Culture guide
Madrid · Spain
Spain Travel Guide
The Spain guide: Madrid, Barcelona, Andalusia and the dinner clock.
9 min read · 10 days · Updated September 12, 2026
- spain
- travel guide
- Destination
- Madrid, Spain
- Duration
- 10 days
- Best time
- Apr-Jun
- Style
- Culture · Food · History
- Daily budget
- 110 USD
Spain runs three great cities and one great south: Madrid's art vaults, Barcelona's Gaudí, Valencia's paella, and Andalusia's Moorish trio — Córdoba, Seville, Granada. Planning figures: Madrid and Barcelona ~€110–120/day, Andalusia ~€90.
The AVE high-speed rail connects them all; dinner starts at 9:30pm and nobody apologizes.
What this guide covers
The Classic Route
Madrid, Barcelona, Andalusia.
Day 1
Madrid — Prado
The masters and Retiro.
Day 2
Madrid — palace & Guernica
The royal rooms and the white wall.
Day 3
AVE to Barcelona
Gaudí's first block; the tapas.
Day 4
Barcelona — Sagrada & Gothic
The booked basilica; the medieval lanes.
Day 5
Barcelona — beach & Montjuïc
The cable car; the vermut hour.
Day 6
AVE to Seville
The Alcázar's Mudéjar halls.
Day 7
Seville — cathedral & flamenco
The Giralda; the tablaos night.
Day 8
Córdoba
The Mezquita's column forest.
Day 9
Granada — Alhambra
The Nasrid palaces at their slot.
Day 10
Departure
The final tapas; AGP or MAD.
Where to Go
Madrid (3) is the art-and-tapas capital. Barcelona (3) is Gaudí and the beach. Andalusia (4–5) is the Alhambra, the Mezquita and the flamenco. San Sebastián is the food pilgrimage.
- Classic: Madrid 3 → Barcelona 3 → Andalusia 4.
- Andalusia-deep: Seville 3 → Córdoba 1 → Granada 2.
- Food-first: San Sebastián 3 → Rioja 2.
The Dinner Clock
Spain runs on a shifted clock: lunch at 2, dinner at 9:30, bars at midnight. The menú del día lunch (€12–15) is Europe's best-value meal; the vermut hour bridges the evening wait.
What to know before you go
Money
- Madrid/Barcelona ~€110–120/day, Andalusia ~€90.
- The menú del día is the budget's best friend.
When
- March–June and September–October are ideal.
- Andalusian summers exceed 40°C — patios by day.
Turn this guide into a trip
The trip planner opens pre-filled with Madrid — adjust the dates and interests to fit your trip.
Plan around this destination
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Ready-made trips
Frequently asked questions
Madrid or Barcelona first?
Madrid — it's the rail hub and the art capital. Barcelona follows by AVE in 2h30.
Is Spain expensive?
Mid-priced: €90–120/day, with the menú del día doing heavy lifting.
How many days for Spain?
Ten days does Madrid, Barcelona and Andalusia; a week picks two.