Spain

Barcelona, Seville & Granada, Day by Day: Our Full Itinerary

The day-by-day: our Barcelona, Seville, and Granada route (April 7–15, 2018) with hotels, tours, meals, and a long list of what we'd try next time.

The Alhambra, Granada. Photo via Unsplash

Want the fuller story behind these picks? Read the companion recap: Barcelona, Seville & Granada: An Honest Recap.

Stayed at Pullman Hotel. Nice hotel by the beach, booked through Hotwire. Highly recommend.
Dinner at La Paradeta. Fresh seafood cooked to order; an authentic local experience. Recommend.

Free Walking Tour by Sandeman's. A great way to get to know the city fast; our guide Yiannis was incredible. Highly recommend.
Lunch at Craft Barcelona. Great $1 pinchos. Recommend.
Sagrada Família guided tour. The most amazing thing we've seen; book online a few days early. Highly recommend.
Tapas Tour by Sandeman's. A variety of tapas; fun but could be skipped. Guide Stefana was decent. Recommend.
Drinks at Paradiso / Pastrami Bar. The best speakeasy we've been to. Highly recommend.

Moved to Hotel Gòtic. Central, down the street from where the tours start, booked through Hotwire. Recommend.
Breakfast at Viena on La Rambla. The NYT raved about the jamón ibérico and it didn't disappoint. Recommend.
Biking Tour by Sandeman's. A different part of town; guide Macu was awesome. Highly recommend.
Lunch at Sagardi. The best tapas experience of our trip. Highly recommend.
Gaudí and Modernisme tour by Sandeman's. A great tour of Barcelona's architecture; guide Daniel was awesome. Highly recommend.
Dinner at Barraca. Recommended by guides for paella; the house wine was amazing. Highly recommend.
Drinks at W Barcelona. Fancy building; the view is cool with a good spot.

Stayed at Hotel Cervantes. Basic, comfortable, inexpensive, and very central — a 5-minute walk to the main spots. Booked through Hotwire. Recommend.
Seville Cathedral and Alcázar tour by Feel the City. Amazing buildings, but a poorly organized tour and the guides weren't great. Don't recommend Feel the City — consider another company.
Dinner at Al Aljibe. Good food and ambiance. Recommend.

Tapas Cooking Class by Not Just a Tourist. An amazing, authentic experience — just us. Highly recommend.
Flamenco show at Casa de la Memoria. An amazing show for a small audience. Highly recommend.
Dessert at El Comercio. Popular for churros y chocolate. Highly recommend.
Walked to Plaza de España. A beautiful area with gorgeous buildings. Highly recommend.
Dinner at Las Columnas. Recommended by guides; amazing food. Highly recommend.

Stayed at Hotel Barceló Congress. Nice but inexpensive; a bit far from the Alhambra. Booked through Hotwire. Highly recommend.
Lunch at Rosario Varela. The best tapas outside Barcelona; free tapas with the drinks. Highly recommend.
Dinner at Bodegas Castañeda. Traditional tapas and ambiance, recommended by guides; good food. Recommend.
Signed up for the Free Sacromonte Walking Tour by Walking Granada but skipped it due to the rain.

Free Walking Tour by Feel the City. Hit all the main spots; guide Pedro was awesome. Highly recommend.
Lunch at Gran Café Bib-Rambla. Decent tapas and paella. Recommend.
Granada City Train Tour by Get Your Guide. An efficient way to see everything; we used it to reach the Alhambra without a taxi. Recommend.
Killed time at Jardines Alberto by the Alhambra — tea and piononos (Granada's most popular dessert). Great vibe. Recommend.
Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens tour by Get Your Guide. Amazing; our guide was awesome. Highly recommend.
Tea at Arrayanes Tea House. The Alhambra-area tea house was amazing, and the tea unique. Highly recommend.
Dinner at Arrayanes. One of our best meals in Spain; hospitable owners; a nice change from tapas. Highly recommend.

Stayed at Hotel NH Collection Barcelona. Very nice but inexpensive, in the heart of Barcelona. Highly recommend.
Gaudí's Park Güell walking tour by Viator. The park was amazing, but the guide barely spoke English. (We'd planned the Get Your Guide tour but it sold out.)
Dessert at Xurreria. The best churros we had in Spain. Highly recommend.
Dinner at various stalls in La Boqueria. Great food, awesome atmosphere; a variety of empanadas. Highly recommend.