Day 1·Barcelona: land + Gothic Quarter
Base: Barcelona
- Morning
- Airport transfer, drop bags in Eixample or the Gothic Quarter.
- Afternoon
- Barri Gòtic walk, Cathedral, Plaça Reial.
- Evening
- Tapas crawl in El Born — Cal Pep for classics.
7-day plan · First trip · food & architecture lovers · shorter breaks
7-day Spain itinerary
7-day Spain: Barcelona + Madrid, plus a day in Andalucía
Route
Barcelona → Madrid → Toledo/Segovia day trip
Estimated cost
≈ $1,400–2,000 per person incl. AVE train and mid-range hotels
Pre-book note: Barcelona + Madrid via AVE fast train (2h30m). Pre-book Sagrada Família and the Alhambra 3+ weeks out.
Day 2·Gaudí day: Sagrada Família + Park Güell
Base: Barcelona
- Morning
- Sagrada Família + tower access (timed entry).
- Afternoon
- Park Güell (timed entry too) + Gràcia neighbourhood.
- Evening
- Casa Batlló night visit + rooftop dinner.
Pre-book: Sagrada Família + Park Güell — book together, 2–3 weeks out.
Day 3·Beach + Barceloneta + Montjuïc
Base: Barcelona
- Morning
- Barceloneta beach walk + seafood paella.
- Afternoon
- Cable car up Montjuïc, Miró Foundation.
- Evening
- Magic Fountain show at Plaça Espanya.
Day 4·AVE to Madrid, tapas in La Latina
Base: Madrid
- Morning
- AVE fast train Barcelona → Madrid (2h30m).
- Afternoon
- Retiro Park + Puerta de Alcalá stroll.
- Evening
- Sunday? Rastro flea market. Any day — La Latina tapas on Cava Baja.
Day 5·Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen
Base: Madrid
- Morning
- Prado — Velázquez, Goya, Bosch (2–3 hours max).
- Afternoon
- Reina Sofía for Picasso's Guernica + Dalí.
- Evening
- Flamenco tablao in Cardamomo or Las Carboneras (pre-book).
Day 6·Day trip: Toledo or Segovia
Base: Madrid
- Morning
- 30-min high-speed train to Toledo (Cathedral, El Greco) or Segovia (Roman aqueduct, castle).
- Afternoon
- Return to Madrid.
- Evening
- Chocolate + churros at San Ginés (yes, at midnight).
Day 7·Home from MAD
Base: Madrid
- Morning
- Chueca or Malasaña brunch.
- Afternoon
- Meet-and-greet transfer to Madrid Barajas.
- Evening
- Fly home.
Before you leave
Three pre-bookings that make day one painless.
Country guide
Spain overview
Budget
Spain trip cost
Entry rules
Spain visa & entry
Other itineraries
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