Andalusia Itinerary: 7 Days in Seville, Córdoba & Granada.
Seven days is the right amount of time to do southern Spain's three great Moorish cities without rushing: three nights in Seville, one in Córdoba, three in Granada. Everything runs on the high-speed train, no car needed, and the one thing you must book weeks ahead is the Alhambra. This itinerary was planned by Robin for a first visit in May, at a balanced pace, with real tapas bars instead of tourist menus.
Expert-curated: every place is real, planned with the same verified data Robin uses in the app and curated with local experts. How these itineraries are made
A gentle landing, settle into the Santa Cruz quarter, let the orange-blossom evening air do the work, and ease into Seville with a slow tapas dinner in the old Jewish quarter.
Stand at the bar for classic tapas, solomillo al whisky and croquetas, a Seville institution since forever.
Calle Rodrigo Caro 1, 41004 Sevilla
Robin's tip. Nothing is timed tonight on purpose, after a travel day, Robin keeps the first evening loose. Seville eats late: a bar that looks packed at eight has thinned out by half past nine.
Traveling on different dates, or with kids? Robin rebuilds this plan around you.
Getting around: 3.0 km on foot (~38 min) · 1 short ride
Today you meet Seville's two great monuments: the Real Alcázar's Mudéjar palaces in the cool of morning, then the Giralda's climb for the whole city at your feet before an evening of flamenco in an intimate room.
Cross the river to Triana, potters, tilemakers, and a market that's been feeding this bank for centuries, then wander back along the Guadalquivir as the light softens.
Robin's tip. Triana's ceramics workshops keep Spanish hours and close for the afternoon, do the shops before lunch, and save the riverbank for the end of the day when Seville comes out to walk.
Traveling on different dates, or with kids? Robin rebuilds this plan around you.
Getting around: 1.5 km on foot (~19 min) · 154 km of driving (~159 min)
A short hop to Córdoba this morning, then straight into the hush of the Mezquita's forest of striped arches, and a quiet wander through the Judería's white lanes.
Robin's tip. One night in Córdoba is the trick most itineraries miss: the day-trippers leave by six, and the Judería and the Mezquita's courtyard at dusk are the city's best hour.
Traveling on different dates, or with kids? Robin rebuilds this plan around you.
Day 5: Train to Granada, first sight of the Alhambra
Getting around: 2.4 km on foot (~29 min) · 1 short ride · 171 km of driving (~176 min)
One more Córdoba morning before an easy train to Granada, where the Albaicín's Mirador de San Nicolás gives you your first, best view of the Alhambra glowing at dusk.
The Alhambra and Generalife fill the day, the Nasrid palaces are the reason you came, and tonight, a flamenco show in a real Sacromonte cave closes it properly.
A show in one of the whitewashed cave-houses of Sacromonte, flamenco born in these very hillsides.
Sacromonte · photo: Jebulon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Camino del Sacromonte, 18010 Granada
Robin's tip. Nasrid Palace tickets are timed to a strict 30-minute entry window and sell out weeks ahead, book the moment your dates are set, and take the earliest slot you can get.
Traveling on different dates, or with kids? Robin rebuilds this plan around you.
A terraced garden restaurant with the Alhambra framed dead ahead, a fitting last lunch in Granada.
Calle Pianista García Carrillo 2, 18010 Granada · Website
↓600 m · ~7 min walk
15:00–16:00
4Checkout & departure Rest
Collect your bags and arrange onward transport at leisure.
Plaza Nueva, 18010 Granada
Robin's tip. El Bañuelo sits on Carrera del Darro, Granada's prettiest street, walk it slowly both ways, once in the morning shade and once before lunch.
Bucket-list foods in Andalusia
The tapas crawl
Andalusia's real dinner format: stand at the bar, order two things, move on. Espinacas con garbanzos and solomillo al whisky are the Seville classics.
On this trip: El Rinconcillo (since 1670) and Espacio Eslava, day 3
Salmorejo cordobés
Córdoba's thick, cold tomato-bread cream under jamón and egg, richer cousin of gazpacho.
On this trip: Casa Morales, day 2 · Bodegas Campos in Córdoba, day 4
Flamenquín
Córdoba's other specialty: pork loin rolled around jamón, breaded and fried, order it where the locals do.
On this trip: Casa Pepe de la Judería, day 4
Pescaíto frito
Paper cones of lightly fried fish, the Andalusian coast's gift to its cities.
On this trip: Bar Los Diamantes, day 6, comes free with your drink
Churros con chocolate
Breakfast the Sevillano way: fried dough, thick chocolate, no apologies.
On this trip: Bar El Comercio, day 3
Where to stay for this itinerary
Stay in Seville. Barrio Santa Cruz if…
you want to walk to the Alcázar and cathedral
atmospheric lanes matter more than nightlife
it's your first visit
Stay in Córdoba, the Judería if…
you have one night and want the Mezquita at your door
you want the old town after the day-trippers leave
Stay in Granada, around Plaza Nueva if…
you want the Albaicín and Alhambra hill both walkable
you prefer flat streets to the Albaicín’s stairs (taxis can’t reach much of the quarter itself)
Before you go
Do you need a car?
No. The AVE/Avant trains do Seville–Córdoba in about 45 minutes and Córdoba–Granada in about an hour and a half. Book seats a few days ahead on busy spring weekends.
What must be booked in advance?
The Alhambra’s Nasrid Palaces (weeks ahead, timed 30-minute entry windows), the Real Alcázar (a few days ahead for the first slot), and Casa de la Memoria’s flamenco (a few days ahead; ~100 seats).
Where should you fly into?
Seville (SVQ) to start and out of Granada (GRX) if you can; otherwise Málaga (AGP) has the most connections and is about 1½–2 hours from both ends of the route.
When should you go?
April–June or September–October. July and August regularly pass 40°C in Seville and Córdoba. Note that Semana Santa and the Feria de Abril make Seville spectacular but booked-out and expensive.
Is seven days enough?
For these three cities at a humane pace, yes, this plan keeps every day to one neighbourhood cluster and never checks hotel twice in a day.
5 days
Have 5 days?
Keep Seville as the single base: drop the Córdoba night and do the Mezquita as a day trip by train from Seville (45 minutes each way), then two nights in Granada.
10 days
Have 10 days?
Add Ronda and one or two white villages between Seville and Granada, easiest as a one-day car rental, and a slow day in Granada with zero plans, which the city rewards.
Make this itinerary yours
This trip was built for a typical first visit. You aren't typical. Find your loves, your budget, and your perfect Andalusia adventure by building on this trip with Hey Robin.