A week in Spain can be Gaudi and tapas in Barcelona, Moorish palaces and free tapas in the south, world-class food in San Sebastian, or a quiet cove on the Costa Brava, and the trip barely repeats itself. Two things matter before anything else, the Alhambra in Granada and the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona both sell out and must be booked ahead, and spring and autumn beat the fierce summer heat. Below is where to go, what to eat by name, what to book, when to go and what to skip. At VayCay Couple it is one of our favourite corners of Europe. For official information there is the tourist board. Written and checked in July 2026.
What are the best places to visit in Spain?
On a first trip, most people pick two or three of the big cities and add a stretch of coast. Here is how the main places compare and the one thing to sort for each.
| Place | Best for | The signature, and what to book |
| Barcelona | Gaudi, city beach, food | Sagrada Familia, book a week ahead |
| Madrid | Art, tapas, nightlife | The Prado, free the last two hours |
| Seville | Flamenco, Moorish palaces | The Real Alcazar, book ahead |
| Granada | The Alhambra, free tapas | The Alhambra, book two to three months ahead |
| San Sebastian | Pintxos and a city beach | No booking, just work the bars |
| Valencia | Paella at its source, futuristic architecture | City of Arts and Sciences |
Barcelona and Madrid
The two big cities pull in most first-timers. Barcelona is Gaudi’s city, and his Sagrada Familia basilica is the one unmissable ticket, about 26 euro and often sold out days ahead, so book online before you fly. Pair it with Park Guell and a wander through the Gothic Quarter, and eat at a counter in the La Boqueria market off La Rambla. Madrid is the art-and-tapas capital, with the Prado free for its last two hours each day, the Retiro park for a picnic, and churros con chocolate at Chocolateria San Gines, going since 1894 just off Puerta del Sol. Both are two and a half hours apart on the AVE high-speed train.
Seville and Granada
Andalusia in the south is where Spain feels most itself. Seville has the Real Alcazar, the tiled royal palace used as a filming location for Game of Thrones, at about 14.50 euro and worth booking, plus the cathedral, the Giralda tower and flamenco in the Triana district. For old-school tapas, El Rinconcillo has been pouring since 1670. Granada is crowned by the Alhambra, and it keeps one of Spain’s best traditions alive, a free tapa arrives with every drink you order, so a few beers can become dinner.
San Sebastian and the north
The green, rainy north is Spain’s food heartland. San Sebastian is the star, where you crawl the pintxos bars of the old town rather than sit for dinner. Bar Nestor is famous for a tortilla it makes just twice a day, at 1pm and 8pm, with a sign-up list, and its grilled txuleta steak. Finish at La Vina, the bar that invented the burnt Basque cheesecake now copied worldwide. Beyond the plates, the Concha beach is one of the prettiest city bays in Europe.
Beaches, islands and a famous walk
Spain’s coast runs for thousands of kilometres. The Costa Brava north of Barcelona has coves and clear water, the Costa del Sol in the south has the resorts and the year-round sun, and the islands range from party-and-cove Mallorca to quieter spots like Mojacar on the Almeria coast. For a thrill, the Caminito del Rey, a walkway pinned to a gorge north of Malaga, is about 10 euro and needs booking.
What should you eat in Spain?
Spanish food changes completely from region to region, so eat local. In the Basque north it is pintxos, the little skewered snacks lined up on the bar. In Valencia it is paella, which is a lunch dish there, not the dinner cliche served on tourist strips. Across the south it is gazpacho, fried fish and jamon iberico, the cured ham worth seeking out. Everywhere, look for the menu del dia, a three-course set lunch with a drink for around 12 to 15 euro, which is the best value meal in the country.
What must you book ahead in Spain?
Two sights sell out and turn away walk-ups, so book them before you travel. The rest you can usually sort a day or two out. Prices are approximate 2026 figures, checked on the official site for the Alhambra.
| Sight | Price (approx) | How far ahead |
| Alhambra, Granada | About 19 euro | Two to three months in peak season |
| Sagrada Familia, Barcelona | About 26 euro | At least a week |
| Real Alcazar, Seville | About 14.50 euro | A few days |
| Park Guell, Barcelona | About 10 euro | A few days |
| Caminito del Rey | About 10 euro | A week or more |
When is the best time to visit Spain?
Spring, April to June, and autumn, September and October, are the best times, warm and comfortable for cities and the coast without the peak heat. July and August are very hot inland, with Seville and Cordoba regularly topping 40 degrees, and the coast at its busiest. Winter is mild in the south and good value, and fine for city breaks. Whenever you come, adjust to the Spanish clock, lunch runs from about 2pm and dinner rarely starts before 9pm.
Is Spain expensive?
Spain is one of the better-value countries in western Europe. The set-lunch menu del dia is around 12 to 15 euro, a coffee is a euro or two, and a caña, a small beer, is a couple of euros, often with a free tapa in Granada and parts of the south. Barcelona, Madrid and the smart coastal resorts are the priciest, and you save by eating the set lunch, using the AVE trains booked early, and travelling outside July and August.
How do you get around Spain?
The AVE high-speed trains are the easy way between the big cities, Madrid to Barcelona or Madrid to Seville in about two and a half hours each, booked ahead on Renfe for the cheapest fares. Cities have good metros, so you will not want a car in them. Hire a car for the Andalusian white villages, the north coast or a beach region off the rail lines, and fly for the Balearic and Canary Islands.
How many days do you need in Spain?
Seven to ten days suits a first trip. A week pairs two cities well, most often Barcelona with Madrid, or Seville with Granada in the south, linked by the fast train. Ten days lets you add a third city or a few days on the coast. Trying to combine Barcelona, the south and the north in a week means living on trains and planes, so save some for next time.
What should you skip in Spain?
A few honest calls. Skip the photo-menu paella on Las Ramblas and around the main squares, since it is usually pre-cooked and frozen, and eat rice in Valencia or a proper restaurant at lunch instead. Skip turning up at the Alhambra or Sagrada Familia without a pre-booked timed ticket, because you will not get in. Skip the big flamenco dinner shows aimed at coaches and find a small tablao in Seville or Granada. And skip eating dinner at 7pm, when only tourist kitchens are open and the food shows it.
Planning the trip
The trick in Spain is to pick a lane. Choose two or three places that suit the season, book the Alhambra and the Sagrada Familia the moment you have dates, and eat the set lunch and the regional dish wherever you land. Do that and a week in Spain feels full without feeling rushed, and you will already be planning the next region.
FAQs
For a first trip, Barcelona and Madrid for the cities, Seville and Granada for Moorish Andalusia, and San Sebastian for the food. Add a stretch of coast such as the Costa Brava or an island like Mallorca. Most people pick two or three and link them by high-speed train.
The Alhambra in Granada, about 19 euro, sells out two to three months ahead in peak season, and the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, about 26 euro, sells out days ahead. Seville’s Real Alcazar and the Caminito del Rey walk are also worth booking. Most other sights you can sort a day or two out.
Spring and autumn, April to June and September to October, for warm weather without the peak heat. July and August are very hot inland and busy on the coast. Winter is mild and good value in the south.
It is good value by western European standards. A set-lunch menu del dia is about 12 to 15 euro, and in Granada and parts of the south a drink comes with a free tapa. Barcelona, Madrid and the smart resorts cost the most.
Seven to ten days for a first visit, enough to pair two cities linked by the AVE train, such as Barcelona and Madrid or Seville and Granada. Ten days lets you add a third city or time on the coast.
