Here is an 8-day trip that includes Madrid, Seville, Córdoba, and Granada. This itinerary is based on flying in to Madrid and making a logical loop that uses Spain's high-speed rail network = maximizing sightseeing.
Note: MUST bring passports/ID to visit these sites. Recommend pre-booking entrance tix for Alhambra and Seville Palace weeks in advance for the best timed-entry.
WHEN
spring or fall (summer gets too hot). Avoid semana santa/easter week (businesses close for the holy weekend).
WHAT
sightseeing, dining, shopping
DURATION
>8 days
Day 1 - Madrid
Arrival in Madrid (AM preferred)
Explore:
Evening tapas in the historic center.
Day 2 - Half Day Seville
Train ride to Sevilla. Arrival in Sevilla Santa Justa Station midday
Walk around Sevilla town/boutique shopping, catch views from Torre del Oro.
Book evening/sunset slot for Setas (mushroom building.)
Dinner/tapas in the city.
Day 3 - Full Day Seville
Pre-book walking tours, I recommend the guided ones that include Cathedral, Alcaraz, and Giralda such as this one from Viator.
Explore (and bring ID!)
Tour should take up most of the day, end the evening with a casual stroll around the river or watch a Flamenco show.
Day 4 - Half Day Seville + Granada
Visit the Plaza de España and Park Maria Luisa in the morning. You can rent boats around the lazy river.
Afternoon - take train or bus to Granada.
Evening arrival in Granada, grab dinner in the city center (Centro), buy a bus pass from any of the bus stops for your stay.
Day 5 - Granada
Pre-book your tickets for the Alhambra from the OFFICIAL website. Other websites that end in .org are not official/not regulated.
Explore Alhambra (must bring ID/passport)
Alhambra is divided into four main visitable zones
the Nasrid Palaces (royal residence)
the Alcazaba(fortress)
the Generalife (summer gardens)
and the Partal (palace and gardens).
This requires a lot of walking and will take the entire morning/afternoon so plan accordingly.
Late-afternoon stroll around the old city main street in Centro, hit up some local shops such as this perfume shop and gourmet shop.
At night, we took a bus ride to visit the Grand Mosque which had an amazing rooftop view of the Alhambra, it's so peaceful. (Only open during prayer times - see website.)
Below is the view from the Grand Mosque, but you can see a similar view from the other side from San Nicholas viewpoint.
Day 6 - Granada half day
Visit the Granada Cathedral and Royal Chapel.
Stroll through the Moorish bazaar or join a walking tour in this area.
Train to Cordoba in the late afternoon.
Evening dinner in Cordoba.
Day 7 - Cordoba
Join a walking tour in the morning or explore the narrow alleys on your own pace.
Explore:
Patios of Cordoba: see website for open-to-public patios
Day 8 - Back to Madrid (or not)
Last day! You can make your way back to Madrid in the morning or extend the trip to include Malaga (from Cordoba) or Ronda.
Either way, there's a lot that Andalusia has to offer in 8 days, but you’ve seen much of the best of Andalusia via their most historic cities (Granada, Cordoba and Seville). For anyone with just under 10 days to visit Andalusia, I think the above itinerary covers the highlights of the region and gives you a mix of all that makes Andalusia such a special destination.
(Updated May 2025)