Alright folks, buckle up. Planning this Spain trip felt like herding cats sometimes, honestly. Wanted that perfect mix of cities, beaches, and chilling. Thought it’d be straightforward. Man, was I wrong.

The Initial “Let’s Do This!” Phase
First step? Grabbed my laptop, fired up the browser, and just dove in. Started simple: Googled “best places Spain first time.”Instantly overwhelmed. Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Granada, Costa Brava… felt like everyone was shouting at me. Decided right then to skip the fancy itineraries online – too generic.
Building My Own Route (The Messy Way)
Got out a physical map (yes, really) and a notebook. Figured I’d land in Madrid – major hub, decent flights. Stared at that map hard. Wanted that Moorish history vibe, so Granada shot up the list immediately. Then Barcelona kept calling because, well, tapas and Gaudi seemed essential. Stuck the Costa Brava in there for beach recovery days.
- First Big Mistake: Didn’t check travel times properly.
- Second Big Mistake: Underestimated how tired travel days make you.
Sketching the days:
Day 1-3: Madrid (land, recover, museums).
Day 4: Train to Granada? Wait… that’s 4+ hours? Brutal.

Day 5-6: Granada (Alhambra, gotta book that pronto).
Day 7: Fly to Barcelona? (Looked at trains… NOPE.)
Day 8-10: Barcelona overload.
Day 11-13: Costa Brava drive… then back to BCN airport.
Just typing that exhausted me again.

The Reality Check Phase
Tried booking the Granada-Barcelona leg. Train was practically a full day journey. Plane was quick, but then airport hassle, transfers… ugh. Realized I was cramming way too much into barely two weeks. Felt frustrated. Scrapped the Costa Brava bit. Hurt a little, but necessary. Focused: Madrid, Granada, Barcelona. Deep breaths.
Booking & Logistics Headaches
Alhambra tickets: Needed them 3 months out? Panicked. Booked the earliest morning slot possible. Good move – later crowds are insane. Trains: Renfe website made me want to scream. Ended up using a train app (no links, promise!). Still confusing, but got Madrid-Granada booked. Flight: Granada to Barcelona was cheap and only 1.5 hours. Booked baggage – always an extra surprise cost. Forgot travel insurance until the last minute. Rookie.
Stuff I Wish I Knew Sooner
- Siesta is Real: Planned lunchtime Gaudi visits first day in Barcelona… walked into closed doors. Major facepalm. Adjusted all museum times after that.
- Dinner is LATE: Showed up at 7 PM starving – restaurants empty. Staff looked amused. They eat at 9 PM minimum!
- Comfy Shoes = Survival: Seriously, the cobblestones in Granada near the Albaicin? Destroyed my sneakers. Bought better ones there. Paid tourist prices. Ouch.
- Cash Still Matters: Thought cards everywhere. Nope. Tiny tapas bars, market stalls – cash only. Had to hit the ATM more than planned.
- Water Costs: Free tap water isn’t a thing in restaurants. Kept ordering €3 bottles like a sucker.
The Actual Trip Flow (Lessons Applied)
Landed Madrid. Jetlag sucked. Took that first afternoon slow. Wandered, ate jamón, barely saw anything. Woke up Day 2 feeling human – crushed the Prado & Buen Retiro Park. Madrid-Granada train – stunning scenery. Alhambra morning slot saved us from the crush and heat. Took an actual siesta that afternoon! Flight to Barcelona was smooth. Adjusted my internal clock to Spanish time – dinners at 9:30 PM became normal. Slowed down, explored neighborhoods instead of rushing to every landmark.
Ended up ditching a rigid hour-by-hour plan after day two. Just had key tickets booked and a loose idea. So much better. Talked to locals – got the best bar recommendations that way. Trip wasn’t perfect, but it was real, and it worked because I ditched half my original “must-sees” and slowed down. Don’t be the frantic tourist shuffling from spot to spot. Pick fewer spots, enjoy them deeper, eat later, sleep sometimes.