Where to Visit in Spain’s major cities
My first two ventures to Spain were to Barcelona. While the city is stunning and has endless things to see and do, trip to Southern Spain was my favorite by far. Seville had long been on my list and gave me a taste of Morrocco with the architecture and food, while Madrid offered a European big city feel. Check out my tips for visiting three of my favorite cities in Spain.
SEVILLE
MADRID
BARCELONA
SEVILLE
When you walk the streets of Seville, it’s hard not to notice the abundance of oranges lining the streets, and if you’re lucky to visit in spring, the scent of the oranges lines the streets. Don’t take a bite of one though - they’re not for eating off the vine, but better served in a jam, or my personal favorite in a vino de naranja (orange wine).
When we arrived in Seville, we had planned to spend one or two days in neighboring towns like Cordoba or Grenada. We loved Seville so much that we never left until we had to. Here’s how we spent our time:
Free Walking Tour Seville - my favorite way to kick off my first full day in a new city is with a walking tour. You get the lay of the land, a little bit of history, and the tour guides are locals who can give great recommendations for food spots.
Guadaluxe River Cruise - we had amazing weather in December and spent an afternoon on a boat cruise, with wine in hand.
Royal Alcázar of Seville - The highlight of Seville is hiding in plain sight, as its facade is rather unassuming compared to its grand interior. The palace is spectacular and Moroccan inspired but the gardens are where the real magic happens. Plan to give yourself a half-day here, as the gardens alone you can spend an hour getting lost in, and even stop by a cafe for a drink or lunch.
Plaza de España and Parque de María Luisa - The tiles in this area are absoluterly stunning. You can also rent a bike in the park nearby and spend an hour exploring by wheels.
Tablao Flamenco El Arenal - A flamenco show is a must when in Seville, or Spain in general for that matter. I booked this excursion on Viator and it included a one-hour show and a glass of sangria. For a bit extra you can also include dinner, tapas-style.
Centro Cerámica Triana - Seville is known for its ceramics and they have a whole neighborhood and even a museum dedicated to the craft.
Setas de Seville - a modern park that looks more like a rollercoaster but can be explored on foot with amazing views of the city.
Where to eat and drink in seville
What to eat in Seville? Tapas, tapas, and more tapas. I think we ate them every night, but due to the vast variety, I never got bored. Due to its proximity to Morrocco, there are also a lot of middle eastern-inspired tapa joints as well. The best part? The only cost a few euros per plate. Try any of these places for a treat:
Terraza Hotel Doña Maria - rooftop drink
Feria 83 - great spot for a proper brunch
The area around the Setas de Seville was also a lively area to grab a pastry or a drink
Where to stay in seville
We stayed in the Feria neighborhood, which was just outside of the city center and had a great rooftop. It was a bit noisy at night, but overall it was a great place to stay. We stayed at this AirBnb, and I’d recommend staying in this neighborhood or Centro, the downtown area, where there are even more hotel options.
Madrid
We spent a couple of days in Madrid both before and after visiting Seville, as it was much cheaper to fly into. It’s also very easy to take the train in just a few hours (much faster than driving) to Seville from Madrid. While mostly just a big city, we did still find a few charming Spanish spots to visit.
Things to do in madrid
San Miguel Mercado - this was probably one of my favorite markets I’ve been to in Europe, my only complaint was how hard it was to find a table to sit at, but the food and bev were excellent.
Free Walking Tour Madrid - you know I love a walking tour to get to know a new place
El Retiro Park - a great place to spend an afternoon walking or biking around
Where to eat in madrid
Brunch Club for breakfast
Alhambra for great tapas (don’t miss the blueberry goat cheese)
Chocolatería San Ginés for the best churros con chocolate in town
Mas Al Sur for excellent tapas - we spent NYE dinner here and it was a great deal!
Where to stay in Madrid
We stayed at two different hotels, both were in great locations and excellent hotels, with 7 Islas Hotel being my personal favorite as it had more of a boutique hotel feel than Hotel Indigo Princesa, although they did have a great rooftop.
Barcelona Travel Guide
Barcelona is one of my favorite places I've traveled to. The city is vibrant in its architecture, food, and nightlife, and there is truly something for everyone in this city.
Best restaurants in Barcelona
La Boqueria - This huge open market has everything from tapas to smoothies to fresh fish.
Agua - Great tapas right on the beach.
Teleferic - Best tapas we had in Barcelona (especially the pinxos), amazing cocktails as well.
El Mercader de l’Eixample - Traditional Catalan food, the cannelloni was my favorite, a pasta filled with meat and covered in cheese.
L'Arrosseria Xàtiva - Amazing paella, Spain’s signature rice and seafood dish.
Things to do in Barcelona
Walk around the beach area - There are so many great restaurants, shops and attractions along the way.
Museums - Barcelona is known for its art and history, and there are plenty of museums in the city to learn all about them.
Visit Gaudi’s masterpieces - While Park Guell is my favorite spot to walk around, Casa Batlló has the most amazing exterior of any building I’ve ever seen. You can view a full list of his buildings in Barcelona here.
Sagrada Familia - This is my top thing to do, and paying to go inside is beyond worth it. When traveling in Europe you feel like if you’ve seen one church, you’ve seen them all, but this one is so different and absolutely stunning inside. I also recommenced paying extra to go out on the terraces on the top for amazing views and the chance to see the detail of the exterior up close.
Gothic Quarter - Gorgeous architecture and surrounded by main attractions, this is a great spot to pick up a free walking tour and learn more about the city.
Magic Fountain of Montjuïc - Fountain and light show, time schedule by season here.
Montjuïc Castle - This castle in the clouds has amazing views of the city where you can grab a pastry and a glass of sangria and take it all in on one of the many terraces surrounding the castle.
Where to stay in barcelona
H10 Art Gallery, classy hotel with a rooftop pool for an affordable price. The Eixample area is much less touristy but still close to everything; we walked and took the metro everywhere, both of which were easy to navigate.
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