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Madrid in 7 Days — Spain + Castile Full Tour

All 5-day + Seville overnight + Cordoba day trip OR Barcelona alternative

Madrid 7-Day Itinerary — Quick Answer

As of 2026
Trip length
7 days
Est. cost / person (mid, ex-flights)
$2,050
Budget–luxury
$870–$4,520

As of 2026, the recommended Madrid 7-day route runs Day1 Royal Madrid + Cava Baja · Day2 Prado + Reina Sofia + Retiro + Gran Vía · Day3 Toledo day trip · Day4 Segovia day trip + El Escorial · Day5 Bernabéu + El Rastro + DiverXO · Day6 Seville overnight (Andalucía capital) · Day7 Cordoba day trip + return Madrid, grouping the must-see sights with minimal backtracking. Estimated cost per person (excluding flights) is around $2,050 on a mid-range budget. Seven days extend Madrid into a full Spain tour. Days 1-5 cover the 5-day itinerary. Day 6 is Seville overnight (2h 30min AVE south — Andalucía capital, Cathedral, Alcázar, Flamenco). Day 7 is Cordoba (2h AVE — Mezquita-Cathedral, world's only mosque-cathedral) + return Madrid. Or alternative: Barcelona overnight (2h 30min AVE east) for Gaudí + Mediterranean.

7-Day Total Budget at a Glance

Budget

$870

Per person, flights excl.

Recommended

Mid-Range

$2,050

Per person, flights excl.

Luxury

$4,520

Per person, flights excl.

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Day-by-Day Detailed Schedule

DAY 1

Royal Madrid + Cava Baja

Royal Palace + tapeo

Activities

  1. 10:00 Royal Palace 2.5 hours

    Europe's largest.

    Cost: €13 TIP: Pre-book.
  2. 12:30 Almudena Cathedral 45 min

    Modern cathedral.

    Cost: Free
  3. 13:30 Plaza Mayor + Mercado 1.5 hours

    1620 + 1916.

    Cost: $10-25 TIP: Iconic.
  4. 15:00 Puerta del Sol 1 hour

    Madrid center.

    Cost: Free TIP: Pickpockets.
  5. 16:00 Café Gijón 1 hour

    1888 literary.

    Cost: $5-15 TIP: Cortado €2.
  6. 19:30 Cava Baja Crawl 3-4 hours

    Casa Lucas + Casa Toni.

    Cost: $30-60 TIP: 2-3 tapas per bar.

Meal Recommendations

Breakfast

San Ginés

Centro · $5-15

Lunch

Mercado San Miguel

Centro · $10-25

Dinner

Cava Baja Crawl

La Latina · $30-60

Transit:

Metro + walking.

DAY 1 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)

Budget $70 Mid $180 Luxury $420
DAY 2

Prado + Reina Sofia + Retiro + Gran Vía

Golden Triangle

Activities

  1. 09:00 Prado Museum 3.5 hours

    Las Meninas + Bosch.

    Cost: €15 TIP: Pre-book.
  2. 13:00 El Brillante lunch 1 hour

    Calamari sandwich.

    Cost: $10-25 TIP: €6.
  3. 14:30 Reina Sofia (Guernica) 2.5 hours

    Picasso.

    Cost: €12 TIP: Room 206.
  4. 17:00 Retiro Park 2 hours

    Crystal Palace.

    Cost: Free TIP: Boat €7.
  5. 19:30 Gran Vía + Metropolis 1.5 hours

    1910s avenue.

    Cost: Free TIP: Metropolis.
  6. 21:00 Botín dinner 2 hours

    1725 oldest.

    Cost: $50-90 TIP: 4-6 weeks ahead.

Meal Recommendations

Breakfast

Café Gijón

Centro · $5-15

Lunch

El Brillante

Atocha · $10-25

Dinner

Botín

La Latina · $50-90

Transit:

Metro.

DAY 2 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)

Budget $90 Mid $220 Luxury $480
DAY 3

Toledo day trip

UNESCO + 3 cultures

Activities

  1. 08:30 AVE to Toledo 35 min

    35 min.

    Cost: €15-25
  2. 10:00 Toledo Cathedral 3 hours

    13th-century Gothic.

    Cost: €13
  3. 13:30 Adolfo lunch 1.5 hours

    Toledo Castilian.

    Cost: $25-50
  4. 15:00 Alcázar + Synagogue 2.5 hours

    Three Cultures.

    Cost: €9
  5. 17:30 Mirador del Valle 45 min

    Toledo panorama.

    Cost: Free TIP: Sunset.
  6. 21:00 Casa Lucio 2 hours

    Huevos estrellados.

    Cost: $40-80

Meal Recommendations

Breakfast

Hotel

Centro · $10-25

Lunch

Adolfo

Toledo · $25-50

Dinner

Casa Lucio

La Latina · $40-80

Transit:

AVE 35 min.

DAY 3 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)

Budget $100 Mid $240 Luxury $540
DAY 4

Segovia day trip + El Escorial

Roman aqueduct + Disney castle

Activities

  1. 08:30 AVE to Segovia 30 min

    30 min.

    Cost: €20-30
  2. 10:00 Roman Aqueduct 1.5 hours

    1st-century.

    Cost: Free
  3. 11:30 Cathedral + Alcázar 2.5 hours

    Disney inspiration.

    Cost: €14
  4. 14:00 Mesón de Cándido 1.5 hours

    Cochinillo.

    Cost: $30-50
  5. 16:00 El Escorial 2.5 hours

    UNESCO monastery.

    Cost: €12
  6. 21:00 DSTAgE dinner 2.5 hours

    2-Michelin.

    Cost: $140-280

Meal Recommendations

Breakfast

Hotel

Centro · $10-25

Lunch

Mesón de Cándido

Segovia · $30-50

Dinner

DSTAgE

Salamanca · $140-280

Transit:

AVE.

DAY 4 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)

Budget $110 Mid $260 Luxury $580
DAY 5

Bernabéu + El Rastro + DiverXO

Real Madrid + Sunday market

Activities

  1. 10:00 Bernabéu tour 2 hours

    Real Madrid.

    Cost: €25-35
  2. 12:30 Salamanca lunch 1.5 hours

    99 Sushi Bar.

    Cost: $40-80
  3. 14:30 El Rastro Sunday 3 hours

    1740s flea market.

    Cost: Variable TIP: Sunday 9-15:00.
  4. 17:30 Casa Toni vermouth 1.5 hours

    Sunday vermutear.

    Cost: $8-20
  5. 21:00 DiverXO 3-Michelin 3 hours

    Final-night.

    Cost: $330-450 TIP: 3-4 months ahead.

Meal Recommendations

Breakfast

Hotel

Centro · $10-25

Lunch

99 Sushi Bar

Salamanca · $40-80

Dinner

DiverXO

Chamartín · $330-450

Transit:

Metro.

DAY 5 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)

Budget $100 Mid $250 Luxury $600
DAY 6

Seville overnight (Andalucía capital)

Cathedral + Alcázar + Flamenco

Activities

  1. 08:00 AVE Madrid → Seville 2h 30min

    Spain's fastest train. 2h 30min from Atocha.

    Cost: €60-110 / $64-118 each way TIP: Pre-book 2-3 weeks ahead at renfe.com for Sparpreis €40-50 each way. First-class +€20-30 worth it for the views.
  2. 11:00 Seville Cathedral + Giralda Tower 2 hours

    World's largest Gothic cathedral. Columbus's tomb. Giralda (former minaret) tower.

    Cost: €12 / $13 TIP: Pre-book online to skip queues. Climb Giralda for Seville panorama (ramps not steps — built for horses).
  3. 13:30 Lunch at Bar Postigo (Andalucía tapas) 1.5 hours

    Iconic Sevilla tapas + sherry. Walking distance from Cathedral.

    Cost: $20-40 TIP: Sherry tasting + iconic Andalucía dishes (gazpacho, salmorejo, fried fish).
  4. 15:00 Real Alcázar de Sevilla (UNESCO) 2.5 hours

    Moorish royal palace, 14th century. Game of Thrones filmed here (Dorne).

    Cost: €14.50 / $15.50 TIP: Pre-book online. Most-photographed Mudéjar architecture in Spain. The Patio de las Doncellas is the iconic photo.
  5. 18:00 Plaza de España + Maria Luisa Park 1.5 hours

    1929 World's Fair plaza. Star Wars Episode II filming location (Naboo).

    Cost: Free TIP: Each azulejo bench represents a Spanish province. Boat rental on the canal €6 / $6.45.
  6. 20:00 Hotel check-in (Seville overnight) Overnight

    Hotel Las Casas de la Judería or Hotel EME Catedral.

    Cost: $150-400/night TIP: Stay in Santa Cruz (Old Jewish Quarter, atmospheric) or near Cathedral. Book 3-4 weeks ahead.
  7. 21:30 Flamenco at Casa de la Memoria + dinner 2.5 hours

    Iconic Sevilla flamenco tablao + tapas dinner.

    Cost: $60-90 TIP: Reserve 1-2 weeks ahead. Show €18 + dinner option €40-50 extra. Authentic Andalucía flamenco origins.

Meal Recommendations

Breakfast

Hotel (early)

Madrid Centro · $10-25

7:00 for 8:00 AVE.

Lunch

Bar Postigo or Las Teresas

Seville Old Town · $20-40

Andalucía tapas + sherry.

Dinner

Casa de la Memoria + flamenco

Seville · $60-90

Iconic flamenco origin.

Transit:

AVE Atocha → Sevilla 2h 30min each way. Seville walking + Metro Centro.

DAY 6 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)

Budget $250 Mid $550 Luxury $1,100
DAY 7

Cordoba day trip + return Madrid

Mezquita-Cathedral + farewell

Activities

  1. 08:30 Train Seville → Cordoba 45 min

    45 min by AVE.

    Cost: €20-30 / $21-32 each way TIP: AVE every 30-60 min. Book online to skip queues at Cordoba.
  2. 09:30 Mezquita-Cathedral (Mosque-Cathedral) 2 hours

    World's only mosque-cathedral. 8th-century Moorish mosque + 16th-century Christian cathedral inside. UNESCO.

    Cost: €13 / $14 TIP: Pre-book online. Free entry weekdays 8:30-9:30. Iconic red-and-white striped arches. The Christian cathedral inserted into the mosque is unique in the world.
  3. 11:30 Cordoba Jewish Quarter + Calleja de las Flores 1.5 hours

    Old Jewish Quarter (Judería) + iconic narrow flower-filled alley.

    Cost: Free walking TIP: Calleja de las Flores has the iconic Mezquita tower view between flower-covered walls. Old Synagogue (one of 3 surviving in Spain).
  4. 13:30 Lunch at Casa Pepe de la Judería 1.5 hours

    Traditional Cordoba cuisine — salmorejo, flamenquín, rabo de toro (oxtail).

    Cost: $25-45 TIP: Salmorejo (thicker gazpacho) is canonical Cordoba. Reserve 1 week ahead. Cordoba is hotter than Seville in summer — air-conditioned interior matters.
  5. 15:00 Return AVE Cordoba → Madrid 2 hours

    2 hours from Cordoba.

    Cost: €50-90 / $54-97 TIP: Last AVE Cordoba → Madrid ~22:00. Plan for 17:30 Madrid arrival.
  6. 19:00 Final shopping or rest 1.5 hours

    Pre-dinner downtime.

    Cost: Variable TIP: Plaza Mayor souvenirs or Salamanca district.
  7. 21:00 Final farewell dinner — repeat trip's best 3 hours

    Final-night canonical or repeat favorite.

    Cost: $50-450 TIP: If torn, DiverXO (impossible same-week), DSTAgE, Smoked Room, or repeat Casa Lucio + Botín + Cava Baja crawl. Or Madrid Tapas Tour for canonical end.

Meal Recommendations

Breakfast

Seville hotel breakfast

Seville · Included

8:00 for Cordoba train.

Lunch

Casa Pepe de la Judería

Cordoba Jewish Quarter · $25-45

Salmorejo + Andalucía classics.

Dinner

Repeat trip's best in Madrid

Madrid · $50-450

Final-night canonical or repeat favorite.

Transit:

AVE Seville-Cordoba 45 min + Cordoba-Madrid 2h. Total day transit ~3 hours.

DAY 7 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)

Budget $150 Mid $350 Luxury $800

Book Madrid Tours & Tickets

Packing Checklist

Madrid 7-Day Itinerary FAQ

Seville overnight or day trip? ▼
Overnight (1 night) is the right call. Seville is 2h 30min each way by AVE — day trip is too rushed (only 5 hours on site). 1 night allows Seville evening flamenco + dinner + morning Cordoba day trip. Hotel Las Casas de la Judería or Hotel EME Catedral are the canonical Seville Old Town stays.
Barcelona instead of Seville? ▼
Both are 2h 30min AVE from Madrid. Seville for Andalucía culture + Cathedral + Flamenco origin + Mezquita-Cordoba combo. Barcelona for Gaudí Sagrada Família + Park Güell + Mediterranean. First-time Spain: choose based on theme — Andalucía heritage vs Catalan modernism. Both are overnight, not day trip.
Cordoba Mezquita — really one-of-a-kind? ▼
Yes — Mezquita-Cathedral is the world's only mosque-cathedral. 8th-century Moorish mosque (with red-and-white striped arches that became Andalucía's architectural icon) + 16th-century Christian cathedral inserted inside the mosque after Reconquista. UNESCO. Worth the 45 min AVE from Seville for this alone.
Can I add Barcelona to 7-day Spain trip? ▼
Yes but 2h 30min AVE makes Barcelona better as overnight (1-2 nights). Replace Seville+Cordoba overnight with Barcelona overnight. Hotel Casa Camper Barcelona or Hotel Negresco Princess.
Where to base for 7 days? ▼
Madrid main base (5 nights) + Seville overnight (1 night) is the optimal split for 7-day Spain. Don't try to do Madrid + Seville + Barcelona without 1-2 nights in each.

Looking for Different Trip Lengths?

3

Madrid 3-Day Itinerary

Quick first-visit essentials

→ 5

Madrid 5-Day Itinerary

Relaxed pace with a day trip added

→

Why you can trust 7-day itinerary

Jimmy Kong TripPick founder · Travel content creator

Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.

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