Perhaps you remember the TV series “Spain On The Road Again” — actress Gwyneth Paltrow and chef Mario Batali driving convertibles through Spain, eating tapas, drinking wine, and generally living their best lives. If you haven’t seen it, add it to your list. It aired in 2008 and planted a seed in our heads that took years to germinate.
The opportunity finally arrived when we found ourselves in Spain at the same time as two friends. Four Australians, one rental car, 10 days, and enough luggage to cause a minor diplomatic incident at the boot of the car. It was not a Mercedes convertible. We did not eat at the same restaurants as Gwyneth Paltrow. But we made it entirely our own — and it turned out to be one of the best road trips we’ve ever done.
We kicked things off with Willie Nelson’s “On The Road Again” as we left Madrid. Collectively we could only remember the chorus. We’re going with the theory that it’s the only part anyone knows.
This itinerary takes you from Madrid through the heart of Andalusia — Toledo, Andujar, Cordoba, Seville, Carmona, and Granada — before heading up the east coast through Valencia to finish in Barcelona. It’s a big loop, covering 1,658km in total. Here’s everything you need to know to do it well.
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The Route at a Glance
| Day | Drive | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Madrid →
Toledo → Andujar |
336km | ~3.5 hrs
driving |
| Day 2 | Andujar →
Cordoba → Seville |
217km | ~2.5 hrs
driving |
| Days 3–5 | Seville (base) | — | — |
| Day 6 | Seville →
Carmona → Granada |
263km | ~3 hrs
driving |
| Day 7 | Granada (base) | — | — |
| Day 8 | Granada →
Valencia |
498km | ~5 hrs
driving |
| Day 9 | Valencia →
Barcelona |
344km | ~4 hrs
driving |
| Day 10 | Barcelona | — | — |
Total distance: 1,658km
Before You Go: Essential Practicalities
Driving in Spain
Spain drives on the right. Speed limits are 120km/h on motorways (autopistas), 90km/h on secondary roads, and 50km/h in urban areas, and limits are strictly enforced with speed cameras, particularly on the AP-routes. Overtaking rules are more formal than in Australia: stay in the right lane unless overtaking, and don’t linger in the left lane.
Parking in historic city centres is genuinely complicated. Toledo, Cordoba, Seville, and Granada all have heavily restricted old towns where driving into the centre is either prohibited or requires a permit. In every case, the practical approach is to find a car park on the edge of the historic centre and walk in. We’ve noted the best approach for each city below.
Toll roads: Spain’s autopistas are fast and well-maintained but expensive — a full day’s motorway driving can cost €15–25 in tolls, and over 10 days that adds up significantly. For each leg, we’ve noted whether toll-free alternatives exist. ViaMichelin is the best tool for calculating toll costs in advance; enter your route, and it gives you a full breakdown.
GPS vs Google Maps: When our friends collected the rental car, they requested a GPS unit. It came with an Australian accent and an extraordinary sense of humour — our friend named it Slippery Sam, and for the first few days, it was genuinely entertaining. By Day 8, it had started to wear thin.
Our recommendation: skip the GPS surcharge and use Google Maps on your phone with a Spanish SIM card or an eSIM. It’s faster, more accurate, and it doesn’t tell you to “put your sunnies on” when you’re 200km inland.
Car Hire
For car hire in Europe, we recommend AutoEurope, which aggregates rates across multiple providers. Book in advance — prices spike in summer. For four adults, a standard estate or SUV gives you enough boot space without the luggage diplomacy we experienced. Make sure you understand exactly what insurance is included; the basic coverage from most hire companies leaves significant excess liability. Check whether your credit card offers hire car insurance, as this can save you a meaningful amount.
Best Time to Go
April, May, and October are the ideal months for this itinerary. Seville in particular deserves special mention: it is genuinely one of the hottest cities in Europe in summer, regularly reaching 38–40°C in July and August with intense, dry heat. Walking the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz quarter under that kind of heat is an endurance exercise rather than a pleasure. Spring and autumn bring temperatures in the mid-20s, clear skies, and far more manageable conditions for sightseeing on foot.
Granada, sitting at around 700 metres elevation, is somewhat cooler than Seville in summer, and the Sierra Nevada behind it can hold snow well into spring. If you’re visiting in April, you may see snow-capped peaks behind the Alhambra, which is a striking contrast to the orange blossom in the streets below.
Day 1: Madrid to Toledo to Andujar
Madrid to Toledo: 73km, approximately 1 hour
Toledo to Andujar: 263km, approximately 2 hours 15 minutes
A word of honesty about Day 1: this is a big start. You’ll likely be flying into Madrid, picking up a hire car at or near the airport, navigating out of a major city you may not know well, and then doing over 300km before your first overnight stop. Leave the airport with as much of the day ahead of you as possible. If your flight lands in the afternoon, seriously consider spending your first night in Toledo rather than pushing on to Andujar.
Madrid
If you can build in two days at the start to properly explore Madrid, do it. It’s one of Europe’s great capital cities and deserves more than a car park stop.
The Prado Museum alone could absorb a full day; the Reina Sofia (Guernica lives here) and the Thyssen-Bornemisza complete what’s genuinely one of the world’s great museum triangles. The Royal Palace is spectacular both inside and from the Plaza de la Armería outside — skip the queue and book in advance. The Retiro Park on a sunny morning is one of the loveliest things in the city.
Prepurchase your Prado Museum entry ticket here
Prepurchase your Royal Palace ticket here
Book a private guided tour at the Retiro Park here
For food, the area around Mercado de San Miguel near the Plaza Mayor is a good introduction to Spanish market culture, though it skews tourist. For something more local, head to the La Latina neighbourhood — the Sunday El Rastro flea market spills through the streets here, followed by a long, loud tapas lunch that stretches well into the afternoon.
Where we stayed in Madrid: L&H La Latina, Calle Calatrava 17 — centrally located apartment, excellent facilities, 800m from the Royal Palace. Rated 9 on Booking.com and well deserved. We loved the location and the cleanliness of this apartment. There were plenty of bars close by for dinner and places for breakfast.
Toledo
Toledo was Spain’s capital until the late 15th century, and walking its streets makes that history tangible. For centuries, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian communities lived within these walls simultaneously, and the physical evidence of that coexistence is layered across the city in a way you won’t find anywhere else in Europe.
Allow at least three hours — more if you can. Start with a coffee in the Jewish Quarter (Judería), then work your way up to the Cathedral, which is one of the finest Gothic buildings in Spain. The Alcázar, on the highest point of the city, gives you the best panoramic views. The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, built by Ferdinand and Isabella, is worth the small entry fee for the cloister alone.
Toledo’s main street fills with tourist shops selling Damasquinado — the city’s signature gold-inlaid metalwork — and Toledo steel (swords and knives). It’s touristy, but the craftsmanship is genuine.
Parking in Toledo: Drive to the Circo Romano car park on the edge of the old city, or use the escalators from the Paseo de Recaredo — they carry you up into the old town from the lower road and are one of Toledo’s great practical innovations.
If you stay overnight, Toledo deserves it. The city empties of day-trippers after 5 pm and becomes a different, quieter place in the evening. The Parador de Toledo — a former hostel for pilgrims — has one of the most famous views in Spain, looking back across the gorge at the illuminated skyline. It’s not cheap, but the setting is exceptional.
Andujar
Most visitors drive straight past Andujar on the way to Cordoba. We didn’t, and we’re glad. This small historic town at the foot of the Sierra Morena mountains has been continuously inhabited since Neolithic times, contains a genuinely handsome main square, and has accommodation that is among the most memorable of the whole trip.
At 9 pm on a Sunday, every table in the plaza was taken. Locals of all ages — grandparents, parents, teenagers, small children — sat together over sangria and tapas, the children running between the tables while the adults talked. Nobody was looking at their phone. It was one of those evenings that remind you what you came to Spain for.
Where we stayed: Palacio Sirvente Mieres, Altozano Serrano Plato 4 — a restored 18th-century palace 10 metres from the church of Santa Maria. Open-plan apartments with original features, artwork, and a washing machine (useful by Day 1). Outstanding value and genuinely beautiful.
Day 2: Andujar to Cordoba to Seville
Andujar to Cordoba: 77km, approximately 1 hour
Cordoba to Seville: 140km, approximately 1.5 hours
Cordoba
Cordoba was one of the most sophisticated cities in the medieval world — at its 10th-century peak, it was the largest city in western Europe, a centre of learning, philosophy, and art that made most of the rest of the continent look underdeveloped. That history is still physically present in extraordinary ways.
The Mezquita is the centrepiece and one of the most unusual buildings in existence. Built as a mosque over a Visigoth church, then converted to a cathedral after the Reconquista, its forest of 856 red-and-white striped arches is immediately striking. The incongruous Catholic cathedral that was literally built into the centre of the mosque in the 16th century is either fascinating or jarring, depending on your perspective — probably both. Book tickets in advance online; queues at the door can be significant.
Outside the Mezquita, cross the Roman bridge (Puente Romano) for the classic view back across the river. Then get lost in the Judería — the old Jewish quarter of narrow whitewashed streets, flower-filled courtyards, and small squares that appear without warning around corners. The Synagogue is one of only three surviving medieval synagogues in Spain and takes ten minutes to visit, but is worth the small entry fee.
For lunch: Skip the tourist restaurants immediately surrounding the Mezquita and walk two or three streets back into the residential neighbourhood. Local bars here serve three-course menú del día lunches — starter, main, dessert, bread, and a drink — for €10–12. It’s how locals eat, and the food is substantially better than anything in the plaza.
Parking in Cordoba: the Parking Mezquita on Calle de Cairuán is the most convenient for the old town.
Seville (Arriving Late Afternoon)
After Cordoba, continue to Seville — your base for the next three nights. Arriving in the late afternoon gives you time to check in, orient yourself, and get out for a tapas dinner before the city properly wakes up at 9 pm.
A note on driving in Seville: the historic centre is restricted. Follow signs to the nearest car park and don’t attempt to drive into the barrio. The city is best explored on foot anyway — the distances between the main sights are walkable, and the streets of the Santa Cruz quarter are too narrow for anything with four wheels.
Days 3–5: Seville
Three days in Seville and we still didn’t want to leave. We came back two weeks later. That tells you something.
Seville is the capital of Andalusia and arguably the most complete expression of everything that defines the region: Moorish architecture, Renaissance grandeur, flamenco, tapas culture, horse-drawn carriages on cobbled streets, and orange trees lining every avenue. It’s also the hottest city in continental Europe in summer — if you’re visiting between June and August, plan all outdoor sightseeing for morning and evening and retreat indoors during the afternoon hours when the heat becomes genuinely oppressive (36–40°C is typical, with July and August regularly touching higher).
What to Do
The Real Alcázar is the essential starting point and one of the great buildings of the world. Unlike the Alhambra in Granada, the Alcázar is still used as an official royal residence, which lends it a lived-in quality that cold museums rarely have. It was built by the Moorish Almohad dynasty, expanded by Fernando III after the Reconquista, and then transformed again in the 14th century by King Pedro I, who hired the same Nasrid craftsmen responsible for the Alhambra. The result is a building of extraordinary intricacy — carved plasterwork, azulejo tile patterns, horseshoe arches, and gardens with fountains that you’ll recognise from various film and TV sets. Book tickets in advance. There are timed entry slots, and they sell out, particularly in spring and summer.
Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, built on the site of the city’s main mosque after the Reconquista — the mosque’s minaret, the Giralda, was incorporated into the cathedral and is now its bell tower. You can walk up the Giralda via a series of ramps (no steps — designed so a horse could be ridden to the top) for the best aerial view of the city. Christopher Columbus is buried inside, or at least parts of him — his remains have a complicated history.
Book your Cathedral and La Giralda Entry Ticket here
The Triana neighbourhood across the Guadalquivir River is the best antidote to the tourist trail. This working-class district is the historic home of Seville’s flamenco tradition and ceramic craft, and it still feels like a neighbourhood where people actually live, shop, and argue about football. The free walking tour of Triana is one of the best uses of a morning in the city — we’ve written it up in full here
Flamenco: See it. Seville is its home, and a live flamenco performance here is a fundamentally different experience to anything you’ll see in a tourist show elsewhere. Book ahead here
For tapas: Head to the Mercado de Feria before 2 pm — this covered market in the Macarena neighbourhood is where locals shop and eat, and the tapas bars around it serve some of the most honest food in the city. For evening tapas, the streets around the Alameda de Hércules are excellent — lively, local, and significantly cheaper than the bars near the Cathedral.
Spend an evening in the Santa Cruz quarter after dark. The narrow alleyways, lit by lanterns, with orange trees overhead and the smell of jasmine coming from hidden courtyards, are genuinely one of the most atmospheric urban experiences in Europe. Walk without a plan.
Day Structure for Three Days
Day 3: Alcázar (morning, 2–3 hours minimum), Cathedral and Giralda (afternoon), tapas dinner in Santa Cruz.
Day 4: Triana walking tour (morning), afternoon at leisure — wander the Macarena neighbourhood, visit the Basílica de la Macarena (home of Seville’s most beloved Virgin, whose elaborate float leads the Semana Santa procession), evening flamenco show.
Day 5: Plaza de España (a monumental semicircular plaza built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition, with tiled alcoves representing every Spanish province — genuinely extraordinary), Parque de María Luisa, and the afternoon free for shopping, café-sitting, or a return to any highlight from the previous days.
Where to stay in Seville: The Santa Cruz neighbourhood is the most atmospheric base — you’re within walking distance of the Alcázar, Cathedral, and the tapas belt. The Triana neighbourhood across the river is quieter and slightly cheaper, with excellent local bars.
Book hotels in the Santa Cruz neighbourhood of Seville here
Book hotels in the Triana neighbourhood of Seville here
A few years later, we stayed in Casa Del Pop in Seville – check out our review here
Day 6: Seville to Carmona to Granada
Seville to Carmona: 35km, approximately 30 minutes
Carmona to Granada: 228km, approximately 2.5 hours
Carmona
Carmona is a deliberate detour and absolutely worth it. This hilltop town, visible for miles across the flat Sevillan plains, has been continuously settled since prehistoric times — the Romans built it up, the Moors fortified it, the Christians added churches and palaces. The result is a compact historic centre of real quality, completely off the radar of most international visitors.
The Puerta de Sevilla — a massive Roman gate incorporated into a Moorish alcázar — is the most dramatic entrance to any town we encountered on this trip. Walk through it, and you’re in a well-preserved old town of wide plazas, Renaissance mansion houses, and a bell tower that’s a clear echo of Seville’s Giralda.
For lunch, Plaza San Fernando is lined with restaurants. Our favourite is El Tablao — the set lunch menu is well-priced, and the food is solidly Andalusian. Sit outside if the weather allows.
If you have time, the Roman Necropolis on the edge of town is one of the best-preserved Roman burial sites in Spain, with underground family tombs and an unusual circular amphitheatre tomb that gives a vivid sense of the scale of Roman Carmona.
Granada
Granada sits in a natural bowl at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, with the snow-capped peaks providing a dramatic backdrop that surprises many visitors expecting a purely sun-baked Andalusian city. Arriving in the late afternoon, check in and then head out into the Albaicín — the old Moorish quarter on the hill opposite the Alhambra — for the most famous sunset view in Spain, from the Mirador de San Nicolás. The Alhambra turns gold in the evening light with the Sierra Nevada behind it. It’s overrun with people at peak times, but for good reason.
Granada has a custom that most other Spanish cities have abandoned: free tapas with every drink. Order a beer or wine at any bar in the centre and a small plate of food arrives automatically. The tapas rotate, and you don’t choose — it’s random, seasonal, and occasionally surprising. After three rounds at three different bars, you’ll have eaten a full meal for the price of three drinks.
Where we stayed: Real de Cartuja apartments — suitable for two couples, parking provided under the building, well-equipped kitchen, ten minutes’ walk to the heart of Granada. Clean, spacious, good value.
Book the Real de Cartuja apartments here
Day 7: Granada
The Alhambra
Let’s address this directly: book your Alhambra tickets before you do anything else in trip planning. Not “a few days in advance.” Not “when you get to Granada.” Book them as soon as you know your dates, ideally six to eight weeks ahead, and definitely at least three to four weeks out in peak season. The Nasrid Palaces — the absolute heart of the complex — have strictly limited timed entry slots. Arriving at the gates without a pre-booked ticket for the Nasrid Palaces means you’ll see the gardens and outer fortifications but miss the most extraordinary rooms. This is a trip-defining decision.
The Alhambra was the last great Moorish palace complex in Europe, built primarily in the 13th and 14th centuries by the Nasrid sultans as their power contracted to this final southern redoubt. It’s one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture in the world, and the Nasrid Palaces in particular — the Court of the Lions with its famous fountain, the Hall of the Ambassadors with its extraordinary star-pattern cedar ceiling, the delicate stucco lattice work on every surface — surpass any photograph you’ve seen of them.
Allow a full day. The complex is larger than it looks on the map. Include the Generalife gardens, which are serene and beautifully maintained with long water channels and rose pergolas. The views down to Granada and across the plains are exceptional from multiple points within the complex.
Ticket strategy: Book your ticket in advance here. Your Nasrid Palaces ticket has a specific entry time — be at the entrance ten minutes early, as latecomers can be turned away.
The Rest of Granada
The Albaicín quarter — the old Moorish neighbourhood across the ravine from the Alhambra — repays a proper walk rather than just the Mirador San Nicolás sunset visit. The streets are steep and tangled, lined with whitewashed houses (cármenes) with walled gardens behind high walls, small mosques converted to churches, and tea houses (teterías) selling a hundred varieties of Moroccan mint tea that reflect the neighbourhood’s North African cultural memory. The Cathedral and Royal Chapel (burial place of Ferdinand and Isabella, the monarchs who completed the Reconquista) are in the lower city and worth an hour each.
Granada’s flamenco tradition — the Zambra style, developed in the Sacromonte cave district — is older and rawer than Seville’s. The cave performances in the Sacromonte hillside are theatrical and somewhat touristy, but the setting (performers in whitewashed cave rooms, the Alhambra visible on the opposite hill) is unlike anything else.
Day 8: Granada to Valencia
Distance: 498km, approximately 5 hours
This is the longest driving day of the trip and the point where the itinerary transitions from Andalusia proper to the Levante coast. The A-92 motorway east from Granada is fast, and the scenery through the semi-arid Baza plateau is striking — particularly in spring when it greens up unexpectedly. The drive north on the A-7/E-15 hugs the coast briefly before the inland motorway takes over.
Leave Granada after breakfast. Stop for lunch somewhere along the coast — the town of Almería has an excellent market and a genuinely underrated Moorish fortress (the Alcazaba, one of the largest in Spain). Arrive in Valencia in the late afternoon.
Valencia (Afternoon and Evening)
Valencia is chronically underestimated on routes that prioritise Seville, Granada, and Barcelona, and the result is that most visitors give it less time than it deserves. With only an evening and a morning here, focus on two things.
That evening: Walk from your hotel to the Barrio del Carmen — Valencia’s oldest neighbourhood, a tangle of medieval streets that open unexpectedly into baroque plazas and street-art covered alleyways. This is where Valencia eats and drinks, and the concentration of good tapas bars is high. Order Valencian-style tapas (this is where paella originated — the real thing, a saffron-and-rabbit rice cooked in a wide, shallow pan over wood fire, not the seafood version which Valencians regard with some suspicion).
Next morning: The Mercado Central is one of the most beautiful covered markets in Europe — a 1920s modernist building with stained glass and ironwork that houses 900 stalls. Arrive between 9 and 11 am when it’s properly busy. Then, walking back through the old Turia riverbed (the river was diverted after catastrophic flooding in 1957, and the dry bed turned into a 9km linear park) leads you to the City of Arts and Sciences complex — Santiago Calatrava’s futurist white buildings that have become the city’s visual signature. The Oceanogràfic aquarium here is the largest in Europe and genuinely impressive if you have children or simply like fish. Prepurchase your tickets here
Where we stayed: Hotel Casual Valencia del Cine, centrally located near the Town Hall Square, clean and well-priced for the location. Good base for a single night.
Day 9: Valencia to Barcelona
Distance: 344km, approximately 4 hours
The AP-7 motorway north along the coast is straightforward but carries tolls — budget approximately €15–20 for the full stretch. The scenery is unremarkable until the Ebro Delta, which opens up into a wide, flat wetland of rice paddies and lagoons that’s worth a brief stop if timing allows. Arrive in Barcelona mid-afternoon.
Barcelona
Barcelona is genuinely a destination in its own right that rewards five or more nights. With only a day and a half here at the end of the road trip, be selective.
The non-negotiables:
La Sagrada Família is one of the most extraordinary buildings under construction anywhere in the world — Gaudí’s unfinished basilica has been under construction since 1882 and is now approaching completion. The interior, with its branching stone columns rising to palm-tree canopies and the coloured light flooding in through the stained glass, is transcendent. Book tickets in advance without question — there are daily visitor limits and the popular time slots sell out weeks ahead.
La Boqueria market off Las Ramblas is the most famous market in Spain, and deservedly so for its visual spectacle — towers of preserved meats, mountains of olives, impossibly bright fresh fruit, and grilled seafood cooking on open plancha grills at the bar counters inside. Go mid-morning before the lunch crowds and eat at the bar counters rather than the sit-down restaurants.
The Eixample neighbourhood — Gaudí’s city, essentially — contains not just the Sagrada Família but also Casa Batlló and Casa Milà (La Pedrera), both on the Passeig de Gràcia. Walking this boulevard is a lesson in what happens when a city allows a genuinely radical architect free rein.
The Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic) is the oldest part of the city — Roman ruins, medieval cathedral, and narrow pedestrian streets that turn into lively bar strips after dark. The Born neighbourhood adjacent to it is slightly younger, considerably trendier, and has some of the best independent restaurants in the city.
Where we’ve stayed in Barcelona (across multiple visits):
Budget: Hostal Europa, Carrer de la Boqueria 18, just off Las Ramblas — great location, clean rooms, excellent value. Barcelona Cathedral and the Boqueria market are minutes away. We booked a private room with ensuite.
Mid-range: Som Nit Triomf, Trafalgar 39 — good location near the Palau de la Música and within walking distance of the Sagrada Família. Convenient for the airport bus. We would definitely stay here again, so light and airy and close to all the sights. Book here
Splurge: Hotel Oasis at Pla de Palau — trendy hotel near the Gothic quarter with a swimming pool and rooftop terrace. The beach at Barceloneta is 200 metres away. It is a popular hotel and can be very busy at times but the local is good and the terrace in the evening is a fun place to be.
Road Trip Costs: What to Budget
Car hire: Rates vary significantly by season. As a guide, a standard mid-size car booked two to three months in advance will cost approximately €40–60 per day in shoulder season; significantly more in July and August. Four people sharing cuts the per-person cost considerably. Book your car hire here
Tolls: Budget approximately €80–100 for the full route if you use motorways throughout. You can reduce this by taking national roads (carreteras nacionales — marked N on maps) on some stretches, which adds time but removes toll costs.
Fuel: Spain’s petrol prices are around the European average. A full 10-day trip in a mid-size car covering 1,658km will require roughly 120–140 litres of petrol, depending on your car.
Accommodation: Budget €70–100 per room per night for mid-range options in the cities; €50–70 in smaller towns like Andujar and Carmona. Barcelona is the most expensive — expect €100–150 for a decent central room.
Food and drink: Spain is excellent value for food. A menú del día lunch (three courses plus drink) costs €10–14 across Andalusia. Evening tapas at a local bar will run €15–25 per person, including drinks. Restaurants in tourist zones charge more; streets two or three blocks back from the main sites consistently offer better food at lower prices.
Sightseeing: Budget the following for the major paid attractions:
- Real Alcázar Seville: €14.50 adults
- Seville Cathedral: €13 adults
- Mezquita Cordoba: €13 adults
- Alhambra Granada (general): €19 adults
- Sagrada Família Barcelona: €26–36 adults depending on tour type
Practical Notes
International Driving Permit: If you hold an Australian, Canadian, or non-EU licence, you technically need an International Driving Permit to drive in Spain. In practice, hiring companies rarely check, but you can be fined if stopped without one. They’re issued quickly and cheaply through your national motoring association.
eSIM: Don’t pay roaming charges. Coverage is good across Andalusia except in very rural mountain areas.
Language: English is spoken at hotels, major attractions, and tourist restaurants throughout the route. Off the main tourist trail — local tapas bars, petrol stations, smaller towns — Spanish is expected. A handful of phrases goes a long way: una mesa para cuatro (a table for four), la cuenta, por favor (the bill please), ¿dónde está el parking? (Where is the car park?)
Siesta: It’s real, and it matters. Many smaller shops and some restaurants close between roughly 2 pm and 5 pm. Plan museum and attraction visits accordingly; the big tourist sites stay open, but local businesses close.
The Verdict
Ten days, 1,658km, four friends, one GPS with an Australian accent, and more tapas than could reasonably be counted. The road trip delivered everything Spain promises — architecture that makes your jaw drop, food that makes you reconsider everything you thought you knew about eating, and a pace of life that slows you down, whether you intend it or not.
If you go with a group, go with people who don’t need every minute planned. Spain rewards wandering — the alley you duck into to get out of the sun, the bar you pick because you can hear noise coming from inside, the town you didn’t plan to stop at but did because the church tower looked interesting from the motorway. Those unplanned moments are consistently the best ones.
Total distance covered: 1,658km. Worth every kilometre.
Related Reading:
A road trip gives you the freedom to go wherever you want, whenever you want, and visit places and have experiences like attending Suryalila, a Spanish Yoga Retreat in the foothills of the Sierra de Grazalema.
What should you take with you on your European adventure? Read tips here
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Thanks for the breakdown of your costs, very helpful to see how things pan out, plus the distances travelled too gives us good ideas of what we can cover if necessary on a long day.
I’d be interested to know what car rental companies you used in Spain, as your rental car seems very reasonable.
I’m checking your other Europe travel posts too, very insightful.
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for your comments! We used Gold Cars based in Barcelona. A tip don’t let them sell you a GPS – your google maps will work perfectly in Spain.
Cheers
Surprisingly enough, Spain is one of the very few places, outside of India, in the world where I have driven a car. My friends and I did a little drive holiday (not exactly a road trip) around Costa Del Sol. Other than that I have been to Valencia a couple of times for business, but the remaining places remain undiscovered for me. There was also a popular Indian film recently that included a road trip across Spain, and it has made more people from here want to do that. For me though, I enjoyed driving around Spain, even though it is a little crazy sometimes, and would love to get back on the road and discover what else it has to offer.
Hi Raghav
Thanks for your comments. Spain is a fun country and so much to see and do, it is a lot easier when you have a car. You can pop into small villages along the way and enjoy local cuisine.
Cheers Jane and Duncan
Ya, totally agree with you there. Spain isn’t the cheapest to do the road trip, but it is worth it isn’t it? On our last trip we found the entry to many of the attractions being expensive especially in Toledo, but frankly speaking, it was all worth it. Great trip hands down!
Hi Sreekar
Thanks for your comments. We loved road tripping Spain and would do it again in a hurry. It can be a bit expensive, but as you say ‘ all worth it’.
Cheers Jane and Duncan
Cordoba is one of my favorite towns to visit while in Spain. Kev’s personal favorite is Granada for its Moorish architecture.
Hi Cat
Thanks for your comments. The Andalucia region of Spain is such a special area. It really is a favourite of ours.
Cheers Jane and Duncan
I would love to road trip Spain and especially the Andalucia region, so your itinerary is perfect! The costs actually don’t seem bad at all (3 euro beers? yes please!) But yea I’ve traveled there via train and plane and really want to get a more authentic feel next time by road tripping!
Hi Diana
Thanks for your comments. We have done both by car and bus and would definitely recommend driving. You have so much more flexibility.
Cheers Jane and Duncan
I never heard that TV program, but hey, who said you couldn’t do the same-different thing, right? I recognized all the cities in your trip but Carmona. They’re all beautiful. It’s great also that you share the cost breakdown for your reader. That will help a lot. Thank you!
Hi Umiko
Thanks for your comments. A road trip is a fun way to see a place, as you say it can be anywhere.
Cheers Jane and Duncan
What a comprehensive and informative article! You did a great job of breaking down the total costs of the trip and I think anyone planning a road trip to Spain should read this article. Sure, Spain isn’t a very cheap country for a road trip but like you said, it’s worth every euro 🙂
Hi Daniel
Thanks for your comments. Road tripping is so much fun. A tip is to take roads that don’t charge tolls – they can be a killer cost!
Cheers Jane and Duncan
I have not watched this series, but a Bollywood hit “ZNMD” has put the Spanish road trip on the dream list for many Indians. All these places – Toledo, Granada , Valencia , Seville are such historic cities with marvelous architecture. I could only visit Toledo out of these, and did not do a road trip. Thanks for providing the detailed cost estimates. This article is a gem for planning a roadtrip in Spain.
Hi Sinjana
Thanks for your comments. Hopefully one day you will have time to return and enjoy a road trip.
Cheers Jane and Duncan
Someone told me how wonderful road tripping in Europe is. I know what they mean after reading this blog. Spain gained popularity in my country India after they based a Bollywood Movie ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ in Spain. I like how you gave a detailed itinerary including the distance and travel time. This is very useful guide especially for a first timer.
Hi Abhinav
Thanks for your comments. How interesting that a Bollywood movie was based there. I wonder where?
Cheers Jane and Duncan