13 Days in Spain - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary#1: Best of Spain Highlights Tour

Over 13 fun-filled days, you'll visit three of the most famous and culturally historic regions in Spain: Madrid, Barcelona, and Andalusia. It begins in Madrid with its royal legacy and continues in Seville, the birthplace of flamenco music, before finally ending up in Barcelona with city tours of famous neighborhoods like Barrio Gótico and El Born. 

Upon arrival in Madrid, you can get your bearings on a self-guided tour of the city. Perhaps head to Gran Vía, one of Madrid's main thoroughfares and a great place to do some shopping or catch a show. On day two you'll embark on a private city tour with an expert guide, visiting highlights like Madrid's historic center, Madrid de los Austrias, where you'll find the Royal Palace, among other landmarks. You'll also take a stroll through El Retiro Park, a 308-acre green space known as the "green lung" of Madrid.

Day three involves a journey south by train to Seville, the capital of Andalusia. Seville has a centuries-long legacy of tapas and flamenco culture which you'll discover over a couple of days on guided city tours. You'll stop in historic Old Town to dine at famous tapas bars plus see a live flamenco show. Day five is a trip to Córdoba for a tour of its diverse architecture like the Mezquita (Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba), the 14th-century Alcázar de los Reyes, and the old Jewish Quarter. 

Days six and seven you'll get to visit both a working olive-oil estate and a farm where they raise the pigs that produce Spain's prized Iberian hams. After a tour of sherry wine country, you'll end up in Ronda on day eight, a historic city perched atop a mountain gorge and affording panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. There will be a wine tour here as well, plus hiking on day nine before you press on to Granada, another Andalusian city well known for its Moorish palaces.

Day 10 you'll tour Granada's most famous landmark, the Alhambra. This 9th-century Muslim fortress was rebuilt as a palace in the 14th century before it was finally taken during the Christian reconquest in 1492. On day 11 you'll arrive in Barcelona and spend a couple days enjoying Catalan culture. This includes a bicycle tour of the city's most popular neighborhoods, like the Gothic Quarter, but also stops at its most famous Gaudí-designed buildings, like Sagrada Familia. Learn more.

Itinerary#2: Ultimate Food, Culture & Wine Tour of Spain

Get ready to eat your way through Spain with this culinary tour while also devouring its rich culture. As you do, you'll sample the tastes of three distinct regions of Spain: Catalonia, Madrid, and Andalusia.

You'll arrive in Barcelona, and for the first couple of days you'll discover the city on guided tours. You'll visit the famous locales and sights including Carmel Hill, the Port of Barcelona, the Magic Fountain of Montjuic, Barceloneta Beach, plus you'll tour Park Güell and Casa Mila, two other masterpieces from legendary Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. Day three will be your first immersion in Catalan cuisine as you take a private cooking class where you'll learn to prepare your own Spanish tapas.

Day four you'll leave Barcelona for Madrid by train. There's a city tour of Spain's capital waiting for you here, and you'll visit all the historic sights and plazas. If you want to keep the culinary theme going, your first night in Madrid you can dine at Botín, the oldest restaurant in the world. On day six you'll not only indulge in Madrid's best food with a tapas tour, but you'll also take in an authentic flamenco performance. 

Day seven you'll hop another train, this one bound for Málaga, which sits on Spain's gorgeous Costa del Sol. After bouncing around the city's best tapas bars on day seven, on day eight you'll enjoy some culture by visiting a museum dedicated to Málaga's most famous son: Pablo Picasso. Day nine you'll delve even deeper into the culture when you participate in romeria, a popular pilgrimage to a religious site just outside the city. It's a fun affair complete with parades and dancing.

On day 10 you're off to Granada to tour the Alhambra as well as its Generalife Gardens, which are filled with well-manicured flowerbeds, fountains, colonnades, and pavilions. The next couple of days you'll spend in the city of Cordobá, touring not only its historic sites and neighborhoods but visiting its local markets and tapas bars as well. Day 13 you'll transfer to Madrid and catch your flight home. Learn more. 

Itinerary#3: Spain Highlights & Balearic Islands

In just under two weeks you can combine a tour of Spain's hottest cities with a rejuvenating island holiday. Every locale on this itinerary is a star in its own right, whether it's the cauldron of culture and history that is Madrid, the Moorish palaces and castles of the Andalusia region, or the rocky coasts fronted by Sapphire waters on Menorca and Mallorca.

Stretch your legs on a walking tour of Madrid to start your trip. Head to Puerta del Sol, which dates to the 15th century and every Dec. 31st swells with rowdy Madrileños eager to ring in the new year. A private tour on day two stops at the most tranquil and beautiful garden within El Retiro Park: Jardines de Cecilio Rodríguez. Filled with hedges, fountains, flowers, and sculptures, this green space was inspired by Andalusia. It's a good primer because that's where you're headed next. 

Day three you'll leave Madrid by train south to Seville. You'll be welcomed with a tour of the city's historic center and an evening of traditional tapas, like Iberico ham and garlic shrimp, before seeing a flamenco show in the historic Santa Cruz neighborhood. After another tour of the city on day four, day five you'll travel to Ronda and visit a former monastery turned winery for a tasting. Day six you'll visit Granada and tour the Alhambra and gardens.

Day seven is when this epic vacation transforms from a cultural excursion to an island hop, as you fly from Granada to the island of Menorca. A smaller member of the Balearic Isles, Menorca is known for its tranquility and the beauty of its coves and white-sand beaches. Over two days you'll discover this on your own with self-drive tours around the island as well as a horseback ride along the coast. 

On day nine, you'll fly to Menorca's larger sibling, Mallorca. This popular vacation spot features beautiful beaches like Menorca but also towering limestone mountains and a capital city, Palma, that's filled with historic architecture, like the Royal Palace of La Almudaina. The last few days you'll spend touring the capital, sailing around the coast, and hiking the Tramuntana Mountains, where you'll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the horizon. Learn more. 

Itinerary #4: Ultimate Northern Spain Road Trip

This 13-day road trip will take you deep into Spain's wild and beautiful north. It begins in Madrid, and from there you'll drive through stunning wine country into the lesser-visited Galicia region, all before ending up on the northern Atlantic coast and Basque Country. 

You'll arrive in Spain and will spend the first couple of days acclimating to the culture by taking guided and self-guided tours of famous sights. This includes strolling El Retiro Park and visiting the Puerto del Sol, Royal Palace, and the Plaza Mayor. You can even visit Barrio las Letras, a neighborhood so named because it was once home to giants of Spain's golden age of literature, like Cervantes. 

On day three you'll pick up your rental car and drive north to Ribera del Duero, one of the premier wine regions of Spain. After overnighting in a hotel right on the vineyards, you'll drive to Léon, a city with a rich history dating back to Roman times. You'll visit its historic landmarks, such as the Roman Walls and the 13th-century Cathedral of Léon. On day four you'll drive to the Ribeira Sacra river valley, another famous wine region. You'll see its terraced vineyards on a riverboat cruise before transferring to Vigo.

From the Galician port city of Vigo, you'll take a boat cruise to the Cíes Islands, which are home to Rodas Beach, one of the most beautiful bits of sand in Europe. You'll then transfer north to the capital of Galicia, Santiago de Compostela. On day eight you'll take a Galician cooking class in Santiago plus visit major sights like the city's main cathedral, which is home to the remains of Saint James the Great. It's for this reason Santiago is the final stop on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.

On day nine you'll drive north into Basque Country, but not before stopping off at the beautiful mountain village of Lugo, home to Roman Walls so impressive they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You'll continue on to Oviedo, another colorful historic town boasting UNESCO sites, like the 9th century Church of San Julián de los Prados. On day 10 you'll drive to Bilbao, a Basque city on an estuary famous for being the home of Frank Gehry's masterpiece of design, the Guggenheim Museum.

After touring the highlights of Bilbao, such as its well-preserved historic center, on day 11 you'll drive along the gorgeous Basque coast to San Sebastian, one of the great European seaside cities. Day 12 you'll enjoy a half-day tour of the city visiting its famous Parte Vieja (old town), and La Concha Beach. Of course, you'll also indulge in its famous tapas scene. Learn more.

Itinerary #6: Ultimate Southern Spain Road Trip

A road trip is always an exciting proposition, even more so when the location is Spain. This self-drive itinerary focuses on the center of the country and the capital of Madrid, followed by a jaunt into the arid plains of La Mancha before finally reaching the Moorish palaces of Andalusia.

Begin with two days getting to know Madrid. The first night a local expert will lead you around to Madrid’s best tapas bars in the Las Letras neighborhood, and the next day on a guided tour you’ll visit landmarks like the Royal Palace and El Retiro Park.

Then, on day three, it will be time to hit the open road. First, you’ll travel just south of Madrid, to the hilltop fortress city of Toledo. This historic gem was once the capital of Old Spain in the middle ages. You’ll see evidence of its rich mix of cultures when you tour the 13th-century Toledo Cathedral, the Alcázar de Toledo, and the 12th-century Moorish Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca.

Day four you’ll press on into Andalusia and the city of Córdoba, another historic city with a mix of Moorish, Jewish, and Roman-Catholic cultures. The tour of Córdoba includes stops at the Jewish Quarter, the Mezquita, and the Alcázar de los Reyes. Day five you’ll drive to Andalusia’s capital of Seville and kick off your arrival with a tapas tour. The next day you’ll tour famous city sights like the 15th-century Cathedral, which is the largest Gothic church in the world.

Take a day trip to the town of Jerez de la Frontera on day seven. The region is famous for its sherry wine, which you’ll enjoy on a tasting. You’ll also take in a horsemanship performance from Spain’s Royal Equestrian Society. Then, on day eight, you’ll drive to Ronda with a stop first to enjoy an Andalusian lunch amid the whitewashed buildings of the town of Arcos de la Frontera.

On day nine you’ll test your resolve with a sky hike on the Caminito del Rey. This network of walkways clings to the side of a gorge and is suspended over 2,000 feet above the ground. Next up is Granada, where on day 10 you’ll take a guided tour of its dominating Alhambra palace and adjacent gardens.

Day 11 you’ll enjoy a relaxing excursion to the countryside and a visit to an Andalusian farmhouse for a homemade lunch. The last leg of the road trip, you’ll arrive at the seaside city of Málaga where you can stroll the waterfront promenade, enjoy more tapas, and perhaps visit the Picasso Museum. Learn more.

More Great 13-Day Spain Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your Spain trip? Check out these other 13-day Spain itineraries, ranging from active, to cultural, to luxury, or family-friendly trips.

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