If you’re planning a multi-city Spain trip and mostly want the booking details, this is the short version of ours: three hotels, three trains, and the experiences we’d prioritize again.
We traveled January 22–29, 2024. We landed in Madrid on January 23 and took a train to Barcelona, where we stayed for two nights. Next came two nights in Valencia, including a day trip to Requena. We finished with two nights in Madrid before flying home. We kept a quick pace. It worked for us, but those early train mornings and frequent moves were real parts of the bargain.
For the day-by-day route and why we planned it this way, read our full 8-day Spain itinerary. Here, I’ve kept the focus on what we actually booked or bought—and what I’d spend my time and money on again.
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Barcelona: our hotel and the two experiences I’d keep
Hotel Bagués
We stayed two nights at Hotel Bagués on La Rambla, in a Deluxe Double booked with hotel points. The staff were personable, the design felt special, and I loved the rooftop view toward Sagrada Família.
Our room had a small seating area and a balcony overlooking La Rambla. It felt like a reasonable city-hotel room until we opened our large side-opening suitcases and watched them swallow the floor space. If you’re changing hotels often, luggage size can matter as much as the room description. I’d consider staying here again if the location suited the activities I planned.
Hotel link: See Hotel Bagués rooms and current rates.
Sagrada Família guided tour with tower access
This is the Barcelona tour I’d book again first. We booked IBE TOURS’ Sagrada Família guided tour with the tower option. Nobody else arrived for our small-group departure, so the visit effectively became private for us—an excellent surprise, but not something to expect when booking.
The guide explained details of the sculptures, architecture and history that I would have missed on my own. Tower access gave us city views and a closer look at features that seemed tiny from the street. We paid more than we would have for basic admission, and I’d make that choice again.
The tour we booked: See the IBE TOURS Sagrada Família guided tour and select the tower-access option. Check the option selected before paying; tower access is not included in every version of the listing.
Montjuïc Cable Car
We bought our cable-car tickets on site, after walking through Montjuïc’s gardens. I’d make time for both again. The ride gave us views over the city, while the gardens made this feel like more than a quick trip up and down.
Ticket options: Compare Montjuïc Cable Car tickets on GetYourGuide. This is a page for current options, not where we bought our 2024 tickets.
Valencia and Requena: our hotel and a last-minute wine day
AC Hotel Valencia by Marriott
We used hotel points for two nights at AC Hotel Valencia. I remember a nice view from our room. We could walk to the City of Arts and Sciences in about 15 minutes, which worked well for that part of our plans. We took taxis to Valencia Cathedral and the beach, so I’d factor those rides into the decision if you’re considering this hotel for a similar itinerary.
Hotel link: See AC Hotel Valencia rooms and current rates.
A private-driver day in Requena
Requena wasn’t a carefully booked pre-trip tour. We decided to go the night before, and one of our friends found a private driver through WhatsApp. The driver picked us up and brought us back to the hotel. Our actual stops were Sierra Norte, Pagos de Tharsys and Murviedro.
Sierra Norte had outdoor seating, views and wine we enjoyed; Pagos felt smaller and more boutique; and I still remember Murviedro’s distinctive clay bottles. The day was relaxed in a way the rest of our city-to-city trip wasn’t. With four of us sharing the driver, paying more for private transport felt worthwhile: nobody had to rent a car, navigate between wineries or volunteer as the designated driver.
I’d do this again if traveling with a group that enjoys wine. I wouldn’t present it as a must-do for everyone visiting Valencia.
Similar bookable option—not our driver: See this private Requena wine tour from Valencia with tastings and lunch. Its listed structure includes private transport, pickup, tastings and lunch, but its itinerary differs from the three wineries we visited. Check its current stops and inclusions before booking.
Madrid: a balcony room, e-bikes, the Palace and a match
Hyatt Centric Gran Vía Madrid
For our last two nights, we stayed at Hyatt Centric Gran Vía Madrid using points. Our 1 King Balcony room had an open, panoramic Madrid view rather than a view directly into another building. We enjoyed the balcony enough to remember it as one of our favorite hotel details from the trip. That was our room assignment; don’t assume every room at the hotel has that view.
Hotel link: See Hyatt Centric Gran Vía Madrid rooms and current rates.
Our Madrid e-bike tour
After our early train from Valencia, we took a Guided Essential Madrid E-Bike Tour that afternoon. Riding let us cover a lot of the city, including the Royal Palace area, Plaza Mayor, the Literary Quarter and Retiro Park. I sometimes struggled to hear the guide while we were moving, but I’d choose an e-bike tour again for a quick first look at Madrid.
Similar current option—not a verified match to our 2024 booking: See the Wonder Tours Literary Quarter and Retiro Park e-bike tour. Its listing covers several areas we rode through, but its route and format should be judged on their own terms.
Royal Palace of Madrid
We went inside the Royal Palace the next day and bought our tickets on site. After days of moving through cities quickly, slowing down for its rooms, history and architectural detail was worth it. I’d visit again.
Current ticket option—not the ticket we used: Check the selected Royal Palace fast-access admission ticket. Review the live product and available dates before purchasing.
An Atlético de Madrid match
Neither of us had to be a devoted football fan to enjoy our Atlético Madrid match. The crowd and the live game made it feel distinct from another sightseeing stop, and the tickets were a splurge I’d repeat if a home match lined up with our dates.
Official ticket link: Check upcoming Atlético de Madrid home matches and tickets. Look at the schedule before filling every Madrid evening; matches depend on the dates of your trip.
How we traveled between cities
We used trains for all three intercity moves. These are our scheduled January 2024 journeys, not suggested departure times for a trip now:
| Date | Our train | Route | Scheduled time |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 23 | Iryo 06091 | Madrid Puerta de Atocha → Barcelona Sants | 9:16 a.m.–12:01 p.m. |
| January 25 | Renfe Euromed 01071, Comfort class | Barcelona Sants → Valencia Joaquín Sorolla | 7:15–10:10 a.m. |
| January 27 | AVE 05871, booked through Rail Ninja | Valencia Joaquín Sorolla → Madrid Puerta de Atocha–Almudena Grandes | 7:00–8:58 a.m. |
The trains were straightforward for us, and the two departures just after 7 a.m. let us change cities before losing the middle of the day. They also meant packing up and leaving hotels early. If you’d rather have slow mornings, that tradeoff may not appeal to you.
I would build a similar short trip around rail again. For your own dates, compare the available trains, check the departure and arrival stations on each ticket, and choose the schedule that leaves enough time for the parts of the trip you care about. Our 2024 train numbers, times and fares aren’t a current booking plan.
What we’d book again
I’d put money aside first for a guided Sagrada Família visit with tower access: we got far more from the building with a guide and the view from above. If I were traveling again with a group that enjoys wine, I’d budget for a Requena day with a private driver; the relaxed logistics were the point of that splurge.
If a home game fits the trip, I’d make room for Atlético rather than treating it as an afterthought. In Madrid, I’d return to the Royal Palace and use an e-bike tour again to cover ground, while accepting that hearing a moving guide may be imperfect. I’d keep Montjuïc’s gardens and cable car in Barcelona, too.
That is the practical booking list behind our fast-paced week. For the full route, the moments between reservations and what I’d change about the PTO schedule, go back to our eight-day Spain itinerary.