Spain is Europe's most exuberant country — extraordinary food, world-class art, Gaudí's impossible architecture, flamenco in a cave, and landscapes from Saharan dunes to Pyrenean peaks. It also has the world's best nightlife and the most generous tapas culture.
📅 Day-by-Day Itinerary
📅 Barcelona
Gaudí's masterworks: Sagrada Família (book first entry), Park Güell, Casa Batlló, and La Pedrera. Las Ramblas, the Gothic Quarter, and the Boqueria market. Eat patatas bravas and jamón at a pinxos bar in El Born. Sunset from Bunkers del Carmel.
📅 Valencia & the East Coast
The futuristic City of Arts and Sciences. Eat paella Valenciana at its source — never in a tourist restaurant, always at a beachside spot on Sunday. Day trip to the medieval walled town of Morella.
📅 Andalucía — Seville & Granada
Seville: the Alcázar palace, the Cathedral (Columbus's tomb), and live flamenco in a tablao in Triana. Granada: the Alhambra palace-fortress at sunrise (book months ahead) and tapas in the Albaicín — still free with every drink here.
📅 Ronda & the White Villages
The 18th-century bullring and the gorge-bridging El Tajo. Drive the Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos — whitewashed villages hanging from Andalucían hillsides. Zahara, Grazalema, and Vejer de la Frontera.
📅 Madrid
The Prado Museum (Velázquez, Goya, El Greco), the Reina Sofía (Picasso's Guernica), and the Thyssen-Bornemisza. Eat cocido madrileño at a century-old taberna. Nightlife begins at midnight — bars are full at 2am.
🏨 Where to Stay
Hotel Pulitzer Barcelona (~$165/night)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ · Rated 8.8
19th-century boutique steps from Plaça Catalunya — rooftop terrace, lush courtyard restaurant, 100+ live music nights/year
💡 Key tips: Book the Alhambra 2–3 months ahead — it sells out completely. Spanish mealtimes are late: lunch 2–4pm, dinner 9–11pm. Eating at the bar in a tapas bar is always cheaper than a table. The AVE high-speed train is excellent between cities. Siesta is real — many shops close 2–5pm.
