Not sure where to go this spring? Consider Spain! España is an absolutely gorgeous country full of culture, history, nature, delicious food and beautiful people. It’s a place where east meets west, where Europe meets Africa and the result is a unique destination. And best of all, it’s not as expensive as other European destinations – that is, if you go at the right time. Spring and fall are usually the best times to visit Spain, before and after the tourist high season.
Now before I discuss the road trip, I would like to say this: only go on this road trip if you really want to take your time and if you have the ability/time to explore most of the places mentioned. If you don’t plan on doing that, then using the train is a much easier and cheaper idea. Even if you’re sure about the road trip, you’ll still need to use public transportation and your feet quite frequently. After going through the road trip, I will discuss the pros and cons of driving vs. other methods of transportation.
The Road Trip
Days 1 & 2: Madrid
Fly in to Madrid from your home city, if you’re going from the US on a red eye flight you’ll likely land in the morning. After you get your rental and check in to your accommodation, it’s time to get moving. There is a lot to do in the capital of Spain, on your first day you can take a train from wherever you’re staying to Puerta Del Sol or Plaza de España. From there you can explore several sights on foot including the Royal Palace of Madrid, Plaza de Oriente, Gran Via, Almudena Cathedral, Plaza Mayor, Market of San Miguel and The Temple of Debod.
Take a tour of The Santiago Bernabéu, even if you’re not into soccer, it’s still worth a visit. Then continue touring Madrid by visiting Buen Retiro Park, The Fountain of Neptune, Plaza de Cibeles, Cybele Castle, Puerta de Alcala and Museo Nacional Del Prado.
Day 3: Toledo
Start your day by driving from Madrid to Toledo, usually about an hour drive. Toledo is a gorgeous city with beautiful views. Places to see include The Toledo Cathedral, The Alcazar of Toledo, Monastery of San Juan de Los Reyes, Synagogue of El Transito and the Ermita del Cristo Luz. Before leaving this beautiful city, drive up to Mirador Del Valle and enjoy amazing panoramic views of the city.
From there, continue the drive to Cordoba (typically 3.5 to 4 hours). If you’re not too tired, walk around and explore the city at night.
Days 4 & 5: Cordoba
Today is the day to fully explore Cordoba. The top sights include the Mezquita Cordoba, Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos, Calahorra Tower, Calleja de las Flores, Casa de Sefarad, La Casa Andalusi, Galeria de la inquisicion and the Roman bridge of Cordoba. Cordoba is a very walkable city with narrow streets in the old sections, so figure out parking in advance.
After touring the city, get your sunscreen and bathing suit ready and drive 1.5 hours to Malaga.
Day 6: Malaga
You can’t visit Malaga without going to the beach, so start today with a nice dip in the Mediterranean Sea. My favorite beach in Malaga is Playa de La Malagueta. After that there are a few sights to see in Malaga including the Alcazaba of Malaga, Malaga Cathedral, Gibralfaro and The Roman Theatre.
Days 7 & 8: Granada
Drive 1.5 hours from Malaga to Granada, my absolute favorite Andalusian city. The vibe you’ll feel here will make you want to stay forever. Stay in the Albaicin Quarter for the best cultural experience. There are many sights to see in Granada but the top one is of course the Alhambra complex. The Alhambra is an absolute work of art and you will spend all day here, guaranteed (Some things like The Fountain of Lions require booking in advance so booking online might not be a terrible idea).
Other sites to see in Granada include the Mirador San Nicolas (at sunrise or sunset), Mirador de San Cristobal, and the Palacio Dar-al-Horra. After walking for a long time, you deserve a break. The next city is one for relaxation, drive 3.5 hours to Alicante.
Day 9: Alicante
Just like Malaga, my favorite thing about this city is the beach. There are several beaches in the area but the best and closest one for us to stay on schedule is Playa del Postiguet. After spending some time relaxing at the beach, you can visit Santa Barbara Castle, Basilica of Santa Maria and if you have some time checkout some of the museums in the area.
Next is a 2 hour drive to Valencia, the third largest city in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona.
Day 10: Valencia
At some point today be sure to eat some Paella, you can’t come to Valencia and not have any. The beaches in Valencia are also very beautiful, and if you still want to swim then head to Malvarrosa Beach.
Other cool things to see in Valencia would be Mercado Central, The City of Arts and Sciences, Torres de Quart, Llotja de la Seda, Valencia Cathedral, El Miguelete, Torres de Serranos, Plaza de la Virgen, Plaza de la Reina and Palace of the Marques de Dos Aguas.
Days 11, 12 & 13: Barcelona
Continue sightseeing in Valencia and drive 3.5 hours to Barcelona, the capital of Catalunya and Spain’s #1 tourist destination. Barcelona has everything a tourist is looking for and this whole two week trip can easily be spent here. Your first night in Barcelona head to La Rambla, a street in the middle of the city full of life no matter what time of the day it is.
Take a trip to La Barceloneta beach which will be the most lively beach you’ll visit on this trip. Some sites you can visit today are Plaça de Catalunya, La Boqueria, Palau Guell, Placa Reial, Cathedral of Barcelona and The Gothic Quarter.
Again if you’re into soccer, it would be a good idea to tour FC Barcelona’s stadium The Camp Nou. After that you’ll have plenty of time to checkout and tour The Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila, Casa Batllo and Park Guell. If you have time left, you can visit Placa d’Espanya and the fountain of Montjuic.
Pros and Cons of driving in Spain: Driving gives you the freedom you want to travel at any time to any location with all your luggage with you. You don’t have to worry about train schedules or dealing with other people, for the most part. Also, if you drive you can leave the bags you don’t need in your car instead of always having to carry all your belongings with you.
The cons of driving would be the extra costs including car rental charges, fuel charges, parking fees (high in some areas), tolls and if you’re not careful, traffic citations (I got 7 of them on this trip).
Pros and Cons of using public transportation: The train and metro systems in and between the major Spanish cities are excellent. They’re fast, affordable, reliable and easy to use. You can use them to travel to most of the places on this road trip, although it might take considerably longer to reach some of the smaller cities by train. It might be best to rent a car to drive between cities but to drop that car off as soon as you reach your destination city and just use the train, bus or metro in that city.
This trip is based on a trip I took to Spain recently. I have to warn you, it might make you fall in love with España 🇪🇸.