10 Days in Spain: Madrid, Girona, Tossa de Mar, and Barcelona
When I started planning our family’s first trip to Spain, I kept finding reasons to go in completely different directions. I wanted to see the cities of Andalusia, explore the Basque Country, and spend a few days by the water. We had about 10 days, and the hardest part was resisting the urge to see how much I could squeeze into them.
Our flights gave me somewhere to start. Once I knew we’d fly into Madrid and home from Barcelona, the question got easier. What did we want to do between those two cities? A few days on the Costa Brava sounded like the kind of break our family would enjoy, and Girona gave us one more place to explore along the way.
Our 10-Day Spain Itinerary at a Glance
The route we took. We spent three nights in Madrid, stopped in Girona for a few hours on the way to three nights in Tossa de Mar, and finished with four nights in Barcelona, including a full day in Montserrat.
What made the route work. Flying into Madrid and home from Barcelona let us travel in one direction. We got between stops by train and bus, and the direct bus from Tossa de Mar to Barcelona was our easiest transfer.
Where I’d slow down again. I’d keep all three nights in Tossa de Mar. Two full days gave us time for the beach, a boat ride to Cala Giverola, and evening walks along the old town walls.
What I’d plan differently. I’d confirm luggage storage and the onward bus before arriving in Girona. If you want a simpler travel day, you can go straight from Madrid to Barcelona by train and catch the bus to Tossa from there.
Getting to Spain: Why We Flew Into Madrid and Home From Barcelona
For a first trip to Spain, I’d start by looking at both Madrid and Barcelona. We had four adults to book, so finding flights that worked for everyone gave us two dates and two cities to build around. From there, I could decide how much time to give each stop and where we wanted a change of pace.
We booked two one-way tickets using Flying Blue miles. We flew JFK → Paris → Madrid on the way there and Barcelona → Paris → JFK on the way home, both in Premium Economy. The two flights came to 80,000 Flying Blue miles plus about $400 in taxes and fees per person.
Flying home from Barcelona meant we could spend the last part of the trip there without setting aside time to get back to Madrid. That mattered more to me once I started adding up the train rides, hotel check-ins, and days we’d already be moving around. I’ve broken down the flights, hotels, and what we spent on the ground in my 10-day Spain trip cost breakdown.
How We Chose the Costa Brava for Our First Trip to Spain
What I loved about our family trip to the Amalfi Coast was how much each of us could enjoy in the same day. My sister was all in for beach time. My dad and I love walking and history, so the walk along the fort was our favorite. My mom was happiest when she had time to browse for souvenirs and stop for photos. I wanted a few days in Spain where we could enjoy that same mix together.
Tossa de Mar looked like a good fit. We could stay within walking distance of the beach, the old town, and restaurants, and head back to the hotel whenever we needed a break. The direct bus from Tossa to Barcelona made it easy to fit the coast between our two city stays.
I chose to add a few hours in Girona on the way from Madrid because I wanted to see the old town. If you’d rather keep the transfer simple, you can take the train from Madrid to Barcelona and catch the direct bus to Tossa from there.
If you’re deciding between the two coastlines, I go into more detail about what each was like for our family in my Amalfi Coast vs. Costa Brava comparison.
After an overnight flight, a walk to Plaza Mayor and some tapas were all we wanted for our first evening in Madrid.
Days 1–3: Madrid
After the overnight flight, we took an Uber straight to our hotel near Gran Vía. By the time we were ready to go out, Plaza Mayor and tapas were plenty for a first evening. I liked having somewhere in mind to walk to and the freedom to call it a night whenever we’d had enough.
Over the next two days, we took a walking tour and visited the Prado Museum. The walking tour helped me get my bearings early, and the Prado gave us a sight we could take our time with. Staying near Gran Vía made the hours around those plans easy. We could step out for a walk or find somewhere to eat without making every outing a separate trip across town.
Madrid was the stop I’d booked first because of the flights, and it ended up being a city I’d happily go back to. If you’re deciding how much time to give it, here’s Why Madrid surprised me.
Travel Breakdown Tip — Madrid: Stay near Gran Vía on a first visit. It’s touristy, but our hotel was less than a five-minute walk away, and that central location made it easy to head out for sightseeing or dinner and come back for a break.
If I had just a few hours in Girona again, I’d head straight to the city walls. You get a view over the old town before heading down to explore its streets.
Day 4: A Stop in Girona on the Way to Tossa de Mar
We took an early train from Madrid to Barcelona Sants, then continued to Girona. I figured we’d have five or six hours to see the old town before taking a bus to Tossa de Mar. That sounded like a proper afternoon when I was looking at the schedule from home.
It felt a little different standing outside Girona’s train station with four carry-ons and four backpacks. I’d expected to find luggage storage at the station, and we spent part of our sightseeing window trying to figure out where to leave everything. We also learned at the bus counter that we’d need to change buses in Lloret de Mar.
Once we dropped off the bags, I could finally see why I’d wanted to stop. We got to wander the medieval streets, see the cathedral, and sit down for a meal at Casa Marieta. I’m glad we had time for that meal. After a morning of watching the clock, it was good to sit down somewhere and enjoy being in Girona.
If I planned this transfer again, I’d confirm the luggage drop-off address and the onward bus connection before leaving Madrid. Knowing exactly where we were headed would have given us more of the afternoon back. I wrote more about what happened in Is Girona Worth Visiting?.
Travel Breakdown Tip — Girona: If you only have a few hours, head straight to the old town walls once you’ve dropped off your bags. From up there, you can see the cathedral and rooftops all at once, then spend whatever time you have left wandering the streets below.
Cala Giverola was my favorite beach near Tossa de Mar. I’d take the glass-bottom boat there again and leave the whole afternoon free for a swim.
Days 4–6: Beach Time in Tossa de Mar
We got to Tossa after our afternoon in Girona and walked from the bus station to Hotel Delfín with our luggage. After two trains, a luggage hunt, and a bus transfer, a hotel we could walk to felt like an especially good decision. We kept the first evening simple with dinner and a walk along the water.
We had three nights and two full days in Tossa. That gave us time for a long beach day at Platja Gran and a glass-bottom boat ride to Cala Giverola, where we got off to swim. It also gave my dad and me time to walk the Vila Vella walls more than once. I especially liked going back in the evening, when we could linger at the overlooks and watch the light change over the water.
One of my favorite meals of the trip was dinner at La Placeta, where we shared seafood by the medieval walls. That was the pace I’d hoped for when I picked Tossa. We could spend hours at the beach, pop back to the hotel to shower, and still have the whole evening ahead of us. By the end of the stay, I was already thinking about what I’d do with a week. Here’s what I loved about Tossa de Mar.
Travel Breakdown Tip — Tossa de Mar: Take the glass-bottom boat to Cala Giverola and plan to spend the whole afternoon there. The beach is less rocky than Platja Gran and just as gorgeous. Bring a towel and check the last boat back before you settle in.
Days 7–10: Barcelona and a Day Trip to Montserrat
The direct bus from Tossa de Mar to Barcelona was the easiest transfer of the trip. We had four nights in Barcelona, which gave us time for the sights I’d booked ahead and a day out of the city. We stayed at Enjoybcn Patio de Gala Apartments, where all four of us had room to spread out and we could have breakfast at the apartment before heading out.
We took a guided tour of Sagrada Família and visited Park Güell, but the part of Barcelona I’d most like to repeat was a walk from Barceloneta to El Born. I liked starting by the water and seeing where we ended up once we turned inland. If I went back, I’d build more time into the itinerary for afternoons like that. I shared more about what clicked for me in my Barcelona vs. Madrid recap.
Travel Breakdown Tip — Barcelona: Build each day around one part of the city and give yourself time to explore it on foot. One of my favorite afternoons was walking from Barceloneta to El Born, and I’d leave room for more walks like that on a return trip.
I’d seen plenty of photos of Montserrat, but it took standing below those cliffs to appreciate just how big they were. I’m glad we gave it a full day from Barcelona.
A Day in Montserrat
Montserrat was the day trip everyone seemed to recommend from Barcelona, and I remember wondering how good it could actually be. We absolutely loved it. I’d seen pictures of the monastery tucked into the mountains, but standing there and looking up at those jagged rock formations was the first time I really understood the scale of the place.
What I loved most was how much the view changed as we walked. From one spot, you could look back and see how small the monastery looked against the rock face. From another, the view opened up over the valley and you could see for miles. The trails gave us a reason to keep going a little farther, even when we’d already stopped for what I was sure would be my favorite view of the day.
I’m glad we gave Montserrat a full day. We had time to walk, stop for photos, and linger at the viewpoints without thinking about when we needed to be back in Barcelona. With four nights in the city, we could spend a whole day in the mountains and still have time for the places we’d come to Barcelona to see.
Travel Breakdown Tip — Montserrat: We walked uphill to the cross at Sant Miquel, and the view back toward the monastery was worth the climb. Next time, I’d take the Sant Joan funicular up and walk back down toward the monastery. Starting higher up would make for a less strenuous walk and leave us more time to explore the trails and stop at viewpoints along the way.
Would I Follow This 10-Day Spain Itinerary Again?
Absolutely. All four of us loved Spain, and so much about this route worked for our family. Booking two one-way awards let us fly into Madrid and home from Barcelona, and any time I can avoid backtracking, I will. I’d keep all three nights in Tossa de Mar and give Montserrat a full day again. Even with the extra stop I snuck in at Girona, the pace felt right.
Did we leave things unseen? Absolutely. We deliberately planned just one or two ticketed activities in each city so we’d have time to walk around, stop somewhere that caught our eye, or linger over a meal. A few years ago, I would’ve had a hard time leaving that much of the itinerary open. Now it’s something I build into every trip, and there’s always something to look forward to if we go back.
This was our first taste of Spain. I’d happily do this route again, and with Andalusia, the Basque Country, and so many other places still to explore, I’m already looking forward to the next trip.
