance
- Sagrada Familia: timed entry is required and it sells out weeks ahead. The towers are a separate ticket.
- Park Güell: the paid section needs timed entry; the free area can be walked without a ticket.
- Alcázar (Seville): the queue is long; an online timed ticket wipes it out entirely.
- Alhambra (Granada, if you add it): the hardest ticket in Spain to get — book two to three months ahead.
- Prado and Reina Sofía: free at certain hours of the week, but those hours produce very long queues.
| Item | Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights (open-jaw) | 120-200 € | 200-330 € | 330-520 € |
| Trains | 50-90 € | 90-150 € | 150-250 € |
| Accommodation (8 nights) | 260-420 € | 420-700 € | 700-1.300 € |
| Food and drink | 180-280 € | 280-430 € | 430-700 € |
| Museums and entry tickets | 60-90 € | 90-140 € | 140-230 € |
| Total | 670-1.080 € | 1.080-1.750 € | 1.750-3.000 € |
Don't miss the daily rhythm
Clocks in Spain run later than in northern Europe, and if you don't follow them you'll spend half the trip standing in front of closed doors. Lunch is 14.00-16.00, dinner after 21.00. Small shops shut for a few hours in the afternoon. In Seville in summer the midday heat really is too much to be outside; pack the sightseeing into the morning and late afternoon.
- April-May and September-October: the best window for this itinerary. Andalusian heat is bearable, crowds are moderate.
- July-August: days over 40°C in Seville and Madrid; not recommended except for coastal cities.
- November-March: prices drop, Barcelona and Madrid are easy to walk, Seville stays mild.
- Seville's Feria and Semana Santa in April: spectacular, but hotels sell out months ahead and prices double.
Keep planning the route
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need for Spain's three big cities?
9 days gives a comfortable pace: 3 nights in Barcelona, 3 in Madrid, 3 in Seville. It can be done in 7, but then you'd have to drop day trips such as Toledo.
Is train or plane better between the cities?
Train. Barcelona-Madrid and Madrid-Seville are 2.5 hours, and the stations are in the city centre. Flying takes longer once you add transfers and waiting time, and is often more expensive too.
How far ahead should I book Sagrada Familia tickets?
At least two to three weeks in high season, a month ahead in summer. Timed entry is required and the popular slots sell out first.
Should I add Granada to the itinerary?
Yes if you can spare two extra days — the Alhambra is worth it on its own. You do need to book Alhambra tickets two to three months ahead, though; if you can't get them, adding Granada makes less sense.
