Begin your culinary journey by trying delicious street food at La Boqueria Market. Enjoy a casual lunch at Bar Cañete and experience yummy tapas. Visit Casa Batlló, a must-see architectural masterpiece, to get a sense of modernism. Chocoholics should check out the Chocolate Museum. Dinner at Disfrutar, which boasts three Michelin stars, promises to be a delightful and memorable experience.
Valencia is a charming city known for its cuisine. The morning starts with savoury breakfast sandwiches called bocadillos at Café de las Horas, served with coffee or freshly squeezed orange juice. Explore the modern architecture of City of Arts and Sciences, which includes a planetarium and an opera house. Enjoy paella almost anywhere; locals suggest La Pepica or Casa Carmela. Tour the Albufera natural park, home of the original paella, and dinner at Ricard Camarena Restaurant, Spain’s top chef, is highly recommended.
A 7-hour drive leads to the foodie city of San Sebastian, known for its pintxos (tapas). Begin with breakfast at Txalupa Gastrobar and pick up a map of the best pintxos in the city center. The old town is ideal for daytime sightseeing: visit the iconic Monte Urgull or hike to Monte Igueldo for spectacular views. Head back to the old town and dine at the famous 3-Michelin starred restaurant Arzak, considered one of the world's top culinary destinations.
Begin the day with breakfast at Chocolateria San Gines for churros and chocolate. Afterwards, visit the Royal Palace and the Museo Nacional del Prado, which houses a vast array of Spanish art. Get out of the touristic area and explore the diverse flavors at lunchtime at La Vaca y La Huerta, which marries Spanish and Brazilian cuisine. Visit the Gran Via, a busy street perfect for shopping and observing the daily life of the Madrileños. Dine at DiverXO, Madrid's only three-Michelin star restaurant, for a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience.
Begin the morning with a tasty breakfast of tostadas and fresh juice at Casa Morales. Explore the Alcázar of Seville, a royal palace with scenic and tranquil gardens. Take time to visit the iconic Plaza de España and indulge in a breezy boat ride with an ice cream. In the afternoon, make your way to the Triana neighborhood to savour mouth-watering seafood at Casa Cuesta. End the day with a flamenco performance at El Palacio Andaluz, the perfect end to an exquisite culinary adventure in Spain.
For the best experience, renting a car for the trip is recommended since public transportation can be limited in smaller towns or rural areas. A full tank of gasoline costs approximately €60 and can last for around 400km. Parking costs in the big cities pay around €35/day. Taxis and ride-sharing services are also available with similar pricing to North American and European levels. For longer travels, trains can be convenient and cost-effective. The high-speed train, AVE, makes traveling between Madrid and Seville easy and comfortable for €60-100 and takes 2.5 hours.
If you have extra time, you can add a visit to the beautiful coastal town of Lloret de Mar, which boasts beautiful beaches and exciting water sports. Another option is visiting the Andalusia region and trying out the local cured ham called Jamón Iberico or touring the beautiful Alhambra in Granada. For those with less time, it's suggested to shorten the trip or skip Valencia, as it’s far from the other cities mentioned.
The main airports are the Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN), located 18 km southwest of the city center, and the Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport (MAD), which is 13 km northeast of Madrid. Both airports have a multitude of transportation options to travel to the city centers such as bus, taxi or metro, which are affordable and frequent. The San Pablo Airport in Seville (SVQ) is 10km from the city center and has direct international flights from many European countries.