Need a complete 10-day itinerary for Spain? You're in the right place! With its fantastic blend of cultures, laid-back atmosphere, and breathtaking scenery, there's so much to explore here.
Within this guide, you will find all the information you need to plan a trip to Spain. From a comprehensive list of activities and the best places to visit to recommendations on accommodation and the most efficient way to get around, here is the ultimate 10-day itinerary for Spain. First, let's take a look at the itinerary map below:
Spain 10 Days Itinerary Map
10 Days Spain Itinerary
Day 1 - 2: Madrid (2 Nights)
Madrid is a great place to begin your journey in Spain and get the hang of the different culture and norms they have here, more so on their ridiculously late lunch and dinner times (3 PM and 10 PM - 12 AM respectively).
On your first day, I would recommend that you go on a free walking tour around the most famous tourist attractions in Madrid. That way, you won't miss anything since you will only have one full day here.
Places that are worth seeing, which should be included in the free walking tour organized by MADride, are the Puerta del Sol square, Royal Palace of Madrid, and Plaza Mayor.
- Spanish Escape (9 days)
- The Best of Spain (9 days)
- Spanish Ring ( 11 days ) (11 days)
If you want to try something unique, you can visit the oldest restaurant in the world, Sobrino de Botín, which has been operating for more than 250 years. It is expensive, but it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
If you want to explore the nightlife of Madrid, MADRide also organizes a pub crawl that will take you to all the cool nightlife venues around the city in one night. This way, you can get a glimpse of Madrid's nightlife all in one day.
Day 3 - 4: Seville (2 Nights)
From Madrid, you can take a direct bus to Seville, which should take around 6-7 hours. After you arrive, settle in your hostel/hotel and go out for a nice evening walk along the river in Triana. Have a delicious and affordable tapas dinner at Las Golondrinas 2.
One of the most beautiful architectures in Seville that you must not miss is the Plaza de España, a gigantic red-brick palace located in Maria Luisa Park. Its architecture blew my mind away with all its intricate details. You can spend hours here, just walking around the palace and observing the stunning details put into the design of every corner of Plaza de España.
Oh, and this was also a place where they shot Star Wars Episode 2: The Attack of the Clones in a sequence where Anakin and Padmé arrive on Naboo. Just a little fun fact about the place 😊.
Maria Luisa Park is also a great place to walk around on your way back to the city center after visiting Plaza de España because it is nearby.
The first thing you see when you arrive in Seville is the massive Gothic-style cathedral, the Catedral de Sevilla. It is the third-largest cathedral in the world and a must-visit when you are in Seville.
Be sure to also drop by the Alcázar of Seville, just south of the Catedral de Sevilla. It's a royal palace with a collection of stunning architecture worth seeing, and you can also stroll around the beautiful park inside the palace.
Day 5 - 7: Granada (3 Nights)
Granada is definitely my favorite city out of all of Spain. It has a lot of outdoor things to do, like hiking trails and viewpoints. All the while, you can find cheap tapas and beers very easily within the city. But best of all, it's the location of the famous Alhambra Fortress.
The Alhambra Fortress is a must-visit when in Granada, but one thing to note is that they limit the number of entries each day, so be sure to book a ticket and a time slot to the Alhambra Fortress in advance (14 - 17 EUR).
You can spend almost an entire day just walking around the fortress, exploring all the beautiful gardens and observing all the intricate details of the architecture of each structure that you won't see anywhere else.
Another great thing to do is to go on a free cave walking tour in the afternoon that will take you to the sunset viewpoint up at Sacromonte, where you will be able to get a panoramic view of Granada and the surrounding mountain range.
The tour will take you to a cave area behind the Sacromonte hill, where you will be able to see the locals still using caves as their shelters, while the guide explains where they came from and tells a backstory of how it came to be. Highly recommended!
The next day, I would recommend that you go and hike the Waterfall Trail (Los Cahorros de Monachil), which can be accessed via a local bus from Granada to Monachil. There, you can walk along the river to the trailhead and hike through waterfalls and suspension bridges. It's a fun and easy micro adventure you can do from Granada.
Day 8 - 10: Barcelona (3 Nights)
Last but not least, we traveled to Catalonia and ended our journey in Spain with a unique touch of Catalan culture.
First and foremost, go up the Park Güell hill in the morning to get an unbeatable panoramic view of Barcelona where you can also spot the famous forever-under-construction La Sagrada Familia cathedral, which you will be visiting in the evening.
On your way down, make sure to stop by Gaudí's house museum and capture that iconic picture of one of Gaudí's finest works.
Gaudí's and his weird (in a good way!) mind can be seen scattered throughout the city, such as Casa Milà and the Dragon's Scales Roof of Casa Batlló, so be sure to walk by there when you are in Barcelona.
Another good district to spend your day walking around is the Gothic Quarter, which is landmarked by the Cathedral of Barcelona, its beautiful Roman-era buildings, and all the antique narrow streets you can explore. There is also the oldest restaurant (Can Culleretes) in Barcelona that you can try as well.
At the end of the day, visit La Sagrada Familia. Why did I leave this until the end? Because the cathedral is best seen in the evening when the light is perfect and not too bright.
This cathedral, I can say, is the most beautiful cathedral I have seen so far. The intricate detail of the interior and how it manipulates lights blew my mind away. The entry to witness such an astounding man-made structure is worth every single EUR spent to get in. Be sure to book the ticket and time slot in advance as they limit the number of entries to the cathedral.
Photos by Mike McBey
The next day, I recommend you go on a day trip and visit the Montserrat Monastery, a monastery located photogenically at the top of a rocky mountain range only 1.5 hours away from Barcelona by train. You will have to get to Plaça Espanya train station and take the R5 Manresa line to Aeri de Montserrat and from there, get a cable car up to the top and spend a few hours walking around the area.
You can buy all these tickets, including the return ticket, in a bundle for 22 EUR each at the Plaça Espanya.
When to Visit Spain?
Spain can be brutally hot, crowded, and expensive during the mid-summer months. So, the best time to visit Spain is from April to May when the tourist season has not yet peaked. It offers good weather, fewer crowds, cheaper prices compared to June - July, and, best of all, it coincides with some cool festivals you can attend, such as Madrid's Bullfight (March - June) and Seville's April Fest (often held in May. Be sure to check the schedule for the year you plan to visit Spain).
How to Get to Spain?
First, you will have to get to Spain. There are many airlines that fly from the US directly to Spain, such as American, Delta, Iberia, or Air Europa. If you are from Asia, Emirates, Qatar, or KLM are great options too.
To find the cheapest flight to Spain, make sure to browse through Skyscanner or Expedia so you can get the cheapest flight from your home country to Spain.
How to Get Around Spain?
Buses are easy and cheap to travel in around Spain. ALSA, Flixbus, or if you are looking for a one-stop shop for finding buses, check out Omio.com to easily find and book a bus ticket online for your trip in Spain.
For big cities like Madrid and Barcelona, the metro system is really well-connected, although be aware that there are a lot of pickpockets around crowded stations in Madrid and Barcelona, so be sure to watch your belongings when getting on/off the train. The train should cost around 2 - 3 EUR per trip.
For Seville, you can walk to all the tourist attractions in the city, no problem.
Same goes for Granada, but if you want to go hiking, you can also rely on the local bus system which is well-connected and easily accessible. Be sure to ask your hostel/hotel for information on which bus number to take to go somewhere. Once you know the bus number, you can check the bus schedule online here.
Daily Budget
Traveling here will typically cost you more than visiting most other countries. You can expect to spend around $45 - $65 USD per day per person, including food, accommodation, and transportation.
Please keep in mind that these are suggested daily budgets based on my own style of travel, which leans more towards the budget side of things. If you aim to stick to this budget, anticipate sleeping in dormitories, dining out only occasionally, and being comfortable with the cheapest and most convenient modes of transportation, which often involve a considerable amount of walking.
Which tourist SIM card is best for Spain?
Update: If your phone supports eSIM, I highly recommend checking out Airalo, a global eSIM marketplace. It allows you to stay connected affordably while traveling in Spain without having to switch out your physical SIM card.
Gone are the days when you needed to scramble to find a local SIM card at an airport upon arrival. You can purchase an eSIM before your arrival, and you'll be good to go. If your phone doesn't support eSIM, here is how you can get a local SIM card in Spain:
There are several phone carriers you can choose from, such as Movistar, Orange, or Vodafone. I chose Orange and bought a SIM card with 3 GB of data for 7 EUR, which is plenty for 10 days. The coverage is well-covered in all the places I recommended in this itinerary. You can also top up at the shops or supermarkets with a label "recargas", or you can do it yourself online.
For more information on Spain SIM cards: Spain Prepaid Data SIM Card.
Tips: To stay connected with people at home, be sure that you have a VPN, such as ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and you can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.
What to Pack for Spain?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Spain:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Spain
I hope you found this guide helpful in your trip planning. If you want to read more about Spain, I have written a few more travel guides, all listed here:
- Are you traveling to Spain as part of a bigger Europe trip? Be sure to check out my 3-month itinerary for Europe from Portugal all the way to Sweden.
- Packing for a trip to visit a region as big as Europe is extremely daunting. Here's a packing guide to help you: What to Pack for Europe - The Essential Packing List.
- Want to visit Europe in winter? Better prepare for the cold. Here's a winter packing guide to help you: What to Pack for Europe in Winter - The Essential Packing List.
- Madrid is a great place to start your journey in Spain. Here’s a 9 Incredible Things to Do in Madrid, Spain to get you started.
- Seville is home to one of my favorite pieces of architecture in Spain, the Plaza España. If you are heading to Seville, be sure to check out our travel guide on 8 Best Things to Do in Seville, Spain.
- Granada is also another great city to visit. The city is full of culture, cheap tapas, and the beautiful Alhambra fortress waiting for you to explore. Check out my 8 Best Things to Do in Granada, Spain.
- Barcelona is in its own league when it comes to culture and unique architecture compared to the rest of Spain. Here’s a complete 2 Days in Barcelona Itinerary, the capital city of Catalonia.
- Not convinced by my words? Here are 23 photos that will inspire you to visit Spain.
- You can also watch my Spain travel video here: "Spain to Leave Spain" travel video.
- To see all articles about Spain, visit the Spain Travel Guide page.
- Looking for a place to go after Spain? How about France or Portugal? Visit our France travel guide page and Portugal travel guide page for more information.
- Looking for more travel guides for Europe? You can find more on my Europe Travel Guide page.
- Or, if you want something more specific to the region, visit our Southern Europe Travel Guide page.
- For more of my travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
5 Comments
Hi I'm really enjoying your content. How did you get from Granada to Barcelona?
I personally did Barcelona on a separate trip due to time constraints but I looked it up and you can either fly or take a train which cost ~69 USD and ~90 USD respectively. Yes, flying is actually cheaper and will save you more time.
I recommend you browse through Omio to find cheap tickets.
Thank you for your love of travel and sharing it with us! This is a great resource:) Dena
Came here to ask the same question, as the Granada-Barcelona trains are hella long :)
It says you updated this post recently, can I ask what bits have been updated? Thanks!
We are doing an overhaul of content on the entire site with new summary snippets and other details, hence the date. :) If you found that stretch to be too long, you could also stop by Valencia along the way to break the trip up, if you have time.
My initial plan was to do this but I ran out of time and I couldn't make it to Valencia, but I heard many good things about the city, especially if you are there during the La Tomatina festival! :) Just be sure to book your accommodation in advance!