Best of Southern Spain — Self-Launched
8 days · Southern Spain (Madrid, Granada, Córdoba, Seville & Barcelona)
G Adventures charges £1,440
No-markup version: ~£782 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 8-day run through Spain's greatest hits — Madrid's art triangle, Granada's Alhambra and Albaicín, Córdoba's Mezquita, Seville's flamenco and Alcázar, and a paella class in Barcelona — using hostels and budget guesthouses instead of tour hotels, and Spain's excellent high-speed rail (AVE) and buses instead of group transport. Everything G Adventures includes on its Best of Southern Spain trip (ESMB) you can book yourself, day by day, in advance. Prices are approximate backpacker/budget rates in GBP, per person; the key money-saver is booking the Alhambra and Sagrada Família 4–8 weeks ahead (Alhambra tickets sell out far in advance and require passport details).
Day-by-day
Arrive Madrid — city-centre wander
Madrid
Land at Barajas (Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas) and take Metro Line 8 + L10/Nuevos Ministerios or the Airport Express bus (€5, ~40 min) into the centre. Check into a hostel or budget hotel around Sol / La Latina / Malasaña. In the late afternoon do a free self-led orientation loop: Puerta del Sol → Plaza Mayor → Mercado de San Miguel (great for cheap tapas) → Plaza de Oriente for a look at the Royal Palace exterior at sunset. If you'd like company, book a free walking tour via GetYourGuide or GuruWalk (tip-based, €5–10).
🚌Airport Express bus €5 or metro €4.50–5
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Sol/La Latina (dorm £20–28, private double £30–45 per person)
- →Self-led orientation walk: Sol, Plaza Mayor, Mercado de San Miguel
- →Optional tip-based walking tour
Madrid art triangle & Royal Palace
Madrid
Book the Prado online in advance (€15, ~£13; free entry 18:00–20:00 Mon–Sat, 17:00–19:00 Sun but expect queues) plus either the Reina Sofía (€12, Picasso's Guernica) or the Thyssen (€13). Royal Palace €14–16 (or free with an EU student card on some slots). In the evening do a DIY tapas crawl in La Latina and Cava Baja — order a caña and a small plate at 4–5 bars (£15–20 total), or join a guided tapas tour (£45–65) if you want the history with it.
🚌Walking + metro single €1.50–2
🛏Same hostel/guesthouse in Madrid
- →Museo Nacional del Prado (book online)
- →Reina Sofía or Thyssen-Bornemisza
- →Royal Palace (Palacio Real)
- →Self-led La Latina tapas crawl
Madrid → Granada: Albaicín & Sacromonte
Granada
Take an early AVE/AVANT train from Madrid Atocha to Granada (~3h 15m, book on Renfe.com 3–6 weeks ahead from €25–35, ~£25–30; last-minute fares can hit £60+). Check into a guesthouse in the Realejo or city centre (avoid staying up the Albaicín hill with luggage — the buses are slow). Afternoon: walk the Albaicín's whitewashed lanes to Mirador San Nicolás for the classic Alhambra-at-sunset view, then continue into Sacromonte's cave quarter. Optional: Granada Cathedral (€6) or a small flamenco show in a zambra cave (£18–25).
🚌Renfe AVE Madrid–Granada ~£25–30 (booked ahead)
🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel in Granada centre (private double £25–38 per person, dorm £18–25)
- →Albaicín self-guided walk
- →Mirador San Nicolás sunset viewpoint
- →Sacromonte cave quarter
- →Optional cave flamenco show
The Alhambra & free afternoon
Granada
The single biggest pre-booking job of the trip: Alhambra general tickets (€19.09, ~£17) go on sale roughly 3 months out on tickets.alhambra-patronato.es and sell out for peak dates — you must enter passport details. Book a morning Nasrid Palaces slot, then use the free afternoon for the lower Albaicín, Plaza Nueva and a cheap menú del día (£9–12). Alternatively, a GetYourGuide-guided Alhambra entry (€35–45) adds the historical commentary the group tour's guide provides. In the evening, free tapas with drinks is a Granada tradition — Bodegas Castañeda and the Calle Elvira bars still do it.
🚌Walk or city bus €1.40 to the Alhambra
🛏Same guesthouse in Granada
- →Alhambra & Nasrid Palaces (pre-booked, passport required)
- →Optional GetYourGuide guided Alhambra tour
- →Free-tapas bar crawl on Calle Elvira
Granada → Córdoba → Seville
Córdoba & Seville
Take an early bus or train to Córdoba (ALSA bus ~2h 45m from €12–15; train ~1h 40m if you take the Granada–Córdoba AVANT). Ditch your bag at the station lockers (€3–5), then book the Mezquita-Catedral online (€13–15, ~£12) and walk the Judería's flower-filled alleys and the Roman Bridge. Late afternoon, take the AVE/AVANT Córdoba–Seville (~45 min, from €15–20 booked ahead) into Seville. Base yourself in the Centro or Triana — you'll walk everywhere.
🚌Granada–Córdoba bus/train £12–15; Córdoba–Seville train £15–20
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Seville Centro or Triana (dorm £20–28, private £30–45 pp)
- →Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba (book online)
- →Judería & Roman Bridge walk
- →Optional Córdoba patios (May festival)
Seville: Alcázar, cathedral & flamenco
Seville
Book the Real Alcázar (€14.50–16, ~£13; the upper Royal Apartments optional extra) and climb the Giralda with the cathedral ticket (€12–14 combined) — both sell out, so reserve a week or more ahead. Lunch in the Santa Cruz quarter, then free options: Plaza de España and Parque de María Luisa (both free), Torre del Oro exterior (€3 to enter) and Metropol Parasol (£3–4). Evening: the real flamenco is at Casa de la Memoria (€20–25) or La Casa del Flamenco — smaller rooms than the tour's show but more intense. Alternatively a GetYourGuide flamenco night (£25–35) includes a guided intro.
🚌Walking; tram €1.40 if you want it
🛏Same hostel/guesthouse in Seville
- →Real Alcázar (pre-book)
- →Seville Cathedral & Giralda
- →Plaza de España & María Luisa Park
- →Flamenco show at Casa de la Memoria or La Casa del Flamenco
Seville → Barcelona + paella cooking class
Barcelona
Long travel day north. The cheapest fast option is an AVE Madrid–Barcelona connection (Seville–Madrid ~2h 30m + Madrid–Barcelona ~2h 30m, booked early on Renfe or Ouigo the whole journey can come in around £45–65); flying Vueling/Ryanair Seville–Barcelona one way (with a cabin bag) is often £25–45 and saves roughly 3 hours — but you lose the scenery and the transfer time. Arrive mid-afternoon, check into a hostel in Eixample or Gràcia, walk the Gothic Quarter and Las Ramblas, then do an early-evening paella or tapas cooking class in English via GetYourGuide/Airbnb Experiences (£45–60 incl. wine) — the DIY stand-in for the tour's Mescladis class.
🚌Renfe/Ouigo via Madrid £45–65, or low-cost flight £25–45 + airport bus
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Eixample or Gràcia (dorm £22–30, private £32–48 pp)
- →Gothic Quarter & Las Ramblas self-walk
- →Paella/tapas cooking class with dinner (GetYourGuide or Airbnb Experiences)
Gaudí's Barcelona & depart
Barcelona
Pre-book Sagrada Família (€26 basic, ~£23, timed entry — sells out; get it 2–4 weeks ahead) for an early slot, then Park Güell's monumental zone (€10–18) — both are on metro L2/L3 within ~20 minutes of the centre. If you have time before your flight, walk La Barceloneta beach (free) and grab a menú del día (£10–13) in Gràcia. Airport: Aerobús to El Prat (€7.25, ~35 min) or Rodalies R2 Nord train from Passeig de Gràcia (€4.90). Casa Batlló/Casa Milà (€29–39 each) are optional if you have a late flight.
🚌Aerobús €7.25 or R2 train €4.90 to BCN airport
🛏Departure day — no overnight (extra night if needed: £22–48)
- →La Sagrada Família (pre-booked timed entry)
- →Park Güell monumental zone
- →La Barceloneta & Gràcia walk
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£782 | £1,440 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £658 per person (46%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£782
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Best of Southern Spain — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £782 per person for 8 days in Southern Spain (Madrid, Granada, Córdoba, Seville & Barcelona). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,440 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £782 — a saving of roughly £658 (46%) per person.
How long is the Southern Spain (Madrid, Granada, Córdoba, Seville & Barcelona) trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Southern Spain (Madrid, Granada, Córdoba, Seville & Barcelona).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, foodie trip through Southern Spain (Madrid, Granada, Córdoba, Seville & Barcelona), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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