Journey of Spain & Mediterranean Coast — Self-Launched (9 Days)
9 days · Spain
Click Tours charges £1,425
No-markup version: ~£695 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Click Tours' 9-day Madrid-to-Madrid loop through Seville, Córdoba, the Costa del Sol, Granada, Valencia and Barcelona. Instead of a 45-50 person coach with fixed hotel dinners, you'll ride Spain's excellent high-speed AVE and regional trains and intercity buses, sleep in central hostels and family guesthouses, and book the headline sights (Alhambra, Mosque-Cathedral, Sagrada Família) directly or via GetYourGuide. Same route, same monuments, roughly a third of the price. Costs are approximate backpacker/mid-range estimates per person and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Madrid → Seville by AVE
Seville
Fly or arrive into Madrid, then take the high-speed AVE from Madrid Atocha to Sevilla Santa Justa (about 2h30, book 3-8 weeks ahead on Renfe or Trainline for £25-45; slower Avlo/Iryo services can be under £20). Drop bags at a hostel in the Centro or Triana area, then do a free (tip-based) walking tour of the Santa Cruz lanes and Alcázar exterior, or simply wander the Cathedral quarter at golden hour. Evening tapas crawl in Triana: a few plates plus a drink for £10-15.
🚌AVE train Madrid Atocha → Sevilla Santa Justa (~£25-45)
🛏Hostel dorm or private twin in central Seville (£18-30pp)
- →Arrival and check-in
- →Self-guided wander of Santa Cruz
- →Tip-based free walking tour (The Original Seville, ~£5-8 tip)
- →Tapas dinner in Triana
Seville: Cathedral, Plaza de España & flamenco
Seville
Morning on foot: María Luisa Park and the tiled Plaza de España (free), then the Cathedral and Giralda tower — book a skip-the-line ticket direct at catedraldesevilla.es (~£12) or via GetYourGuide with a guide (~£22). Afternoon options: a Guadalquivir river cruise from Torre del Oro (~£15) or the Maestranza bullring (~£9). In the evening catch an authentic flamenco show at Casa de la Memoria or La Carbonería (free entry with a drink) or a proper tablao (~£20-25).
🚌All on foot; occasional city bus/metro (£2 per ride)
🛏Central Seville hostel/guesthouse (£18-30pp)
- →Seville Cathedral & Giralda (direct or GetYourGuide)
- →Plaza de España & María Luisa Park
- →Optional Guadalquivir river cruise
- →Flamenco show at Casa de la Memoria
Seville → Córdoba: Jewish Quarter & Mosque-Cathedral
Córdoba
Take a regional or Avant train from Seville to Córdoba (about 45 min, £10-16) and check into a guesthouse in the Judería. Join a free walking tour of the Jewish Quarter starting near the Almodóvar Gate, then visit the Mezquita-Catedral — book direct at mezquita-catedraldecordoba.es (~£12) or take an early-morning guided tour via GetYourGuide (~£20) to beat the crowds. Optional extra: the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos and the Roman Bridge at sunset. Try salmorejo and oxtail in a local taberna (£12-15).
🚌Train Seville → Córdoba (~£10-16, 45 min)
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Córdoba's Judería (£18-28pp)
- →Free walking tour of the Jewish Quarter
- →Mezquita-Catedral entry
- →Roman Bridge and Alcázar (optional)
Córdoba → Costa del Sol via Ronda's white villages
Nerja / Costa del Sol
Break the coach transfer into a proper independent day: bus or train to Ronda (via Antequera, ~£12-18, 2-2.5h) to see the dramatic Puente Nuevo gorge and bullring, then continue by bus down to the coast at Marbella or Nerja (ALSA/DAMAS, ~£8-12). Alternatively base in Málaga and use the Cercanías train to the beach towns. Settle into a beach-town hostel, swim, and eat grilled fish at a chiringuito (£12-18).
🚌Bus Córdoba → Ronda → coast (~£20-30 total)
🛏Beach-town hostel or guesthouse, Nerja/Málaga (£18-30pp)
- →Ronda Puente Nuevo & old town
- →White villages (Setenil de las Bodegas optional, local bus)
- →Beach time and chiringuito dinner
Costa del Sol → Granada: the Alhambra
Granada
Bus along the coast to Granada (ALSA, ~2h, £10-14) and check into a hostel in the Albayzín or Realejo. The Alhambra is the trip's most important booking — tickets sell out weeks ahead, so reserve direct at alhambra-tickets.es (~£16-18 plus booking fee) or a GetYourGuide guided entry (~£35-45) the moment dates open. If you have an evening slot, pair it with sunset at the Mirador de San Nicolás, then a Sacromonte cave flamenco show (zambra, ~£20-25).
🚌Bus Costa del Sol → Granada (~£10-14)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Granada (£18-28pp)
- →Alhambra & Generalife (pre-booked)
- →Sunset at Mirador de San Nicolás
- →Sacromonte cave flamenco (optional)
Granada → Valencia by train
Valencia
Long transfer day done independently: regional trains/buses connect Granada to Valencia in roughly 4.5-6h with a change (or bus via Murcia, £25-35; a faster option is Granada → Antequera or Madrid AVE with a change). Arrive in the afternoon, check in near the old town or Ruzafa, and spend the evening in the Mercado Central area before a paella dinner on the beachfront (£15-20).
🚌Train/bus Granada → Valencia (~£25-35, 5-6h)
🛏Hostel in Valencia's old town or Ruzafa (£20-32pp)
- →Old town wander
- →Mercado Central visit
- →Paella dinner in Ruzafa or by the port
Valencia → Barcelona
Barcelona
Morning in Valencia: cycle or walk the Turia Gardens (free), step into the City of Arts & Sciences, and climb the Torres de Serranos. Take an afternoon Euromed/AVE or Iryo train to Barcelona (2h45-3h15, book early for £20-40). Check into a Gothic Quarter or Gràcia hostel and wander La Rambla, the Gothic lanes and Barceloneta at dusk. Dinner of pintxos or market food for £12-18.
🚌Train Valencia → Barcelona (~£25-40)
🛏Hostel in Barcelona Gothic Quarter/Gràcia (£25-40pp)
- →Turia Gardens & City of Arts & Sciences
- →Torres de Serranos
- →Gothic Quarter and Barceloneta wander
Barcelona city highlights
Barcelona
Do the coach tour's route on public transport: Montjuïc via the cable car or bus 150, the Olympic Ring, Columbus Monument at the port, and the Gothic Quarter. Add a Sagrada Família ticket booked direct at sagradafamilia.org (~£22-26) or via GetYourGuide with a guide (~£35-45) — again, book well ahead. Late afternoon, Park Güell (free zones or ~£10 for the monumental area) and a vermouth stop in Gràcia.
🚌Metro/bus day pass (£6-9)
🛏Hostel in Barcelona (£25-40pp)
- →Montjuïc & Olympic Ring
- →Columbus Monument & port
- →Gothic Quarter
- →Sagrada Família (pre-booked)
- →Park Güell (optional)
Barcelona → Madrid
Barcelona / Madrid
Morning market breakfast at La Boqueria or a bakery in Gràcia, then take the AVE or an Ouigo/Iryo low-cost service from Barcelona Sants to Madrid Atocha (2h30, £20-40 if booked ahead). If your flight is from Madrid, allow a buffer; if not, fly out of Barcelona instead and save a day of backtracking. That's the loop closed for around £500-600 all-in instead of the operator's £1,400+.
🚌Low-cost AVE/Ouigo/Iryo Barcelona → Madrid (~£20-40)
🛏Not included (onward travel day)
- →La Boqueria or Gràcia breakfast
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. Click Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Click Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£695 | £1,425 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £730 per person (51%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Click Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£695
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 Journey of Spain & Mediterranean Coast — Self-Launched (9 Days) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £695 per person for 9 days in Spain. 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 Click Tours?+
Yes — Click Tours charges around £1,425 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £695 — a saving of roughly £730 (51%) per person.
How long is the Spain trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Spain.
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 Spain, 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?
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