Last Updated on: 17th February 2025, 07:47 pm
This travel itinerary visits two of Spain’s main cities: Madrid (including day trips from Madrid) and Barcelona.
Day 1: Madrid
Afternoon:
We walked along the wide pavements and pedestrian boulevards as well as narrow streets in the oldest part of Madrid.
Puerta del Sol
This is the square where New Year’s Eves are rung in at the clock tower. The Kilometre Zero marker which indicates the centre of Spain’s road network is on the pavement in front of the clock tower building.
Plaza Mayor (Main Square)
This square has been the scene of bullfights, pageants, executions and trials by the Spanish Inquisition. It was completed in 1619, but its current appearance is as a result of a restructure after a major fire in 1790.
The murals on the Casa de la Panadería (originally the main city bakery) are recent, dating from the late 20th century.
Overnight:
Madrid
Day 2: Day trip from Madrid – El Escorial, Alvia and Segovia
We hired a car for the day and thus had the flexibility to decide our own route. There are however many day tours available that offer the same or similar destinations. There are also public transport options.
Morning:
El Escorial
We set off to the impressive Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, also known as El Escorial. It is situated about 45 km (28 mi) northwest of Madrid in the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama.
Commissioned by King Philip II and built between 1563 – 1584, its main components were a monastery, college, palace and church. It was also to be the burial place for his father, Charles I of Spain and V of the Holy Roman Empire, as per his father’s wishes. It led the way for a new architectural style of unadorned austerity, where decorations were not to detract from the lines of the building.
Today, the main areas to visit are the Royal Library, Basilica, Chapter Rooms, Royal Apartments, Royal Pantheon and Pantheon of Infantes.
I find it fascinating that King Philip’s bedroom opened directly onto the high altar of the Basilica (from above).
Afternoon:
The region of Castile and Leon (Castilla y Leon) north-west of Madrid has many castles, cathedrals and other historical sites. They are spread out over the region, so you need to decide which to visit.
Avila
From El Escorial we continued to Avila, a distance of about 60 km (37 mi) over hilly terrain. Avila is said to have the best-preserved medieval walls in Europe. Thought to have been built in the 11th century, the walls are about 2.5 km long (1.6 mi) and have 87 turrets.
If travelling by car, stop at the Four Posts (Cuatro Postes) viewpoint near the road to / from Salamanca. From here you can get some distance and view a good section of the wall.
Segovia
We drove about 65 km (40 mi) to Segovia, also through a hilly area.
Aqueduct
The well-preserved two-tiered aqueduct in Segovia was built by the Romans in the 1st century. Those Romans really were remarkable!
Alcazar of Segovia
The Alcazar of Segovia is probably the most well-known castle in Spain owing to its fairy-tale appearance and dramatic setting. An early version of the Alcazar (fortress / castle) is known to have existed in the early 12th century. It was a residence of several Castilian monarchs until about the late 15th century.
Segovia Cathedral
This beautiful late-Gothic style cathedral is located on the Plaza Mayor. Construction began in 1525 but the cathedral was only consecrated in 1768.
The trip back to Madrid is about 90 km (56 mi).
Overnight:
Madrid
Day 3: Day trip from Madrid – Toledo
Morning and afternoon:
Toledo is south west of Madrid. We went by train, which took about half an hour.
The historical centre of Toledo is on a hill above the River Tagus. During its long history, Toledo has been ruled by the Romans, Visigoths, Moors and Catholic Monarchs. In the Middle Ages, it was home to residents of Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths. The artist El Greco moved to Toledo in the 16th century and today many of his works can be viewed here.
Toledo Cathedral (Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo)
Construction of this celebrated cathedral began in 1227 and the main work was completed in 1493. The style is Gothic, but subsequent internal additions and enhancements have contributed other styles.
We spent about 2 hours inside and I would highly recommend the audio guide. Do not miss the magnificent gold and polychrome altarpiece (reredos), Choir, Chapter House, Treasury (with the monstrance) and Sacristy.
Other top attractions in Toledo
Toledo has a wealth of top attractions: churches, synagogues, a monastery, the El Greco museum, the Alcazar (now an army museum), etc.
It is worthwhile to visit some of the several gates from different eras and walk alongside the fortification walls.
Views
Mirador del Valle is the best-known viewpoint of Toledo from outside the walls. It is on the circular road south of the river. It may be best to hire a taxi to take you there to save time.
If you are staying late or overnight, there will be great views of Toledo lit up at night.
Overnight:
Madrid
Day 4: Madrid to Barcelona
Morning:
Royal Palace (Palacio Real)
The opulent Royal Palace of Madrid was built after a fire destroyed the previous palace. Construction started in 1738 on the same site and was largely completed by 1751. It was used as royal residence until the abdication of Alfonso XIII in 1931 and is now used for state functions. It can be visited by the public.
Catedral de la Almudena
Even though King Philip II moved the royal court from Toledo to Madrid in 1561, a cathedral was not built in Madrid until much later. Construction was started in 1883 and completed over a century later. It has a neo-Gothic interior, but the exterior was designed to complement the palace which is across the square.
Campo del Moro
Campo del Moro is a park on the west side of the palace. When we were there, we could only enter and leave at the gate at bottom of the hill on the west side.
Templo de Debod
Rather strangely, Templo de Debod is a small Egyptian temple in the Parque del Oeste. Egypt donated the temple to Spain in thanks for Spain’s contribution to saving the Abu Simbel temples. This was part of an international effort to protect the monuments from the flooding that would result from the building of the Aswan Dam.
There are good views of Madrid from certain areas of this park.
Another top attraction in Madrid is the Prado Museum, one of the world’s greatest art galleries.
Afternoon:
We travelled to Barcelona on the high-speed train. The journey took less than 3 hours.
Overnight:
Barcelona
Day 5: Barcelona
Morning and afternoon:
We headed to Barcelona’s old town area which includes the Gothic Quarter, the oldest part of the city. This is where the Romans founded a new town in the reign of Augustus (27 BC – AD 14).
Palace of Catalan Music
The Palau de la Musica Catalana is not very old, having been completed in 1908, but is a much-admired example of the Modernisme style (the Catalan version of Art Nouveau). There are many unique architectural features such as the ornamented red-brick facade and the spectacular stained glass inverted dome inside.
Barcelona Cathedral
Barcelona’s Gothic cathedral is steeped in atmosphere. Construction commenced in 1298 on the site of previous churches and continued in stages for the next 150 years. The original simple façade was replaced with the current neo-Gothic façade in the late 19th century and the central tower was completed in 1913.
La Rambla
We strolled down La Rambla, a long pedestrian boulevard that leads to Monument a Colom and Port Vell. The Columbus Monument marks the spot where Columbus stepped ashore in 1493 after discovering America. We walked further along Rambla de Mar (continuation of Las Ramblas “on the water”), and then returned up La Rambla to the bustling La Boqueria Market to buy lunch. The market has a vast selection of fresh produce and meats and seafood as well as prepared food.
Passeig de Gracia
We took the metro to Passeig de Gracia, Eixample area’s main avenue. There are many high-end shops as well as several buildings in the Modernisme style including Gaudi’s Casa Batllo and Casa Mila (La Pedrera). Some of these buildings allow access to the public.
Another top attraction featuring Gaudi’s work is Park Guell, which is located further away on a hill in the Gracia district.
Overnight:
Barcelona
Day 6: Barcelona
Morning:
Basilica of the Sagrada Familia
This is Gaudi’s masterpiece and was started in 1882 (with Gaudi as chief architect from 1883). He transformed the design of this church with his architectural and engineering approach, combining neo-Gothic and organic Art Nouveau styles. The goal was to complete the project by 2026 to mark the centenary of Gaudi’s death, but the Covid-19 pandemic has introduced further delays.
The Sagrada Familia is spectacular, fantastic, glorious and unique – go and see it!
If you are visiting in peak season, it is recommended to buy tickets in advance as the Sagrada Familia is the most visited tourist attraction in Barcelona.
Montjuïc Hill
Major development of the hill area took place for the 1929 International Fair and then again for the 1992 Olympic Games.
We took the metro to Placa d’ Espanya and then caught a bus up the hill to the Olympic Stadium.
After popping in to the Olympic Stadium and then visiting the Jardins Jean Margall, we headed to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya and made our way back down to the Plaza.
I would have loved to have seen the stunning water, light and music show at the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc but the show-nights vary depending on the time of year.