Things to do on a 10 day trip to Spain (For €1,200/PERSON)

Back in August 2016, we travelled to Spain on an amazing 10-day trip covering 6 cities. Starting from Madrid in the heart of the country, stopping at the historic city of Toledo, heading towards the eastern city of Valencia to ending in the Andalucian region where we visited Cordoba, Granada and Seville. We covered some of the top tourist destinations in the country. In this post, we cover the top things to do on a 10 day trip to Spain

To try and keep this post as short and informative as possible, we have divided it into 5 main sections:

When to visit Spain

We recommend visiting Spain during spring or autumn. This is what we’ve read on countless posts/forums on the internet. However, we were there late August and found the heat to be mostly fine. The heat slightly got to us in the Southern regions, especially in Seville when it reached 40°C. It never really reached the point where we couldn’t take it anymore and gave up. We just made sure to keep ourselves hydrated. Keep in mind that we are Maldivians, meaning we are accustomed to 30°C weather all year round.

Cities covered & where to stay in Spain

You can definitely flex the time you spend in each of the cities depending on your preference. This is just what we did to try and fit in as much fun as possible in the limited time we had. Follow our itinerary step-by-step if you’d like to cover all 6 cities in a similar duration, with a similar budget. We didn’t include Barcelona on this trip because we had previously been there a couple of times. Do let us know if you’d like us to write a post about Barcelona separately!

If you would like to receive £15 off your first booking on Booking.com then use this LINK when booking. 🙂

Madrid: 1 and a half days

• Area: Centro and Retiro are both good areas for a short trip
• Hotel: Hotel Mora
• Cost: £51

Toledo: half day

• day trip

Valéncia: 2 days

• Area: Colon is an excellent location for a short stay. We stayed in the Mestalla area because we wanted to be walking distance from the Valéncia stadium.
• Hotel: Dormavalencia Hostel
• Cost: £83

Cordoba: 1 day

• Area: We recommend staying in the Centro area especially for a short trip
• Hotel: Cordoba Carpe Diem
• Cost: £41

Granada: 2 days

• Area: We stayed in San Pedro and loved how close it was to Alhambra!
• Hotel: Paseo de los Tristes
• Cost: £91

Seville: 3 days

• Area: Santa Cruz, Centro, Regina are all good central locations for sight-seeing.
• Hotel: Singular Castella
• Cost: £99

TOTAL SPEND ON ACCOMMODATION: €215/£182 per person

Transportation in Spain

Transportation costs in Spain are inexpensive. We pre-booked all long-distance journeys just to make sure we got a good price. Where we’ve specified “we paid €xxx…”, these were the actual costs we incurred per person. The price you see now may differ as it would depend on the date of travel + class of travel + how early you book. I’ve provided a price range for the inter-city trains, after checking the price of various dates in a 3-month period on the official Renfe website.

Travelling to Madrid

Madrid is Spain’s capital city and as such, is well connected to the rest of the world. If you are in Europe, you could easily hop on a bus or train (or even drive) to Madrid. Otherwise, you could get a flight to Madrid. Over 70 airlines fly through Madrid–Barajas Airport. We paid €133 for a return flight from London to Madrid with Ryanair. We’ve flown with Ryanair countless times before. Trust us, it’s not as scary as some people make it out to be. Just make sure you follow their rules!

Transport from Madrid airport to the city centre

There are a couple of options to get from the airport to the city. We paid €5 to take the bus to Atocha. Our hotel was a 10-minute walk from the station. The main options available are:

• metro: €5 to the city centre (Nuevos Ministerios direction)
• bus: €5 to the city centre (O’Donnell, Plaza de Cibeles & Atocha) on Exprés Aeropuerto
• taxi: €30 to central locations

Public transport in Madrid

We paid €6 per person for 4 single tickets. This worked out to be our cheapest option, but only by €0.2 compared to the next cheapest option. The main options available are:

• metro/bus
  • €1.50: single ticket
  • €12.20: 10 trips
• tourist tickets (bus + train)
  • €8.40 for 1 day and €14.20 for 2 days

Travelling from Madrid to Toledo

There are frequent high-speed trains to Toledo from Madrid Atocha station, with a duration of around 30 minutes. Our stay was very close to Atocha station, therefore it was a no-brainer for us to take the train. We paid €22.20 for return train tickets, purchased on the day of travel. The bus is a great option if you had more time to spare. We didn’t. The main options available are:

• train: €22.20 return ticket (duration of 0.5 hours)
• bus: €10 return ticket (duration of 1.5 hours + depending on traffic)

Public transport in Toledo

We spent a grand total of £0! You can easily walk everywhere. The walk from the train station to the historic city is only 10 minutes.

Travelling from Madrid to Valencia

The high-speed trains in Spain are such a blessing! We pre-paid €39.10 for a one-way train ticket. The journey was 1hr 40min covering a distance of more than 350km! PRO (but obvious) TIP: Book in advance to get a good price! The main options available are:

• train: €22.15 – €77.25 one-way (fastest train duration: 1hr 40mins)
• bus: approximately €25 (duration 4hr 15mins + depending on traffic)

Public transport in Valencia

Given we were spending 2 days in the city, we paid €7.20 for the 10 trips metro ticket. We ended up utilising 8 trips between the two of us. On the last day, we just gave away the ticket to a random person, telling them there were 2 trips left on it. This worked out cheaper for us than taking single tickets. If you are travelling solo, the single ticket might be a better option.

• metro
  • €1.50: single ticket
  • €7.20: 10 trips
• bus
  • €1.50: single ticket
  • €8.50: 10 trips

Travelling from Valencia to Cordoba

We pre-paid €38.30 for a one-way train ticket. The main options available are:

• train: €24.85 – €83.70 (fastest train duration: 3hrs 12mins)
• bus: approximately €50 (duration of 8hrs 30 mins + depending on traffic)

Public transport in Cordoba

Another Spanish city where we spent a grand total of £0. You can walk everywhere.

Travelling from Cordoba to Granada

We pre-paid €18.44 for a one-way bus ticket. The main options available are:

• train: €14.75 – €58.05 (fastest train duration: 1hr 27mins)
• bus: €13.60 – €21.38 (duration: 2hrs 45mins + depending on traffic)

Public transport in Granada

We paid approximately €10 for a taxi from the bus station to the city centre (€20, including travel back to the station). Once in the centre, you can walk everywhere. The main options available from the bus and train station are:

• taxi: €7 – €12 one-way
• bus: €1.40 single ticket

Travelling from Granada to Seville

We can’t remember exactly how much we paid for the bus tickets but remember it being around €20. The main options available are:

• train: €31.20 – €62.70 (fastest train duration: 2hrs 20mins)
• bus: €5.45 – €30.13 (duration: 3hrs + depending on traffic)

Public transport in Seville

We paid approximately €8 for a taxi from the station to the city centre (€16, including travel back to the station). Once in the centre, you can walk everywhere. The main options available from the bus and train station are:

• taxi: €6 – €10 one-way
• bus: €1.40 single ticket

Travelling from Seville to Madrid

We pre-paid €71.55 for a one-way train ticket. The main options available are:

• train: €23.15 to €102.60 one-way (fastest train duration: 2hrs 21 mins)
• bus: €22.95 – €31.45 (duration: 6hrs 10mins + depending on traffic)

TOTAL SPEND ON TRAVEL (including flights): approximately €400 per person.

Places to see and Things to do in Spain

Things to do in Madrid

Madrid, to me, felt like a massive concrete jungle with pops of greenery. If you have limited time, you’ll need to plan your time strategically to fit in everything. For that reason, the places below are listed in order of visit.

Day 1: Exploring Madrid’s historic buildings and parks

We started at the charming Jardín Vertical Caixaforum. Despite the lack of history attached to it, you’ve got to admit it’s quite a sight (see the picture 🙂 ). We then made our way through Real Jardín Botánico (a small park) and walked towards Museo Nacional del Prado. This is considered to be one of the greatest art museums in the world. If you had one hour to spare, you can find a list of must-see masterpieces here. Next, we headed to El Retiro Park, where we strolled around the lake and gardens (secretly collecting Pokémons – excuse us, this was back during the Pokémon GO hype). You could even enjoy some boating on the lake.

The next few sites are in the city centre, easily reachable via the metro system. Our first stop was Plaza Mayor; a site, once used for bullfights and public executions, now, a tourist hotspot buzzing with life. A few minutes from here, you’ll find Mercado de San Miguel – one of my favourite places in the whole of Madrid. Many a plate full of Spanish tapas were demolished, including some sea urchin! We burnt a small fraction of the calories by walking towards the Royal Palace of Madrid. Finally, we ended the day by watching the sunset at the Temple of Debod.

Day 2: Bargaining at flea markets and a stop at Bernabéu

The next morning, we made a quick stop at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. A Real Madrid fan may need about half a day to fully appreciate the stadium and the museum. Also, find time to haggle at El Rastro flea market if you’re in Madrid on a Sunday. Finally, our last stop in Madrid was Madrid-Puerta de Atocha where we took a day trip to Toledo. This railway station is truly one-of-a-kind with its very own tropical garden!

Things to do in Toledo

With influences from Muslims, Christians and Jews, Toledo is often described as the “City of the Three Cultures”. The city is a walk-in museum, where every nook and cranny of the narrow and cobbled streets is buzzing with history.

Day 2 (continued): Getting lost in the cobbled streets of Toledo and ziplining

Our first stop was the Alcantara Bridge, the stunning entrance to the walled historic city. This is just a ten-minute walk from Toledo train station which itself is a charming sight to take in. Walking around the cobbled streets, we passed the Alcázar de Toledo, Santa Iglesia Catedral Primada de Toledo and Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes as we made our way through to the other side of the city. Here, we had our first zip-lining experience. The zipline at Fly Toledo is apparently Europe’s longest urban zipline and the view is breathtaking.

We returned to Madrid to take the train to our next destination: València.

Things to do in València

For me, the most impressionable thing about València is its huge state-of-the-art buildings. This is not to say that the whole city is futuristic, for there are plenty of historic sights to be seen. Also, it’s on the Mediterranean if you want to laze around on the beach.

Day 2 (continued): Arriving in València and eating Paella

One thing that pleasantly surprised us was that a lot of restaurants in Valencia are open until 1 am. The first thing we did in València was devouring a Valèncian paella at midnight. I mean, it would be rude not to in the birthplace of paella, right?

Day 3: Exploring the old city, visiting the largest aquarium in Europe and watching a La Liga match

The morning was spent wandering about in the old city. We started with a fun posing session at Plaça de la Mare de Déu. Honestly couldn’t get enough of the statues by the fountain. Next, we made our way to Catedral de València which is believed to have the holy grail. If you’re feeling up to it, you could climb the stairs of the El Miguelete to get a birds-eye view of València. After a brief stop at Plaça de la Reina, we made our way to the Central Market of Valencia. One of our favourite things to do in Spain is getting a taste of Spanish food in the endless markets the country offers.

We spent the afternoon in Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, the futuristic hub of the city. The sites here include Hemisfèric (IMAX theatre), Terraza L’Umbracle (outdoor gallery) and Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe (science museum). Our favourite was L’Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe. Here, you can see everything from fried egg jellyfish, flamingoes and cute penguins to Beluga whales and shovelhead sharks. You can meet the park animals here. The highlight of the visit was the bio-educational exhibition at the dolphinarium.

We ended the day in Campo de Mestalla Valencia CF where we watched a La Liga match. It was quite unfortunate that Valencia lost 2-4 to Las Palmas.

Day 4: Rest and relax

We had a lie-in on our 4th day. The previous days had been jam-packed with activities and sight-seeing. We were shattered by this point. A beach day could be a great alternative!

After what seemed like a minute of resting, we got on the train to get to our next destination: Córdoba.

Things to do in Córdoba

The Andalucian city of Córdoba was once the capital of Islamic Spain. It’s home to one of Spain’s greatest remnant from the Moorish era; Mezquita-Catedral. We were excited to begin our Andalucian journey.

Day 5: Visiting Mezquita-Catedral

Our first stop of the day was the Mezquita-Catedral where we spent ages marvelling at the architecture infused with a rich history. We were one of the first tourists to enter the mosque. It felt like we were the only ones there. Next, we went to Puente Romano de Córdoba, a bridge built in the early 1st century BC. From here, you can see the fortified gate of Torre de la Calahorra, built to protect the city. A few minutes away is the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos. We didn’t stop here as we were running short of time. We explored the streets around Patios de San Basilio and Puerta de Almodóvar instead.

Next stop: Granada

Things to do in Granada

This is not to take away from the beauty of the other cities, but Granada was by far my favourite. Often described as the Moorish jewel, this is what I envisioned Andalucia to be.

Day 6: Seeing the majestic Alhambra and watching our first Flamenco show

Home to the numerous Arab sultans who ruled Andalucia, Alhambra is the epitome of Moorish architecture in Spain. From the calligraphic inscriptions of Arabic poetry to the intricate mosaic tiles creating geometric patterns, we stood speechless. We spent most of the day walking through the many fortifications, palaces and gardens (including the Generalife Gardens) that Alhambra has to offer. Do make sure to book the tickets in advance as it is likely to be sold out closer to the date.

We ended our day at Tablao flamenco Le Chien Andalou where we watched our very first Flamenco show. The jaw-dropping performance was the perfect end to a perfect day in Andalucia.

Day 7: Discovering the whitewashed walls in Albayzin and eating the most delicious Paella of our lives

I spent the whole morning with butterflies in my stomach as we explored the narrow streets of Albayzin on our way to the Mirador de San Nicolas. It was the day I got the results of the last 2 out of 3 final exams of my ACA accounting qualification. I still remember the day as if it was yesterday. We were at the Mirador de San Nicolas, bathed with the ballads of the Spanish guitar, with the Alhambra imposing in the background. I cried tears of joy after finding out I passed.

As if our time in Granada could become even more perfect, we ended up having the best paella we’ve had in our lives at my celebratory lunch in Cafetería Restaurante El Molino. Afterwards, we spent some time at Plaza Nueva and Alcaiceria market.

After two perfect days in Granada, we made our way to Seville.

Things to do in Seville

The birthplace of Flamenco and home to the Royal Alcazar, Seville is the capital of the beautiful Andalusian region. Also, we finally truly felt the Spanish summer heat in Seville when temperatures reached 40°C.

Day 8: Taking in the Moorish architecture of Real Alcazar and watching the BEST flamenco show

Our first stop of the day was Las Setas de Sevilla. It’s a quirky structure with an archaeological museum and a rooftop walkway with great views. Next, we headed towards La Giralda and Catedral de Sevilla which also happens to be the largest gothic cathedral in Spain. PRO TIP: You can get spectacular views of the cathedral from the rooftop bar at Hotel Dona Maria. We went there in the evening and it was magical!

Afterwards, we went to the Royal Alcázar of Seville, which is one of the top 3 things to do in the Andalucian region. Another Spanish palace with spectacular Moorish architecture, the upper part of the palace is still used as a royal residence. We spent around 3 to 4 hours in the palace.

We ended the night at Casa de la Memoria where we saw the most spectacular flamenco show ever! As if the show in Granada could be topped?! We HIGHLY RECOMMEND going here for a flamenco show – you won’t be disappointed!

Day 9: Visiting Plaza de España and Maria Luisa Park

Last full day of travel. It was hotter than ever and we were sweating profusely. I kept telling Bobbé to “be one with the heat” – not sure he really appreciated it while drenched in sweat! We strolled around Plaza de España and Maria Luisa Park while trying to get as much shade as possible.

Afterwards, we had a fairly relaxed day where we just walked around the city centre.

Day 10: Last day of our trip and heading back to London

We didn’t do much on our last day in Spain except for walking around the Seville city centre and making a short stop at Sevilla FC RSP Stadium. Bobbé religiously follows La Liga so it was only natural we visited as many stadiums as we could.

Afterwards, we took the high-speed train to Madrid to catch our flight late evening/early morning.

TOTAL SPEND ON SIGHT-SEEING: around €115 per person (We generally do a lot of walking in the cities we visit. The places/things we actually spent money on were ziplining, entrance to Oceanogràfic, La Liga match, entrance to Mezquita-Catedral, entrance to Alhambra, entrance to Alcázar of Seville and the flamenco shows.)

TOTAL SPEND ON FOOD: We honestly can’t recall how much we spent. As a rough guide, expect to spend around €30 – €100+ per person per day. Assuming we spent on average €40 per day, this works out to be €400 per person for 10 days. Obviously, this would vary greatly depending on where and what you eat. Also, you could prepare your own food on some of the days to bring down the cost.

Summary of budget

• Accommodation: €215
• Transport: €400
• Sight-seeing: €115
• Food: €400
• Misc: €50
• TOTAL: €1,180/£1,000/$1,300 (€118/£100/$130 per day!)

And that brings us to the end of our superb 10-day trip in Spain. Having covered a lot of the Andalucian region, we hope to travel to the Basque region next!

If you enjoyed reading this and found it helpful, make sure to let us know in the comments below!

Happy travels,

Amana

Have you read my post about my favourite travel bags? I used one of these bags on this 10-day trip and managed to fit all my stuff! Have a look HERE.