I visited Spain this past summer and this was my exact itinerary (except the Montserrat trip). If you have any questions on where I went or where I stayed, please leave a comment below.
Day 1: TRAVEL DAY—fly to Madrid
· International Airlines: American Airlines
Malaysia
Air France
Singapore Airlines
Emirates
Day 2: MADRID—account for jetlag
· Explore the Gran Via (main street—note the architectural styles)
· Leisurely explore the side streets and eat some “jamon” (ham) at a small café
Ø Recommendation: Priorite Art Coffee Shops
Ø Watch out for prostitutes standing by their claimed trees
· Prado Museum (Three hours minimum)
· Parque del Buen Retiro (don’t go the bathrooms there-they have bathroom police officers/vigilantes watching how much toilet paper you take).
· Explore an “El Cortes Ingles”—the Spanish version of a super shopping center, grocery store, and everything in between.
· See a bull fight at Las Ventas (Ventas rail line)
· Plaza Mayor
· Plaza de la villa
· San Miguel Market
· Palacio Real
· End the day by shopping along the main Gran Via!
Day 5: SEGOVIA (1 ½ hours from Madrid by interstate)
· Admire the Aqueducts of Segovia (we stayed at the Hostel Plaza—no air conditioning, but lovely location).
· Cathedral of Segovia (3 euro admission)
· Alcazar de Segovia (I just climbed the tower and skipped the boring looking museum).
Aqueducts of Segovia
Day 5: Toledo (3 ½ hours from Segovia)
· Cathedral of Toledo
· Iglesia de Santo Tome (it has “Burial of Count Orgaz” by El Greco!!)
· San Juan de Los Reyes
· Puente San Martin
· Alcazar de Toledo and the Castillo de San Servando (in El Greco’s painting “View of Toledo”).
· Have a cocktail at Delf In Taller Del (one of the most beautiful views—next to the Alcazar of Toledo).
Day 6: Drive from TOLEDO to CONSUEGRA to CASTELLON DE LA PLANA
· See the amazing windmills of Don Quixote in Consuegra—out of the way but it has a stunning view and literature history.
· Drive to Castellon de la Plana (merely a rest stop between Consuegra and Barcelona—not much to do there so relax in your hotel! There is a large El Cortes Ingles).
Consuegra
Day 7: FIGUERES (4 hours from CASTELLON DE LA PLANA)
· Dali Museum (all day event—very surreal but awesome!)
· Be sure to stay in a hotel with air conditioning—we didn’t and it was miserably hot!
Day 8: FIGUERES TO FRANCE TO BARCELONA (1 hour from Figueres to French Border)
· Drive along the French Riviera and amble along beach towns such as Colliour, Perpignan, Le Boulou, Banyuls, Port Vendres).
· We just drove up and down the coast and admired the beautiful Mediterranean view—we also ate a few croissants!
· Drive to Barcelona (arrive there by 3:00 p.m.)
· Parc Guell in Barcelona
French Riviera
Day 9: BARCELONA
· Barcelona Gothic Cathedral
· Placa del Rei
· Arc de Triomph (yes, there’s one here as well!) You can walk to the beach from here.
· Museo de la Historia de Barcelona (one of the best museums I have ever been too—you can walk among the ruins of an ancient Roman wine and fish factory—free on the last Tuesday of the Month).
· 30 minute Flamenco Show at Tarantos (cheap flamenco!)
Day 10: BARCELONA
· La Sagrada Familia
· Casa Mila
· Placa Catalunya
· Placa Reial
· Palau Guell
La Sagrada Familia
Day 11: Day trip from BARCELONA to MONTSERRAT
· Montserrat is a monastery in the mountains area.
Day 12: BARCELONA
· Picasso Museum (three hours)
· Temple of Augusts of Barcelona (oldest monument in the Barcelona—hard to find so ask the locals around you).
· Explore Las Rambles (main street)
· Get some rest before your flight tomorrow!
Day 13: Travel home on your choice of Airline
