I started this trip in Madrid. There are far more direct flight options into Madrid than into any Andalusian city, which makes it the easier landing point for travelers flying in from the US. American Airlines runs nonstop service to Madrid from Miami, Dallas-Fort Worth, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia, and Iberia, Delta, United, and Air Europa add more options from major US gateways. Flights from the East Coast take roughly 7 to 8 hours.
I spent a weekend in Madrid first, then started my Andalusian loop by high-speed train. Over seven days I covered Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, and Granada — all without renting a car. The Spanish rail network does the heavy lifting, and Andalusia is one of the easiest regions in Europe to navigate by train.
There’s far more of the region I still want to explore — Málaga, Ronda, the Costa de la Luz, the white villages — and I plan to go back. But this seven-day route hits the essentials and works beautifully for a first trip.
Below is the structure of my itinerary, with linked guides for each city so you can dive deeper where you want to.
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How to get to Andalusia
Fly into Madrid Barajas (MAD), spend a weekend in the capital, then take the AVE high-speed train south. Trains from Madrid to Seville take an average of 2 hours and 47 minutes, with the fastest services covering the route in 2 hours and 39 minutes. You’ll usually find around 30 trains per day on this route, operated by Renfe AVE, OUIGO, and iryo.
Book your tickets through the Trainline app — it’s the easiest interface for non-Spanish speakers and lets you compare all three operators in one place.
For a deeper Madrid stopover, see my 48 Hours in Madrid Itinerary.
Day 1–3: Seville
Three days in Seville
This is the cultural and architectural heart of Andalusia, and it deserves the most time on your itinerary.
Where to stay
CoolRooms Palacio Villapanés 5 GL — a restored 18th-century palace in the Casco Antiguo with frescoed ceilings, a rooftop pool, and one of the most beautiful courtyards in the city.
Main sights
Royal Alcázar of Seville
Book tickets months in advance — this is the most popular monument in the city and time slots sell out fast. I’d strongly recommend booking a private tour before public opening hours. You’ll have the Mudéjar palaces and gardens almost entirely to yourself, and the light is incredible in the early morning.
Seville Cathedral, La Giralda, and the rooftop tour
Book in advance. I missed the rooftop tour and regretted it — it offers unobstructed views of the cathedral and city that you can’t get anywhere else. Don’t make the same mistake.
Plaza de España
One of the most spectacular places in Seville. The architecture is built around a half-moon canal, with hand-painted tile alcoves representing every Spanish province. You can spend hours noticing the details. Go at golden hour for the best light.
Palacio de las Dueñas
A working ducal palace with private gardens and a quiet, lived-in atmosphere. Far less crowded than the Alcázar, and worth the visit.
For the full day-by-day breakdown, see my [Three Days in Seville Itinerary]. For hotels, restaurants, and the complete city overview, see my Seville Luxury Travel Guide.
Day 4: Day trip to Cádiz
A day trip from Seville to Cádiz by train.
The train ride takes around an hour and 45 minutes, and you can catch an early departure and be back in Seville for dinner.
Buy your tickets through the Trainline app.
The highlight of my day was climbing the Tavira Tower — the highest point in old-town Cádiz, with the best 360-degree view of the city, the bay, and the Atlantic. The tower also houses a camera obscura, which is worth the small extra fee.
For the full breakdown — what to see, where to eat, and how to time the train — see my [Day Trip to Cádiz from Seville by Train Guide].
Day 5: Day trip to Córdoba
A day trip from Seville to Córdoba by train.
This is the easiest day trip of the three. The AVE high-speed train covers the route in roughly 45 minutes, which means you can be standing in front of the Mezquita before mid-morning.
Buy your tickets through the Trainline app.
Main sights
Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba
Book tickets in advance. The forest of red-and-white striped arches is one of the most photographed interiors in Spain for a reason — there’s nothing else like it in Europe. Go early to avoid both crowds and heat.
Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos
Currently closed for renovations at the time of writing — check the official site before your visit, as the timeline may shift.
Beyond the headline sights, the Jewish Quarter and the Roman Bridge at sunset are both worth your time.
For the full itinerary, see my [Day Trip to Córdoba from Seville by Train Guide].
Day 6–7: Granada
Two days in Granada.
The train ride from Seville to Granada covers a distance of around 131 miles (211 km), and the quickest journeys take 2 hours and 32 minutes.
Where to stay
Seda Club Hotel — a stylish boutique hotel near the Cathedral with a rooftop terrace overlooking the Alhambra. Quiet, design-forward, and well-located for both the historic center and the Albaicín.
The Alhambra
This is the reason you come to Granada, and the most important booking advice in this entire article: book your tickets at least 2 to 3 months in advance. The site has a daily visitor cap, and the Nasrid Palaces in particular sell out fast.
I booked a private tour at opening time, and it was the right call. The grounds were quiet, there were no crowds, and my guide was excellent — I learned far more in 3 hours than I would have on my own. The palaces are the highlight, and they’re also the most crowded part of the complex.
After the tour ended, I stayed on the grounds to take more photos at my own pace. The Alhambra is spacious, and you’ll want unrushed time in the Generalife gardens too.
For the full itinerary — including the Albaicín, where to eat, and how to time your Alhambra visit — see my [Two Days in Granada Travel Guide].
How to plan your 7 days in Andalusia by train
Here’s the route:
Day 0 (weekend pre-trip): Land in Madrid, spend the weekend exploring the capital
Day 1: Madrid to Seville by AVE train (~2.5 hours)
Day 1–3: Seville
Day 4: Day trip to Cádiz from Seville
Day 5: Day trip to Córdoba from Seville
Day 6: Seville to Granada by train (~2.5 hours)
Day 6–7: Granada
Day 8 (departure): Granada to Madrid by train, fly home — or extend your trip to Málaga or Ronda
This itinerary keeps Seville as your base for three nights, which means you only unpack twice (Seville and Granada). That’s a quiet luxury most multi-city itineraries miss.
What I'd add next time
There’s plenty I left for the next trip: Málaga and the Costa del Sol, Ronda and the white villages, the wine country around Jerez, and the beaches of the Costa de la Luz. Andalusia rewards slow travel, and seven days is just enough to know you’ll want to come back.
