Destinations in Spain — where to go
Where to base yourself, for how long, and what each city actually feels like.
Spain's big four have four very different personalities: Madrid (grand boulevards, world-class art, real Spanish life, 3 days), Barcelona (Gaudí, beach-in-a-city, Mediterranean energy, 3–4 days), Seville (flamenco, orange-blossom streets, the most 'this is what I pictured' city in the country, 2–3 days), and Granada (the Alhambra, tapas that come free with your drink, 2 days). A first-timer route strings together Madrid, then Andalusia (Seville + Granada), then Barcelona — or the reverse — over 10–14 days.
Here's the thing nobody tells you before a first Spain trip: it's not one country's worth of sightseeing, it's at least three. Castilian Madrid, Catalan Barcelona, and Andalusian Seville and Granada don't just look different — they eat dinner at different times, speak with different accents, and will each insist their region is the 'real' Spain. Good news: you don't have to referee that argument, you just have to see enough of each to understand why they're all a little bit right.
Madrid
3 days, stay near Sol or Malasaña — Spain's capital doesn't need convincing.
Barcelona
3–4 days, book Gaudí tickets early, and don't sleep on the beach.
Seville
2–3 days, real flamenco, and orange trees on every street.
Granada
2 days, book the Alhambra early, and let your tapas come free with the drinks.