Seville to Granada: A Week Through Andalusia’s Golden Age
Andalusia is the soul of Spain — a land of Moorish palaces, flamenco guitar, whitewashed hill towns, and the finest tapas culture on earth. This week-long itinerary takes you from Seville’s Alcázar (a real-life Game of Thrones filming location) through the staggering Mezquita of Córdoba to the crown jewel of Islamic Spain: Granada’s Alhambra. You’ll eat gazpacho in sun-drenched plazas, watch a flamenco show in a Triana cave bar, wander the orange-tree courtyards of Córdoba’s Judería, and discover why Granada gives you a free tapa with every drink. Estimated budget: $700–1100.
7-Day Itinerary Overview
Route: Seville (2) → Córdoba Day Trip (1) → Granada (3) → Departure (1)
Best for: First-time Andalusia visitors, history and architecture lovers, foodies wanting the best tapas in Spain, couples and solo travellers
Budget: $700–1,100 per person (excluding international flights)
Direction: Inland sweep — Seville east to Córdoba, then southeast to Granada
Getting There & Getting Around
Arriving in Seville
Seville Airport (SVQ) has direct flights from major European cities via Ryanair, Vueling, Iberia, and Transavia. Alternatively, fly into Málaga Airport (AGP), a major hub 2 hours east of Seville by train, and make your way west to start the itinerary. Many budget carriers serve Málaga.
Airport to Seville city: Airport bus (EA) runs every 30 minutes ($5, 35 min) or taxi ($25-30).
Visas: Spain is Schengen Area — same rules as the Barcelona itinerary. 90-day visa-free for most non-EU nationalities.
Getting Around Andalusia
Seville to Córdoba: AVE high-speed train ($25-40, 45 min). Book ahead on renfe.com.
Córdoba to Granada: No direct high-speed train. Option 1: AVE Córdoba to Antequera Santa Ana + bus to Granada (2.5h total, $30-45). Option 2: Direct ALSA bus (3h, $20-30). The bus is simpler.
Seville to Granada (alternative): Direct ALSA bus takes 3 hours ($20-30). Or take the AVE via Córdoba and Antequera (3.5h, $40-60).
Local transport: Seville has an excellent tram/metro. A single metro ride is $1.50. Granada’s minibuses are $1.40. Both cities are very walkable in the centre — you won’t need transport most days.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Seville — Alcázar & Santa Cruz
☀️ MorningStart your Andalusia adventure at the Real Alcázar of Seville ($17, book online 2 weeks ahead). This UNESCO-listed royal palace is one of the finest examples of Mudéjar architecture in Europe — you’ll recognise the Patio de las Doncellas from Game of Thrones (it stood in for Dorne). Allow 2-3 hours to explore the palaces, gardens, and underground baths.
🌆 AfternoonStep out of the Alcázar into the Santa Cruz (Jewish Quarter) — a labyrinth of whitewashed alleys, flower-filled courtyards, and hidden plazas. Get lost deliberately. Find Plaza de los Venerables and Plaza de Santa Cruz, two of the prettiest squares in the city. Stop for a cold salmorejo (Andalusian tomato cream, thicker than gazpacho) at a sidewalk café.
🌙 EveningClimb the Giralda Tower (the former minaret of the Great Mosque, now Seville Cathedral’s bell tower) for sunset views over the city ($13 includes cathedral entry). The cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and Columbus is buried here.
Accommodation: Santa Cruz or Alameda guesthouse ($35-70/night).
Entry: Alcázar ($17), Cathedral + Giralda ($13).
Day 2: Seville — Plaza de España, Triana & Flamenco
☀️ MorningWalk to the monumental Plaza de España in Maria Luisa Park — the masterpiece of Seville’s 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. The tiled alcoves represent each province of Spain, and you can rent a rowboat on the canal ($8 for 30 min). Get there before 10 AM to beat the crowds and the heat.
🌆 AfternoonCross the river to Triana, the historic gypsy and ceramics quarter. Visit the Mercado de Triana, a working market under the bridge, and wander through the cobbled streets of Calle Castilla. Don’t miss the ceramic kilns at Cerámica Santa Ana, where Triana tiles have been hand-painted since 1870. Then head to Metropol Parasol (Las Setas) — the world’s largest wooden structure. The rooftop walkway ($6) gives you a spectacular view over the medieval rooftops.
🌙 EveningExperience authentic flamenco in Triana — the birthplace of flamenco. Skip the touristy tablaos on the main strip and find a smaller venue like Casa de la Memoria ($20) or the cave bars in the Triana hillside.
Entry: Plaza de España (free), Metropol Parasol ($6), Flamenco show ($20-30).
Transport: All walking — no fares needed today.
Day 3: Córdoba Day Trip — Mezquita & Jewish Quarter
☀️ MorningTake a 9 AM AVE train from Seville Santa Justa to Córdoba ($25-40, 45 minutes). Arrive and walk 15 minutes through the flower-filled streets to the Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba ($14) — the most extraordinary religious building in Spain. This former mosque, with its 856 red-and-white horseshoe arches, has a Renaissance cathedral literally built inside it. Spend at least 2 hours. The bell tower (access $3) offers panoramic views of the city.
🌆 AfternoonExplore the Jewish Quarter (Judería) — a maze of whitewashed alleys around the Mezquita. Visit the 14th-century Sinagoga de Córdoba ($1, one of only three medieval synagogues left in Spain). Walk to the Roman Bridge across the Guadalquivir River, built in the 1st century BC. The view back towards the Mezquita is one of Spain’s most iconic. Have a late lunch in the Patio de los Naranjos before catching a late afternoon train back to Seville.
Transport: AVE Seville–Córdoba return ($50-80 total for round trip).
Entry: Mezquita ($14), Synagogue ($1), Bell tower ($3).
Day 4: Train to Granada & Albaicín Sunset
☀️ MorningTake a morning ALSA bus from Seville to Granada (3 hours, $20-30, book on alsa.es). The bus is direct and comfortable. Alternatively, take the AVE via Córdoba and Antequera Santa Ana if you prefer rail (3.5h, $40-60). Arrive in Granada by lunchtime.
🌆 AfternoonCheck into your accommodation and head into the Albaicín — Granada’s medieval Moorish quarter. This UNESCO World Heritage neighbourhood is a labyrinth of narrow, winding streets, whitewashed houses, and hidden carmenes (houses with gardens). Get lost. Find the Mirador de San Nicolás before sunset — the view of the Alhambra with the Sierra Nevada mountains in the background is the most photographed scene in Spain for a reason.
🌙 EveningStay in the Albaicín for dinner. The area has a bohemian vibe with tea houses (teterías) and intimate tapas bars in converted Moorish houses.
Transport: Bus Seville–Granada ($20-30) or AVE ($40-60).
Accommodation: Albaicín or Realejo guesthouse ($30-60/night).
Day 5: Granada — Alhambra & Generalife
☀️ Full DayToday is the day you came for. The Alhambra ($19, book at least 4-6 weeks ahead — it’s the most-visited monument in Spain) is a full-day experience. Your timed entry ticket gives you access to the Nasrid Palaces (the absolute highlight — Palacio de Comares, Palacio de los Leones with its famous fountain), the Alcazaba fortress, and the Generalife summer palace and gardens. Book the earliest slot and plan to spend 4-6 hours.
Nasrid Palaces tip: Your ticket has a specific 30-minute window for the Nasrid Palaces. Don’t be late — they won’t let you in. Go straight there first, then explore the rest at leisure.
🌆 AfternoonAfter the Alhambra, walk (or take minibus C4) to the Sacromonte neighbourhood for a late lunch. This hillside gypsy quarter is famous for its cave houses, flamenco, and views across the valley.
Entry: Alhambra + Generalife ($19 — book via oficial.tickets.alhambra-patronato.es).
Day 6: Sacromonte, Zambra & Free Tapas Crawl
☀️ MorningReturn to Sacromonte and visit the Sacromonte Abbey Museum ($6) which tells the story of the gypsy community and shows several authentic cave houses. The Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte (an open-air ethnographic museum of cave houses, $7) is excellent — book a guided visit with a live flamenco demonstration (zambra, the gypsy flamenco style unique to Granada).
🌆 Afternoon & EveningNow for the best food experience in Andalusia: a free tapas crawl. Granada is the last city in Spain where you get a free tapa with EVERY drink you order. The trick is simple: order a drink (caña of beer $2-3, house wine $2, or tinto de verano $2-3), eat the free tapa, move to the next bar. Four bars = a full dinner for $8-12.
Best tapas crawl route: Bodegas Castañeda (jamón, queso) → Los Diamantes (pescaíto frito) → Taberna La Tana (presas ibéricas) → Bar Poe (creative montaditos). On Calle Navas you’ll find the most competitive tapas scene — bars literally compete to give you the best free food.
Entry: Sacromonte Abbey Museum ($6) or Cuevas Museum ($7), zambra show ($10-15).
Day 7: Departure from Granada or Málaga
☀️ MorningEnjoy a final Andalusian breakfast — toast with olive oil and crushed tomato, café con leche, and fresh orange juice ($4-6). Walk through the Realejo neighbourhood (Granada’s former Jewish quarter) one last time. Visit the Monastery of San Jerónimo ($5) if you have time — it’s where El Gran Capitán is buried and is quieter than the Alhambra.
🌆 DepartureOption A — Fly from Granada (GRX): Small regional airport with flights to Madrid, Barcelona, and several European cities (Ryanair to London, Paris, Milan). Bus from city centre ($4, 45 min).
Option B — Fly from Málaga (AGP): The largest airport in southern Spain with hundreds of destinations. Bus from Granada to Málaga ($10-15, 1.5 hours). Allow 3 hours at AGP as it’s a busy hub.
Option C — AVE from Granada: The high-speed train now runs from Granada to Madrid in 2h45m ($40-60) — perfect if your flight is from Madrid-Barajas.
Transport: Bus to GRX ($4) or AGP ($10-15), or AVE to Madrid ($40-60).
Practical Information for Andalusia
Visas & Entry
Andalusia is in the Schengen Area. US, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ passport holders get 90-day visa-free stays. EU/EEA nationals need only a national ID. Post-Brexit, UK travellers should ensure their passport has at least 3 months’ validity beyond their departure date.
SIM Card & Internet
Vodafone, Orange, and Movistar all have shops in every city. A prepaid SIM with 15 GB costs $15-20, valid 30 days. Free WiFi is excellent — most bars, hotels, and train stations have fast, reliable connections. The free tapas bars on Calle Navas in Granada all have WiFi — just ask for the password when you order.
Money & ATMs
Spain uses the Euro (€). Cards are widely accepted — even market stalls in Seville’s Triana market take contactless. Keep about $50 in cash for small tapas bars, the Mezquita free entry queue, and the Albaicín teterías. Tipping is not expected but rounding up is common. Granada is noticeably cheaper than Seville for both food and accommodation.
Language & Communication
Spanish with a strong Andalusian accent — they drop the final “s” on many words (“gracia'” for “gracias”). You’ll hear it quickly. English is good in tourist-facing businesses in Seville and Granada but learn the basics: Una caña, por favor (a small beer), ¿Dónde está tapas gratis? (where is free tapas?). In Granada’s Albaicín, many teterías are run by Moroccans who also speak Arabic and French.
Best Time to Visit
March to May and September to November are ideal — comfortable temperatures (20-28°C) and manageable crowds. April’s Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Seville is spectacular but accommodation triples. July and August are brutally hot in Seville (40°C+) — the city empties out mid-day. Granada is higher (700m) and cooler, making it more pleasant in summer. Winter (December-February) is mild and cheap, with snow on the Sierra Nevada visible from the Alhambra.
Health & Safety
Tap water is safe to drink throughout Andalusia. EU citizens should bring an EHIC card; non-EU travellers need travel insurance. The biggest health hazard is the sun — Andalusia is one of Europe’s hottest regions. Carry water, wear SPF 50+, and embrace the siesta culture (many shops close 2-5 PM). Safety-wise, Andalusia is generally very safe. Seville’s Santa Cruz and Alameda areas have some pickpocketing risk. Granada is one of Spain’s safest cities — walking alone at night in Albaicín is fine. The only real danger is over-ordering tapas (you can’t help it — they’re too good).
Budget Summary: 7-Day Andalusia Itinerary
Estimated Total: $700–1,100 per person
- Accommodation (6 nights): $180–360
- Transport (trains + buses between cities): $70–120
- Alcázar + Cathedral (Seville): $30
- Mezquita + tower (Córdoba): $17
- Alhambra + Generalife (Granada): $19
- Flamenco show: $20–30
- Meals (mostly free tapas + 2-3 paid meals): $80–140
- Local transport (buses, tram): $10–15
- Sacromonte museum: $6–7
- SIM card & miscellaneous: $20–40
Best Season: March–May, September–November
Recommended For: First-time Andalusia visitors, history and art lovers, foodies, couples and solo travellers
Money-Saving Tip: Granada’s free tapas culture is your biggest money-saver — you can eat a full dinner for $8-12 across 4-5 bars. Book monument tickets online weeks ahead for the best prices (no markup). Choose Granada as your base for 3 nights on Calle Elvira instead of a more expensive Seville hotel — Granada is 30% cheaper overall. The Mezquita free entry hour (8:30-9:30 AM weekdays) saves $14.
Disclaimer: Prices are estimates and may vary by season. Alhambra tickets should be booked 4-8 weeks in advance — they sell out regularly. Always check current visa requirements and travel advisories before booking. This itinerary is for general reference only.