Day 1 — Gaudí & the Gothic Quarter
Barcelona · Art & Tapas
Sagrada Família at opening, market lunch on La Rambla, Park Güell for sunset, tapas late.
09:00
Sagrada Família
Attraction · Timed entry
Book the 9:00 slot with tower access — morning light through the east Nativity façade glass is unreal.
€26
12:30
El Quim de la Boqueria
Lunch · Market counter
Counter seats inside La Boqueria market — order the chipirones with fried egg, the dish that made Quim famous.
€20
14:30
Gothic Quarter & El Born walk
Walk · Self-guided
Duck into Plaça Sant Felip Neri — shrapnel scars from 1938 still mark the walls. Quietest before 15:00.
Free
18:00
Park Güell at sunset
Attraction · Golden hour
The mosaic terrace faces west over the whole city — timed entry, so book the slot 90 min before sunset.
€10
20:30
Tapas at El Xampanyet
Dinner · No reservations
Standing room, house cava, anchovies since 1929. Go at opening (19:00) or expect a happy crush.
€25
Getting around: Metro L2 → Liceu · 15 min
Day 2 — Golden Triangle of Art
Madrid · Museums & Plazas
The Prado while it’s fresh, Retiro to digest, palace in the afternoon, churros past midnight.
10:00
Museo del Prado
Museum · Book ahead
Head straight to Velázquez’s Las Meninas before the groups arrive. Check official hours and buy a ticket before relying on this slot.
€15
13:30
Mercado de San Miguel
Lunch · Market stalls
Iron-and-glass market from 1916 — grab jamón ibérico cones and a vermút. Eat standing like a madrileño.
€20
16:00
Royal Palace of Madrid
Attraction · Timed entry
Europe’s largest royal palace by floor area — the armory is the sleeper hit. Wednesday afternoons are quietest.
€14
23:00
Churros at Chocolatería San Ginés
Late night · No booking
Open since 1894 and 24 hours — churros dunked in thick chocolate is how Madrid ends a night, not starts a day.
€6
Getting around: 10 min stroll into Retiro Park
Day 3 — Moorish Seville
Seville · Palaces & Flamenco
The Alcázar early before the heat, cathedral at midday, flamenco in a carriage-house at night.
09:30
Real Alcázar
Attraction · Timed entry
Book the first slot — by 11:00 the Patio de las Doncellas is shoulder to shoulder. The upper Royal Apartments need a separate timed ticket.
€15
12:00
Seville Cathedral & La Giralda
Attraction · Combined ticket
Climb the Giralda — it’s ramps, not stairs (built for a horse). Columbus’s tomb is inside the nave.
€12
14:00
Tapas at Bodega Santa Cruz
Lunch · Local favorite
Your tab is chalked on the bar in front of you. Order the pringá montadito and a cold Cruzcampo.
€14
18:30
Plaza de España at golden hour
Landmark · Free
Row a boat on the moat canal for €6 — the tiled alcoves map every Spanish province.
Free
21:00
Flamenco at Casa de la Memoria
Show · Book ahead
An intimate 100-seat courtyard with no drinks service. Check live show times and buy directly; popular performances can sell out.
€22
Getting around: 4 min walk through the Barrio Santa Cruz lanes