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For my 32nd birthday this year, I spent 9 days in Spain. I knew I wanted to leave the country for this birthday, after being stuck at home for my last birthday. The Covid-19 pandemic halted all of my international travel plans for a few years and I had the travel bug so bad during that time! So, after weeks of browsing flight options, I settled on Spain. I spent 9 days in Spain and had the best time! For a first time visitor, I was able to see a good amount of cities and regions throughout Spain.
Since my birthday is in February, I knew I wanted to visit somewhere warm to get away from the rain and gloom in Portland. Spain is a Southern European country with a Mediterranean climate. Even in February, the weather was warm and only received a couple days of rain, making this the perfect winter escape.
After extensive research and trip planning, I concluded that it would be impossible to see everything I wanted to in just 9 days in Spain. So after yet more research and trip planning, I managed to cut my itinerary down to visiting 3 major cities. I focused my visit on Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and Madrid.
Keep reading below to see my 9 day itinerary!
Days 1 – 4: Barcelona
I started my 9 days in Spain in Barcelona. After my flight arrived into BCN and I found my hotel, I really only had 3.5 days left to explore Barcelona. I loved Barcelona! Barcelona actually ended up being my favorite city that I visited on this trip and was the perfect introduction to Spanish culture.
I spent a day wandering around seeing as much of the Gaudi architecture throughout the city that I could. One day I would love to go back and visit every Gaudi designed spot, but I imagine that would take days! I was in awe of the intricate, elaborate La Sagrada Familia and the colorful, playful designs of Parc Guell. These two sights quickly became two of my favorite in the whole city and are both sights I will return to on my next Barcelona trip.
I spent another day getting lost down the narrow alleyways of the Gothic Quarter. The Gothic Quarter is filled with quaint shops and restaurants located down narrow cobblestone streets. Walking around just looking at the architecture of the buildings and apartments was fun for me. I could totally imagine myself sitting on a balcony above the alleyways just people watching and drinking cafe con leche. The Gothic Quarter is also home to the Barcelona Cathedral so I spent some time admiring that before crossing La Rambla and grabbing tapas at the delicious Bar Boqueria inside the Mercat de la Boqueria.
Another day I spent time sitting on the warm sand at Barceloneta Beach. Although I was hoping for a warm February, it was a bit too cold on this trip to swim I the Mediterranean. I guess that’s something else that will need to happen on my next trip to Barcelona! To get the most bang for your buck in Barcelona, purchase a Go City Barcelona card for discounted admissions into some of the city’s best sights!
Days 5 – 7: Palma de Mallorca
After Barcelona, I caught a morning flight to the town of Palma, located on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. Along with Mallorca, there are two other popular islands located off Spain’s Mediterranean coast that are popular tourist spots – Ibiza and Menorca. I choose to visit Mallorca as it is the largest island and less of a party spot than neighboring Ibiza.
Since I only had a couple days on the island, I spent all of my time in the town of Palma. Palma is the capital city of the island and small enough to be seen within a few short days. The day I arrived I ended up taking it easy and using this as my first chance to really rest up. Other than finding a delicious tapas spot, I spent most of my day recharging at the hotel.
The following day once I was rested and energized, I spent the day exploring all that Palma had to offer. I started the morning visiting Bellver Castle. Bellver Castle is a unique round castle up on a hill looking out over the city. I spent the morning walking through the castle and admiring the view of the city and Mediterranean from the castle’s rooftop.
Afterwards, I walked into town. The day was spent wandering around the Royal Palace of the La Almdaina and the Palma Cathedral. These 2 buildings were so unique and beautiful. They are built with an Islamic influence from a time when the city was under Islamic control. It’s fascinating to see the different types of architecture between Plama and Barcelona. I also toured the city’s ancient Roman Bathhouse before heading to Plaza Major to find food and people watch for the remainder of the day.
Days 8 – 9: Madrid
From Palma, I flew back to the mainland to spend my last few days in Madrid. Madrid is the capital city of Spain and the busiest city of all those I visited on this trip. I had only 1.5 days to see the city. Honestly, I wasn’t as impressed with Madrid as I was with Barcelona and Palma. Even so, I plenty to do during my short time in Madrid!
While in Madrid, I was able to visit quite a few interesting sights. My favorite was the Las Ventas Bullfighting Ring. As someone with very little knowledge of bullfighting, I found this tour very informative and well done. I also loved taking a tour of the Royal Palace in Madrid and comparing this to the Palma Royal Palace. The Palace in Madrid is much more what I expect for a European Palace. Touring this place was another highlight of my day. And of course, I took a few breaks to enjoy sangria and tapas one last time before I had to leave Spain.
With that, my Spanish adventure was over. I had the best time spending 9 days in Spain! Spain is amazing and I cannot wait to return. Hopefully my next visit will be in summer so I can fully enjoy a swim in the Mediterranean sea, the stunning Spanish islands, and refreshing sangria after a full day of exploring in the heat.
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