7 days in Spain is completely doable if you have the right plan in place. Discover 5 Spain itinerary ideas that make logistical sense and combine some of the most popular and beautiful cities.
Sometimes the hardest part in planning your trip is deciding which cities to combine in your itinerary. Stringing together destinations that not only make logistical sense but are also stellar places to visit...it's not easy!
Researching trains and planes between destinations, cost of travel, and which places should earn a spot on your itinerary can eat up a lot of planning time and quickly become overwhelming. Especially if you haven't been to that area before.
I get it and am here to help! Spain is one of my most visited (and favorite) countries in the world. I've been lucky enough to explore all the top places and play around with combining different cities on different trips.
These 5 Spain itinerary ideas are what I would recommend for 7 days in Spain. I've done all the logistical research and break down how many days to spend in each city. So all you have to do is pick your favorite itinerary and move on to planning the fun stuff!
Before we begin...
These Spain itineraries will typically be 7 days in length (9 days including travel time). If you have more than 7 days in Spain, I would add extra days to the cities already listed instead of trying to squeeze in another destination.
There's only one itinerary where I give an option to add another city since it's easily connected via train.
At the end of each itinerary you'll find recommendations on where to add extra days.
7 days in Spain - 5 Spain itinerary ideas
Seville
1. Madrid, Seville, Granada
One of my favorite itineraries for 7 days in Spain! This plan is perfect for a first visit to Spain and those looking to see the TOP sights.
2 NIGHTS MADRID
3 NIGHTS SEVILLE WITH OPTIONAL STOP IN CORDOBA
2 NIGHTS GRANADA
Madrid to Seville is a quick 2.5 hour journey by high-speed train.
Seville to Granada is 3 hours via the ALSA bus or 2.5 to 3 hours by high-speed train.
Madrid: 2 nights and 2 full days. Let's start with the capital for your 7 days in Spain itinerary! This allows enough time to see the main sights; Puerta del Sol, Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, Retiro Park, and the Prado Museum.
Dine on tapas and sangria on a tapas crawl down Calle Cava Baja, and visit a few Madrid food markets.
Overall, Madrid is a nice contrast to the other two cities on this Spain itinerary. While the city is obviously historic, it feels more metropolitan than southern Spain.
Madrid also feels more like a "real city" as this is the business hub of Spain (i.e. there are plenty of jobs outside of tourism).
Madrid is fairly compact and easy to get around by foot, which means you can fit a lot into your two days in Madrid. The Metro is also easy to use and cheap.
Cordoba: Perfectly situated between Madrid and Seville, Cordoba is an extremely easy stop on the way to Seville. The train service stops here any way.
Plan on 2 hours if you just want to see the famous Mezquita, aka the Great Mosque of Cordoba. Bake in additional time if you want to explore the Old Town and Jewish Quarter.
If you just can't wait to get to Seville, don't feel bad about skipping Cordoba, Seville has much more to offer and I would personally rather spend more time there.
Seville: 3 nights in Seville will allow you to slow down and enjoy the sights, wander the charming barrio of Santa Cruz, and taste the best tapas in Seville. Many websites and guides will say just 1 or 2 nights in Seville, but I promise that once you get here you won't want to leave and will wish you had more time.
Seville is a captivating city that thrums with character and soul and is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places in Spain. Visiting the Seville Cathedral, Alcazar Palace, Maria Louisa Park, and Plaza de Espana are all musts along with attending a Flamenco show or two.
The tapas scene in Seville is stellar and very cheap...think Sangria for €5 or less and tapas large enough to make a meal at €15 to €25.
Granada: 2 nights. Use your time in Granada to tour the Alhambra Palace, one of my favorite palace complexes in the world, and get lost in the twists and turns of the Moorish Albaicin neighborhood.
The mix of Spanish and Moorish culture make for some captivating sights, architecture, and history. This gorgeous university town is small enough to travel around by foot and is fun to just wander.
If you're looking for an easy Spain itinerary this is it! 7 days in Spain is beyond doable with this combination of cities as travel time is minimal and straight forward.
Have more than 7 days in Spain?
Start by adding one or two nights in Madrid. You can slow down a bit and add a day trip or two.
Toledo is one of the best day trips from Madrid. Its medieval streets and hilltop location are beyond picturesque.
For a third additional night, consider stopping in Cordoba so you can truly appreciate the city vs. doing a quick stop by.
SEE ALSO:
A WEEK IN SPAIN - Detailed ITINERARY FOR MADRID, SEVILLE & GRANADA
TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN GRANADA SPAIN
Casa Batllo by Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona
Mallorca
Mallorca
2. Barcelona, Mallorca, Ibiza or Valencia, Mallorca, Ibiza
This Spain itinerary is perfect for those looking for beaches, nightlife, and scenic landscapes
3 nights Barcelona, 3 nights Palma de Mallorca, 1 night IbizA
or
2 nights valencia, 3 nights palma de mallorca, 2 nights ibiza
Both Barcelona and Valencia are an hour flight from Palma de Mallorca. Valencia is smaller than Barcelona and can easily be seen in 2 days where Barcelona requires at least 3 days.
If you want a major city that is more of a tourist hotspot with major sights and attractions, choose Barcelona.
If you want a city that has a smaller and walkable city center, less crowds, and more of a relaxed vibe where you aren't running from sight to sight, choose Valencia.
Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca is a 1 hour flight and there are plenty of fares for $12-$27 on budget airlines like Ryan Air. At most you shouldn't pay more than $60. Flight time and price are the same from Valencia.
Mallorca to Ibiza is a 2 to 4 hour ferry depending on what day you leave and how much you want to spend. Balearia is the faster ferry and tickets range between €30 to €200 depending on the season, day, time, class of ticket, and how fast the boat is.
Barcelona: 3 nights in Barcelona will allow you to see the unique and stunning Sagrada Familia, enjoy Antoni Gaudi's colorful and whimsical Parc Guell, stroll down the famous pedestrian La Ramblas street, and visit the bustling La Boqueria Market to get a sampling of jambon, manchego, and fresh fruit juice.
Barcelona is the perfect city for a bike tour and you'll want to carve out time to wander the historic and characteristic Gothic Quarter.
**You MUST book Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell in advance.
AWA Tip: if you're a Game of Thrones fan, take the 38 minute high-speed train to Girona. This marvelous city was the filming location for Bravos. Like Dubrovnik, little CGI was used in the editing process so the city really does look like how it appears in the show.
See my complete guide on a day trip to Girona from Barcelona!
Palma de Mallorca: 3 nights. Where else can you travel to a gorgeous island for as little as $12? Seriously. If that's not a steal I don't know what is!
Mallorca is the largest of the islands located on the east coast of Spain and offers the perfect mix of stunning beaches, fresh seafood, cathedrals, and a growing art scene.
Palma is the charming medieval city center that is often compared to Barcelona with its architecture, tapas restaurants, cobblestone streets, and overall feel.
You could easily spend a week or two discovering all Mallorca has to offer, but 3 nights will give you just enough time to get a feel for this diverse island.
Ibiza: 1 night in Ibiza will give you a taste of the notorious party scene or a chance to enjoy the lesser known and calmer side of Ibiza. This island has more than just night clubs and heart pounding music.
Ibiza is filled with beautiful scenery and landscapes, small fishing towns, quiet beaches, and a well-known holistic spa and yoga scene. The perfect way to end your 7 days in Spain itinerary.
Have more than 7 days in Spain?
To extend this 7 days in Spain itinerary, I would add one night to each destination. Adding a fourth night to Barcelona will allow enough time to fit a day trip to Girona or Montserrat.
A fourth night in Mallorca means you'll get to explore more beaches and villages. 2 nights in Ibiza will give you some time to relax and enjoy the pool/beach.
For those looking for something with less tourists and off the radar...visit Menorica instead of Ibiza. This small island, the name literally translates to "smaller island", is less developed and offers beaches with far less crowds. It's a quick 1.5 hour ferry from Mallorca.
San Sebastian
Madrid
Montjuic Barcelona
3. Barcelona, Madrid, San Sebastian
This 7 day Spain Itinerary is perfect for foodies!
3 nights Barcelona
2 nights Madrid
2 nights San Sebastian
Barcelona to Madrid is now just 2.5 hours by the new high-speed AVE train.
Madrid to San Sebastian is just over 1 hour by plane with tickets around $89. Train time is around 5.5 hours.
Barcelona: 3 nights in Barcelona will allow you to see the unique and stunning Sagrada Familia, enjoy Antoni Gaudi's colorful and whimsical Parc Guell, stroll down the famous pedestrian La Ramblas street, and visit the bustling La Boqueria Market to get a sampling of jambon, manchego, and fresh fruit juice.
Barcelona is the perfect city for a bike tour and you'll want to carve out time to wander the historic and characteristic Gothic Quarter.
**You MUST book Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell in advance.
AWA Tip: if you're a Game of Thrones fan, take the 38 minute high-speed train to Girona. This marvelous city was the filming location for Bravos. Like Dubrovnik, little CGI was used in the editing process so the city really does look like how it appears in the show.
See my complete guide on a day trip to Girona from Barcelona!
Madrid: 2 nights and 2 full days. Let's start with the capital for your 7 days in Spain itinerary! This allows enough time to see the main sights; Puerta del Sol, Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, Retiro Park, and the Prado Museum.
Dine on tapas and sangria on a tapas crawl down Calle Cava Baja, and visit a few Madrid food markets.
Madrid is fairly compact and easy to get around by foot, which means you can fit a lot into your two days in Madrid. The Metro is also easy to use and cheap.
San Sebastian: 2 nights will give you a sampling of the world-renowned restaurants and pinxtos bars, picturesque beaches looking out onto the Bay of Biscay, and upscale shops scattered around Old Town.
Located in the Basque region, San Sebastian is said to have the highest ratio of Michelin star restaurants per capita than anywhere else in the world!
If you're a foodie, this city should be at the top of your list of places to visit.
A visit to Concha beach is a must as it's considered the best city beach in all of Spain.
San Sebastian is the perfect place to relax after your busy sightseeing in Madrid and Barcelona. What better way to end your 7 days in Spain itinerary than at a world-renowned restaurant and enjoying some of the best cuisine in the world?
Have more than 7 days in SPain?
Add another foodie city...Valencia...the birthplace of Paella! Two nights in Valencia is enough time to see all the top sights and sample plenty of Paella. Barcelona to Valencia is just under 3 hours by train. You can then take the 2-hour train from Valencia to Madrid.
If you have more than two extra nights, add a night to Madrid and/or Barcelona. Use your extra day in Madrid to do a day trip to Toledo. An extra day in Barcelona will allow you to slow down or do a day trip to Montserrat or Girona.
Seville
Seville
Granada
4. Seville, Granada, Malaga
This 7 days in Spain itinerary is perfect for focusing on the Andalusia region and smaller/walkable cities
3 nights Seville
2 nights Granada
2 nights Malaga
Seville to Granada is 3 hours via the ALSA bus or 2.5 to 3 hours via high-speed train.
Granada to Malaga is 1 hour 45 minutes by bus and cheap; around €5 to €15. There is a train, but it takes twice as long because there isn't a direct route.
Seville: 3 nights in Seville will allow you to slow down and enjoy the sights, wander the charming barrio of Santa Cruz, and taste the best tapas in Seville. Many websites and guides will say just 1 or 2 nights in Seville, but I promise that once you get here you won't want to leave and will wish you had more time.
Seville is a captivating city that thrums with character and soul and is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places in Spain. Visiting the Seville Cathedral, Alcazar Palace, Maria Louisa Park, and Plaza de Espana are all musts along with attending a Flamenco show or two.
The tapas scene in Seville is stellar and very cheap...think Sangria for €5 or less and tapas large enough to make a meal at €15 to €25.
Granada: 2 nights. Use your time in Granada to tour the Alhambra Palace, one of my favorite palace complexes in the world, and get lost in the twists and turns of the Moorish Albaicín neighborhood.
The mix of Spanish and Moorish culture make for some captivating sights, architecture, and history.
This gorgeous university town is small enough to travel around by foot and is fun to just wander and get lost.
Malaga: 2 nights will be the perfect length of time to wind down after your busy time touring Seville and Granada. Located in the Costa del Sol, Malaga is well-known among Europeans as a summer and beach getaway.
Like other European destinations, the city center has much to appreciate including cathedrals, the 11th century Alcazaba fortress ruins, a Roman style theater, and the Pablo Picasso Museum. Did you know Picasso was born in Malaga?
I recommend renting a car for easy access to the beaches (try to go to La Cala del Moral beach) and to reach hiking spots like Montes de Malaga National Park.
Malaga makes for a great destination because it's easy to get to with high-speed trains from other popular cities and the 4th busiest international airport in Spain.
It offers a mix of natural beauty and old city charm. The food is outstanding as this area actually supplies much of Spain with its top quality ingredients and wine.
Have more than 7 days in Spain?
Add one night in each city. An extra night in Seville will allow for a day trip to Cordoba. Extra time in Granada and Malaga will give you time to slow down and visit a few more sights.
Barcelona
Parc Guell - Barcelona
Valencia
5. Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid
This Spain itinerary is perfect for those that love big cities...these are the 3 largest cities in Spain
3 nights Barcelona
2 nights Valencia
2 nights Madrid
Barcelona to Valencia is just over 3 hours by train.
Valencia to Madrid is 1.5 to 2 hours by train.
Barcelona: 3 nights in Barcelona will allow you to see the unique and stunning Sagrada Familia, enjoy Antoni Gaudi's colorful and whimsical Parc Guell, stroll down the famous pedestrian La Ramblas street, and visit the bustling La Boqueria Market to get a sampling of jambon, manchego, and fresh fruit juice.
Barcelona is the perfect city for a bike tour and you'll want to carve out time to wander the historic and characteristic Gothic Quarter.
**You MUST book Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell in advance.
AWA Tip: if you're a Game of Thrones fan, take the 38 minute high-speed train to Girona. This marvelous city was the filming location for Bravos. Like Dubrovnik, little CGI was used in the editing process so the city really does look like how it appears in the show.
See my complete guide on a day trip to Girona from Barcelona!
Valencia: 2 nights in Valencia is a perfect introduction to what is known as the City of Arts and Sciences. Spain's third largest city is becoming more popular with tourists as of late with its blossoming restaurant scene, mix of Art Nouveau, Renaissance, and Gothic style architecture, museums, nightlife, and miles of sandy beaches.
Madrid: 2 nights and 2 full days. Let's start with the capital for your 7 days in Spain itinerary! This allows enough time to see the main sights; Puerta del Sol, Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, Retiro Park, and the Prado Museum.
Dine on tapas and sangria on a tapas crawl down Calle Cava Baja, and visit a few Madrid food markets.
Madrid is fairly compact and easy to get around by foot, which means you can fit a lot into your two days in Madrid. The Metro is also easy to use and cheap.
HAVE MORE THAN 7 DAYS IN SPAIN?
Start by adding one or two nights in Madrid. Toledo is a medieval hilltop town and is the best day trip from Madrid. Add a day to Barcelona to do a day trip to Girona or Montserrat.
An extra Spain Itinerary idea for the adventurer
Canary Islands: for the adventurer, an extra Spain itinerary idea is to go to the Canary Islands. You can ride camels at Timanfaya National Park on the island of Lanzarote or hike the world's third largest volcano at Tenerife.
Flights are dirt cheap to these remote islands if you're flying from Spain. The Canary islands are located just off the coast of Morocco and the Western Sahara. Depending on the month and day you can get tickets for less than $20.
Depart from a number of popular Spanish cities for these cheap fares and non-stop flights. I recommend starting in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, or Granada. Flight time from these cities will be between 2.5 to 3.5 hours.
Barcelona
In summary
I hope this post has given you some ideas of how to plan your 7 days in Spain itinerary. The first itinerary combining Madrid, Seville, and Granada is probably my favorite. If you have more than 7 days in Spain, you could easily add Barcelona to that itinerary...which would make it the PERFECT itinerary for a first visit to Spain.
Foodies will really enjoy the third itinerary that combines Barcelona, Madrid, and San Sebastian.
If you love nature, pick one of the itineraries that includes the islands.
Whatever your travel style is, one if these itineraries is sure to fit the bill!
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Spain in a Week | 5 Spain Itinerary Ideas
question
we have a trip planned
Land Madrid early Morning
spend two nights
train to Seville spend 2 nights
Train to Granada spend 2 nights
Fly to Mallorca spend 2 nights
Fly to Barcelona spend 1 night
Fly to Home
Sounds like a whirlwind of a trip…what’s your question?
love your Spain trip suggestions. What are the best/safest options to travel as a solo woman from Faro Portugal to Malaga Spain, to meet up with a friend for travel thru Spain?
Oh gosh, I’ve never made that specific trek before. I’ve always felt perfectly safe traveling by train or by bus (Flixbus, Alsa, etc.). It looks like this is a journey you would have to piece together multiple buses and/or trains. I looked on Alsa and there was an option with 2 stops and 1 transfer in Seville. Hope that helps!
Hi there,
I am planning to go to Madrid and finish with Barcelona in May. I am going solo so I was wondering is you have any suggestion for hotels in safe areas to stay.
Thank you!
Hi Lili,
I just stayed at Room Mate Alba in Madrid and loved it. Location was PERFECT. Let me look up past hotels I’ve stayed at in Barcelona…stay tuned…
For Barcelona, I stayed at Praktik Vinoteca, great price and great location. I’ve also stayed at Hotel Jazz which is an excellent budget option. Cotton House Hotel is high on my list to stay next time (Marriott family) as well as Room Mate Gerard Hotel. Barcelona Edition is a nice luxury option.
Hi
We are landing on a Saturday and departing on next Saturday.
Plan was to land in Barcelona, spend 2 nights and fly to Ibiza for 2 nights.. which means we will be at Ibiza till Tuesday evening or wed morning..From there.. idea was to take a 4 day road trip to Madrid..could you recommend if this is possible and if so how… Exploring flying to Valencia and then doing Seville Malaga and then Madrid…
Those are all great cities to explore! I have always traveled via train (sometimes bus when the train was under construction). My first thought is that it’s a lot of driving in 4 days. Have you Google mapped the actual drive times? That’s also fitting a lot into a short time. If it was me, I would focus on Valencia (I just left yesteray..great city), and then Madrid with a day trip to Toledo. I would save southern Spain for another trip when you have more time and can focus on just that region.
Hi, I was planning to travel with friends to Spain in January.
I have 10-12 days including 2 days travel time. I wanted to see Barcelona, Seville and Mallorca.
What’s the best way to split time between these cities.
Looking forward to your response.
For 10 days total I would recommend 4 nights Barcelona, 3 nights Seville, 3 nights Mallorca (usually I would recommend more time for beach/sun time…but it will be January…so…).
Thank you so much for this info — really well done! We’re spending Thanksgiving week in Spain, so 8 days in country. Our priority is the South (Seville, Granada, perhaps Cordoba) but we’d also really like to visit Barcelona, unless that’ll hopelessly frazzle us. Given your wisdom re not dashing from sight to sight, should we focus only on the South, or could we reasonably fly in &/or out of Barcelona, securing some sort of efficient travel connection to the South? So, part of the question is: What’s the best way to travel between Barcelona and the South? And part of the question is: with 8 days in country, should we just stay in the South? Hope that makes sense, and thanks for your thoughts!
You can definitely add Barcelona and not feel rushed. I would do 3 days in Seville and 2 days in Granada. You take it slow in these cities since they aren’t very big. Cordoba is cool, but Seville is better. Don’t rush Seville just to try and fit in Cordoba. Then 3 days in Barcelona will be your very busy days. I always fly between Barcelona and Seville via a cheap European airline (usually Volotea, Vueling, or Ryanair). Enjoy Spain and have a sangria for me!
Will do. Thank you so much!
Hi Ash—I love your blog. We are planning a trip to Madrid in the end of September. We would like to do a day trip to either Toledo or Segovia/Avila. We were thinking Segovia because of the aqueducts. I’m a history buff. My question is, would you chose one of the packaged bus day trips there or would you try to do it on your own? Also, for a history buff, do you still think Toledo should be the top choice?
Hi Cindy! So glad you are enjoying the blog! I would pick Toledo. When looking at both cities as a whole, Toledo has a better atmosphere and is a joy to wander. Segovia, not as much. Also, Toledo is known as the “city of 3 cultures” where Christians, Jews, and Muslims lived together peacefully. So yes, as a history buff I still think Toledo should be your first choice…with those 3 religions and cultures there is so much history in Toledo. The cathedral is also amazing, one of my favorites.
Because Toledo is an easy 30 minute train from Madrid (15 minute walk from the train station to city center), I would go to Toledo on your own and book a tour while there:
Toledo Private Tour with Licensed Local Guide
Essence of Toledo: Private Tour with a Local Archaeologist
Toledo Jewish Heritage Private Tour with expert local guide
Hello!
I love your recommendations and itineraries. Question – Traveling to Spain late May 2024 with 3 16-year-olds. Was thinking Barcelona (3-4 nights) – Valencia (2-3)– Seville (2) – Granada (2). Is this too aggressive? We like the culture and sightseeing, but we also want the local beachy vibe (not Ibiza). Would you suggest replacing something with Mallorca? Adding it? Thought we could kayak the Costa Brava on a Barcelona day? Valencia to Seville is the longest train ride. I know it is easier to reach via Madrid, however, I think my crew would appreciate Barcelona over Madrid as they are not as into art galleries. Appreciate any insights!
Hi Heather! I would do 4 nights in Barcelona since there’s so much to do here + ample day trips + the beach. 2 nights in Valencia is plenty. It’s a small city. While I can’t believe I’m saying this because Seville is my absolute FAVORITE place ever, you may want to consider taking out Seville and Granada. Spending your time in Mallorca would make more sense than landlocked Seville/Granada. If you really wanted more nature/beaches, you could also skip Valencia and add 2 nights in Menorca (more remote/less touristy/more about nature). I 100% agree that Barcelona is a better fit vs. Madrid.
I’ll be doing a Mallorca itinerary soon (so keep an eye out for that). The caves are AMAZING.
My daughter will be attending a college Summer program in Barcelona in July. I would like to put together a few days of travel in Spain prior to the start of school. We will have 10 days to travel. We love to eat and shop and cities and beaches and tour. After reading some of your itineraries we would love to see Mallorca, San Sebastian and open to another stop before settling in Barcelona for 3 nights. Any suggestions to make this feasible or other recommendations? This will be our first but not last trip to Spain. Thanks a bunch for your input.
I would add Madrid. It’s easily connected to both San Sebastian/Bilboa and Barcelona. Madrid also has several wonderful day trips (Toledo is a must). I would carve out 2 days for exploring Madrid and then whatever time you have left for day trips. Have fun!
My husband is traveling to Tarragona for work in September. I will be leaving two days later to join him: flying into Barcelona. I’m not sure if it’s better to start our trip in Barcelona or end it…since we fly out of Barcelona. Additionally, I want to make sure we visit the Royal Palace in Toledo. Other items of interest include historical sites, beautiful architecture, food/drinks, nightlife, nature and beaches…..not so much art. Is it even possible to check all of this off our list if we are only in Spain 7 days? This is by far the hardest vacation I’ve planned and truly appreciate any help you can provide.
Hmmm…Mallorca is worth considering if beaches are a high priority (and September would be lovely). You could do 2 nights Barcelona, 3 Mallorca, 2 Madrid (in order to visit Toledo as a day trip). Mallorca requires a flight and this would be a VERY fast/busy itinerary.
Could you save Toledo for another trip? Then you could stay in the Barcelona region and not have to backtrack. If it was me, I would opt for 3 nights Barcelona with a day trip to Girona + 4 nights in Mallorca and save Toledo for a trip when you can combine, Madrid/Toledo/Seville.
Thank you so much! We can absolutely not do Toledo. I really like this!