This two weeks Spain itinerary is fully based on the trip I took to Spain back in 2015. I have researched and updated the prices, as they have changed over the last few years.
Spain is a big country and there are a lot of places that would deserve to be part of your itinerary of the country. I will later work on another post where I will build an itinerary of the Ultimate Spain itinerary where I will add all the places that are on my bucket list and give you a bigger picture on how to travel the country. For now, this is the itinerary I followed when I traveled Spain for two weeks.
Please not that I started and ended this trip in Portugal. If you wish to use the itinerary and have a real idea of the budget you need, just change your place of departure and where you will return to and change the price of that transport budget.
The itinerary is divided by each place to visit during these two weeks. Each place has the expenses divided into three categories: Transport, Accommodation and Food. This Itinerary will go as follows:
- Toledo , 2 nights
- Madrid, 3 nights
- Granada, 3 nights
- Cordoba, 2 nights
- Seville, 3 nights
TOLEDO | 2 nights | 93€
I started my trip in Toledo where I spent two nights. It’s a lovely place for you to start your adventure in Spain, specially if you are a woman traveling alone, as it will give you a taste of the country and because it’s a smaller and quiet city, it will also give you time to adapt to traveling alone and it will build your confidence to face the bigger cities in this itinerary.
TRANSPORT
- OPTION 1
HOP ON THE NIGHT TRAIN FROM LISBON TO MADRID
To get to Toledo I took the night train from Lisbon to Madrid. This allowed me to save a night of accommodation and it came down at a much cheaper price than any flight. The night train leaves Lisbon Santa Apolonia at 21:25 and it arrives at Madrid-Chamartin at 8:40 the next morning. This train is really safe even for women traveling alone and I highly advise the experience.
GET A FREE TRAIN FROM MADRID-CHAMARTIN TO THE ATOCHA TRAIN STATION
Once in Madrid, the train leaves you at the train station of Madrid-Chamartin which is a bit outside of the city center. From here you catch the train from Madrid-Chamartin to the Atocha train station. This ticket is free if you use the code from your night train ticket.
GET A TRAIN FROM MADRID-ATOCHA TO TOLEDO
From the Atocha train station in Madrid you need to get a thirty minutes train to get to Toledo. Once in Toledo, you can either spend 2€ for the bus that takes you to the city center or you can walk. It’s a bit of a walk but if you want to save some money walking is always a nice option.
TRANSPORT COSTS:
- Metro in Lisbon from the city center to the train station of Santa Apolonia or Oriente: 1,5€
- Night train from Lisbon to Madrid-Chamartin in a 4 bed compartment: 35€
- Train from Madrid-Chamartin to Madrid-Atocha: free
- Train from Madrid-Atocha to Toledo: 14€
OPTION 1 TOTAL TRANSPORT COST – 50,5€
- OPTION 2
This second option to travel from Lisbon to Toledo is cheaper than option 1 but it isn’t so comfortable and it’s a bit more complicated.
CATCH THE OVERNIGHT BUS FROM LISBON TO MADRID
The bus company FlixBus runs a night bus from Lisbon to Madrid. Alsabus also runs these buses but they cost twice as much so we will focus on FlixBus. There are buses doing this journey during the day, but we want to keep the costs at a minimum and going on the night bus saves you a night of accommodation and it gives you the entire day at the destination.
The night bus from FlixBus leaves Lisbon from Gare do Oriente, at 22:15 and it arrives in Madrid Estación Sur at 8:10 the next morning.
CATCH THE METRO
This is the part that is a bit more complicated then in option 1 because the bus from Lisbon to Madrid leaves you at a different bus station than the bus that goes from Madrid to Toledo. Catch the metro at Mendez Alvaro station. Get line 6, a circular line, and get off at Madrid Plaza Eliptica.
GET THE BUS FROM MADRID TO TOLEDO
From the bus station at Madrid Plaza Eliptica, catch the Alsabus to Toledo. There are buses for this journey every thirty minutes so don’t feel stressed about the time you arrive at Plaza Eliptica as if you miss one bus you can just hop on the next one. The journey between Madrid and Toledo by bus takes 1h to 1h30, depending on the time you catch the bus.
TRANSPORT COSTS:
- Metro in Lisbon from the city center to Gare to Oriente: 1,5€
- Night bus from Lisbon to Madrid with Flixbus: 22€
- Metro in Madrid from Madrid Estación Sur to Plaza Eliptica: 1,5€
- Alsabus from Madrid to Toledo: 6€
OPTION 2 TOTAL TRANSPORT COST – 31€
ACCOMMODATION IN TOLEDO
Toledo is a very small city so there aren’t a lot of hostel accommodations to chose from. Still, I highly reccomend the hostel I stayed at considering it’s very affordable and it has a fantastic location right in the heart of Toledo. I stayed at Oasis Backpackers Hostel Toledo. A bed in a 4-bed female dorm will cost you 16€, 20€ if you stay during the months of July and August due to high season prices.
ACCOMMODATION COST FOR 2 NIGHTS – 32€
FOOD
This part of the budget is always very subjective as it really depends on how much you are willing to spend or how little you can spend. I did this trip on 10€ a day, but I would say 15€ is a better daily budget for food expenses at it makes your life a bit easier.
FOOD COSTS FOR 2 DAYS – 30€
TOURS/ACTIVITIES
This part does not count for the budget as I’m focused on giving you the general and needed budget to take this trip. Obviously joining some tours and activities can make your trip a bit more fun, but it’s up to you wether you want or have the money to afford them or if you just want to save the money you’d spend on those tours in order to spend less and save it to spend a longer time traveling or travel to other places.
The best activity to do in Toledo, if you’re brave enough, is to go Zip Lining. Toledo has the longest urban zip line in Europe and it just seems like a really fun thing to do. The activity is also extremely affordable, costing only 10€ to take the ride on the zipline from one side of the river to the other. At an extra cost you can have your digital photo taken (3€) or get the entire thing on a GoPro video (10€). This activity is ran by the company Fly Toledo.
2 NIGHTS IN TOLEDO TOTAL BUDGET BREAKDOWN
Transport: 31€
Accommodation: 16€ a night x 2 nights = 32€
Food: 15€ a day x 2 days = 30€
TOTAL 93€
MADRID | 3 nights | 121,5€
Now that you spent two nights in Toledo getting a little taste of Spain, it’s time to move on to your next destination and face the giant Spanish capital of Madrid.
TRANSPORT
- OPTION 1
CATCH THE TRAIN FROM TOLEDO TO MADRID
The train from Toledo to Madrid is the fastest option but also the most expensive. The journey takes thirty minutes and it costs 14€.
- OPTION 2
CATCH THE BUS FROM TOLED TO MADRID
The bus is the cheapest option but it does take twice the time as the train. The journey take 1h to 1h30 but it only costs 6€.
TRANSPORT COSTS | 7,5€
- Alsabus from Toledo to Madrid Plaza Eliptica: 6€
- Metro from Plaza Eliptica to the city center to get to your accommodation: 1,5€
ACCOMMODATION | 69€
Madrid is a major city and the hostel options are endless. During my visit I stayed at the cheapest hostel I could find and I won’t reccommend the same experience as I got bedbugs out of my stupid decision. Instead I’m reccomendig you a fantastic hostel in Madrid that would definately the one I would chose if I went to Madrid right now. Stay at Mola Hostel. This hostel is beautiful and it’s located in a great area that allows you to explore the city on foot. A 6 bed female dorm will cost you 23€ a night. By staying three nights it will cost you a total of 69€.
FOOD | 45€
We keep the food budget on 15€ a day that allows you to taste some spanish food, possible by eating tapas instead of full meals and if you are willing to cook some of your meals at the hostel. You’re staying three nights in Madrid, so that’s a total budget of 45€ for food.
3 NIGHTS IN MADRID TOTAL BUDGET BREAKDOWN:
Transport: 7,5€
Accommodation: 23€ a night x 3 nights = 69€
Food: 15€ a day x 3 days = 45€
TOTAL 121,5€
GRANADA | 3 nights | 116,5€
After two nights in Toledo and three nights in the capital of Spain, it’s time to head south and explore Andalucia, one of the most beautiful regions in the country.
TRANSPORT
CATCH THE BUS FROM MADRID TO GRANADA
The best and cheapest option to get from Madrid to Granada is to catch the AlsaBus. This journey takes five hours to reach Granada but it only costs 20€. The bus departs from Madrid Estación Sur, so you will have to catch the metro to get there before getting on your bus to Granada. Once in Granada, the bus station is not exactly in the city center. Go to the information point at the bus station and ask exactly how to get to the city center. When i visited I took a local bus and then changed to another one and it cost me 2€.
TRANSPORT COSTS | 23,5€
- Metro from Madrid city center to Madrid Estación Sur: 1,5€
- Alsabus from Madrid to Granada: 20€
- Local bus from Granada’s bus station to the city center: 2€
ACCOMMODATION | 48€
Granada has a few hostels to offer. Some of them are very cheap but I wouldn’t advise you to stay at the cheapest hostel you can find as it can ruin your trip. Staying in a clean, safe and comfortable hostel is always the best option and it’s worth to pay a few extra euros for that.
Stay at Toc Hostel. This hostel is part of a chain that already has several hostels in Spain and it’s a fantastic hostel to be honest. The night in a 6-bed female dorm costs 16€.
FOOD | 45€
Again we stick to the 15€ a day for food. The food in Granada is very cheap and this is totally possible. There are lunch menus with complete meal of entrance, main dish and dessert, being sold in many restaurants for 10€ fixed price. Also in Granada when you buy a drink you are offered a free tapa. You’re staying three nights, so your food budget will be of 45€ total.
3 NIGHTS IN GRANADA TOTAL BUDGET BREAKDOWN:
Transport: 23,5€
Accommodation: 16€ a night x 3 nights = 48€
Food: 15€ a day x 3 days = 45€
TOTAL 116,5€
CORDOBA | 2 nights | 90€
From Granada head off to Cordoba, a smaller city with a lot of charm and with the beautiful Mezquita de Cordoba and very delicious food.
TRANSPORT
CATCH THE BUS FROM GRANADA TO CORDOBA
From Granada to Cordoba the best option is again the bus. Get the Alsabus for this journey. It will cost you 16€ and it will take 2h45. To catch the bus remember that Granada’s bus station is not right in the city center so you’ll need to catch the local bus to the bus station before catching your bus to Cordoba. When you arrive in Cordoba you have the option to walk to the city center, though its a bit of a stretch as you’ll have to walk 2km to reach your accommodation. The best is to catch the local bus that leaves you very close to your hostel.
TRANSPORT COSTS | 20€
- Local bus from Granada city center to the bus station: 2€
- AlsaBus from Granada to Cordoba: 16€
- Local bus from Cordoba’s bus station to city center: 2€
ACCOMMODATION | 40€
For the two nights in Cordoba I suggest you stay at Backpacker Al-Katre hostel. Stay in a 4-bed female dorm for 20€ a night, and the best part is the hostel is extremely close to the Mezquita de Cordoba, so it will be easy to visit it in the early morning when it’s free.
FOOD | 30€
Again. 15€ a day. You’ll spend two days in Cordoba so that’s a total of 30€ budget for your meals. In cordoba many restaurants serve cheap and yummi tapas so you can stay on a budget for sure. Just be careful as some restaurants put up the prices without tax included so it will actually be more expensive than you though. They do this to attract tourists and I believe this is basically a scam, but if you are looking out for it you can avoid the same mistake as me.
2 NIGHTS IN CORDOBA TOTAL BUDGET BREAKDOWN:
Transport: 20€
Accommodation: 20€ a night x 2 nights = 40€
Food: 15€ a day x 2 days = 30€
TOTAL 90€
SEVILLE | 3 NIGHTS | 135€
Your final stop on this itinerary is the beautiful city of Seville, also one of my favorites from my trip in Spain.
TRANSPORT
CATCH THE BUS FROM CORDOBA TO SEVILLE
Wake up early in the morning, catch the local bus to the bus station and hop on the bus from AlsaBus to Seville. The journey takes about 2h and it will cost you 13€. Arriving in Seville you can take the walk to your accommodation as it’s not too far away and by now you’ve eaten a lot of spanish food so some exercise won’t hurt.
TRANSPORT COSTS | 15€
- Local bus from Cordoba city center to the bus station: 2€
- Alsabus from Cordoba to Seville: 13€
ACCOMMODATION | 75€
Stay at the best rated hostel in Seville, the For you Hostel. If you stay in a 6-bed female dorm the night here will cost you 25€ (cheaper in the low season).
FOOD | 45€
3 NIGHTS IN SEVILLE TOTAL BUDGET BREAKDOWN:
Transport: 15€
Accommodation: 25€ a night x 3 nights = 75€
Food: 15€ a day x 3 days = 45€
TOTAL 135€
BACK TO LISBON WHERE I STARTED THIS TRIP
Going to Lisbon from Seville is very easy. There are buses during the day and also during the night that take this journey. If you can’t find any direct journey that works for you, you can always get the bus from Seville to Faro and from their take another bus to Lisbon.
The cheapest option is to take the FlixBus. The bus leaves Seville at 14:55 and arrives in Lisbon Oriente at 21:15. The tickets bought in advance can cost you as little as 10€. From Oriente to get to the city center of Lisbon, just take the metro that will cost you 1,5€ and you are now back to where you started.
SEVILLE TO LISBON TRAVEL COSTS | 11,5€
- Flixbus Seville to Lisbon: 10€
- Metro in Lisbon: 1,5€
SO HOW MUCH IS THIS TRIP GOING TO COST YOU?
TOLEDO | 2 NIGHTS – 93€
MADRID | 3 NIGHTS – 121,5€
GRANADA | 3 NIGHTS – 116,5€
CORDOBA | 2 NIGHTS – 90€
SEVILLE | 3 NIGHTS – 135€
SEVILLE BACK TO LISBON – 11,5€
TOTAL COST OF THE TRIP
567,5€
As you can see it is possible to travel Spain on a budget. In fact, when I did this same itinerary for my two weeks trip in Spain, I spent even less than the budget I just showed you. All becayse I made my food budget of 10€ a day instead of 15€ a day like I suggest here. Also, I traveled to Spain in October and the accommodation prices were a bit lower at this time.
So, there you go! Two weeks in Spain in five different cities, lots of spanish food and plenty of time to get your first taste of this beautiful country and with a budget of 567,5€ you can do all of this. I hope this itinerary has given you an idea on how much it costs to travel Spain, and also to prove how cheap your transportation between cities can be if you avoid to fly and just use the bus or train to move around the country.
If you wish to start and end your trip some place else, then from the 567,5€ of the total budget (considering it includes the transportantion to and from Lisbon, Portugal), just take 31€ (transport from Lisbon to Toledo) and 11,5€(transport from Seville to Lisbon, Portugal). This means you’re budget is 525€. To this amount you just add the transportation costs from where you are starting this trip to get to Spain and the costs of leaving Spain.
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