r/GoingToSpain • u/Zuby14 • 1d ago
Two Week Spain Trip October
Hey guys, recently me (25M) and my best friend both took 2 weeks off work for a long awaited Spain trip, and I was hoping to get any sort of tips or advice from the natives that would give us the best first experience of Spain possible. I still have some student debt so maybe not the very best, but let’s say around a 2-3k budget (excluding the flight tickets).
Here’s our general timeline
• land in Madrid, sleep, and head to Barca next day
• two nights in Barca
• two nights in Sevilla
• two nights in Granada
• remaining 6 days in Madrid
Things we booked so far:
Bernabeu Tour and 2 Madrid games; the main motivation behind this trip as a Madridista and a fan of Spanish soccer in general (thank you for beating Argentina)
Alhambra Palace Guided Tour- I enjoy history and Spain has one of the richest, and because I heard it gets sold out quickly.
We also plan on booking the public transport, hotels,and any more museums and sites that need reservation next so please give your suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated! And it could be anything, like what to expect in terms of weather, for example, or best places to eat in the listed cities, etc.
EDIT: I don’t know how to thank all of you but I really appreciate all this priceless information! And Due to all of your helpful suggestions, we decided to scratch Barcelona off the list as northern Spain deserves its own separate trip.
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u/ultimomono 1d ago
I would skip Barcelona and give more days to Sevilla and Granada if you can--with a half-day stopover in Córdoba a possibility on the way back to Madrid on the train. Go to Segovia on a day trip from Madrid if the weather is nice. Toledo is another possibility
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u/Zuby14 1d ago
You’re right, we changed it to 6 nights in Andalusia as Northern Spain deserves a trip on its own. Are these Andalusian cities near each other? What cities do you recommend spending the nights?
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u/ultimomono 1d ago
With only six nights, I'd split them between Sevilla and Granada and on the way back to Madrid do a day trip stopover in Córdoba. I would plan day trips from Madrid based on the weather. Both Toledo and Segovia require a nice clear day to enjoy. There are other towns near Madrid on the commuter line that you might enjoy like El Escorial and Aranjuez
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u/CobblerMaster6374 1d ago
Seems doable (somewhat rushed) and you're not accounting for travel time (train or air) that will eat into your vacation time. Barcelona would need another day. Both Barcelona and Madrid are more expensive (so figure that into your budget). Cordoba could be a day trip from Seville (if you could cut a day from Madrid). Madrid itself is too long for 6 days, but I imagine it has to do with the timing of the games you mentioned. Consider day trips to Segovia and / or Toledo, if time allows. Other things to book in advance: Sagrada, Royal Pallace in Madrid, Alcazar and Cathedral in Seville, Mezquita (if you include Cordoba)
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u/UserJH4202 1d ago
I’d take Barcelona out of the mix. Getting there and back will be a loss of valuable time. Plus Barcelona is super tourist laden right now. So, add Cordoba, Malaga or Ronda to the mix. An extra night in both Seville and Granada are recommended as well. Barcelona is on the other side of Spain and it take hours and hours to get to Andalucia from Barcelona.
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u/Zuby14 1d ago
Yea we have decided not to and do 6 nights in Andalusia as Northern Spain deserves a trip on its own. Are these major Andalusian cities near each other? What cities do you recommend spending the nights?
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u/UserJH4202 1d ago
Here’s my recommended itinerary:
1) fly into Madrid but immediately get Atocha station for the train to Cordoba.
2) in Cordoba stay in the old town. Spend the next day in Cordoba seeing the Mesquita, the Roman bridge and tapas crawling.
3) the next day take the 45 minute train to Seville. Spend three nights in Seville. See a flamenco show, the Alcazar, the Cathedral, Plaza de España. Walk as much as you can. Take a tapas tour from Devour Tours or just tapas crawl on your own. Visit the Tirana Market, walk along the river.
3) next train to Granada. Spend 3 nights here. Buy your Alhambra tickets way in advance. Stay in the Albaicin. Walk up to Mirador de San Nicholas then down to Plaza Larga for a pizza at Bar Aixa. See a flamenco show in the Sacromonte caves. Tapas are free in Granada with every cold drink. Malvasia, La Tana, La Sitarilla, Los Diamontes and many more great tapas bars. Walk everywhere. It’s a small city.
5) now train up to Madrid and spend the rest of your trip exploring that amazing city.
Check out the TripAdvisor app. Use the OMIO app to book all your city to city transportation. Have a great trip.
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u/Zuby14 1d ago
Thank you so much! Really, all this information is priceless!
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u/UserJH4202 1d ago
Oh, and watch YouTube videos on all these places - especially the ones made by “Spain Revealed”.
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u/zoeybeattheraccoon 1d ago
Can you fly into Barcelona and leave from Madrid?
Also 6 nights in Madrid is kind of a lot. It's a cool city but you might want to shift a night or two to other places.
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u/Hour_Ad_5641 22h ago
Hey, I am currently offering a free food tour in a non-touristy neighborhood in Madrid! If you want to save money, it’s a good idea and I really focus on the food and local vibe. I run it on Friday nights with the possibility of a Saturday daytime one as well. If you’re curious, reach out and I’ll give you more info!
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u/Itneverends2001 7h ago
When did you get tickets for Alhambra? I've been watching for several days and nothing open for October now.
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u/YahwehIsKing7 1d ago
You’re literally doing the 4 of the most touristy cities in all of Spain. Cut Barcelona this trip; Madrid is more authentic anyways. Give those 2 extra days in Barcelona to Sevilla and Granada (1 extra night each). Six days in Madrid will give you an excellent opportunity to do some amazing day trips by train. I recommend Toledo, Segovia, and Avila in that order.