I just found a great deal on tickets to Madrid but I also have to fly out of Madrid for this price. I will be there for 10 days but I want to see more than just Spain. Rome would be our first choice and Paris our 2nd but I know that might not be the best easiest choice. Can anyone suggest an itinerary for me that would work?

I would stay in Spain. A couple of nights in Toledo, another couple of nights in Segovia, 3 nights in Salamanca, and 3 nights in Madrid would be a great trip.

If you plan to fly to another country and fly back (does this really make any sense and still make your flight ticket such a great bargain??), Paris and Rome are as easy as any other place. Madrid only has one airport, after all. Probably tons more flight options to/from London, of course, but it's still a flight.

Easyjet budget airline does fly from MAD to Paris CDG, they don't fly to Rome (although they do fly to Milan). Iberia does cheap flights to Rome from MAD, though.

Still that will probably add on a couple hundred euro for that RT flight.

So you would be paying a lot but spending quite a few extra hours of your vacation time to do this. I personally don't think that makes any sense as I doubt if your ticket could be that great a deal to offset that.

I found some cheap flights on Iberia to Paris. (I have a great deal on my flight into Madrid and did consider going to Paris for a few says) That said, I am going to do Madrid and Seville.

Madrid's a great city and honestly it's dramatically cheaper than either of the other two cities you are looking at.

There is much to see in Spain. There are many worthwhile day trips from Madrid including Toledo, Segovia, Cuenca (with the hi-speed AVE) and Salamanca.

If you feel the need to see another region you can go south on or Barcelona on the AVE.

I agree: why the urge to see another country if you haven't seen Spain? Get a guidebook and be amazed what's all on offer.

Stay in Spain. You have so few days but can enjoy a lot of this beautiful country.

mix Madrid with Seville. can take day trips from Madrid to Toledo and Segovia.

this is what we did a few years ago with a 10 day agenda but only visited Segovia.

spain is a wonderful country-don't rush it!

I will be there for 10 days but I want to see more than just Spain.>

How about Portugal - Madrid by overnight hotel train to Lisbon or Porto - and back - Lisbon has lots of neat short day trips as does Porto.

Or fly to Paris and back = too far by train.

for info on trains and the overnight train check www.renfe.com - Spanish Railways official site - book your own ticket; www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Toledo would be my first recommended day trip from Madrid.

A lot to see in Spain..variety of regions, cultures , even languages..
Madrid is a great city. (.I visited 8 times )
but if you wish to visit another country ..Lisbon by easyjet (cheap, short trip from airport , interesting city)

You couldn't even come CLOSE to exhausting all of the amazing things there are to see in Spain in just 10 days. Don't waste what is still a relatively short vacation getting to airports two hours in advance of flights and then risking flight delays, etc. I like joannyc's agenda above a lot (althought I didn't make it to Salamanca on my first trip--but will on my planned trip back in 2018). Sevilla was my favorite city in Spain and is only a 2 1/2 hour AVE train ride from Madrid. It's quintessential Spain. You don't say however what time of year you are going, so in summer, it would be quite hot.

This helps a lot, thank you! I forgot to mention that I have 2 kids, ages 12 and 17. Do you think that this would be of interest to them? I know that they would love to see Rome and everything it has to offer but never thought about Spain. I would love it, just want to make sure the kids will enjoy as well.

Of course there is more than enough to interest your children. Do you have a good guidebook or two? If not, please consult a few -- or perhaps even better, get a few, or go to your local library, and work with your children to go through them and see what appeals. In comparison to the cost of your trip, the cost of a few good guidebooks will be nugatory, and you'll learn answers to questions that you don't even yet realize that you need to ask....

Good luck!

Thanks again. So I just booked it, June 1- June 11, flying in and out of Madrid. I took your advice and we will just immerse ourselves in the Spain culture instead of trying to rush and fit in too much. I am a bit overwhelmed with the best, most efficient way to travel. Is it possible for us to go to Barcelona and also to seville in the 10 days? I will look up all the sights we would like to see and start planning. Can anyone suggest the "must do's" in Spain? I was not planning to go to Spain this year but the flights were cheaper then if I just traveled within the US. Hence why I seem so lost and have so many questions.
A Spain itinerary and best way to travel is much appreciated. Also, I was gonna go with air b and b's?

Another option would be Seville for 3 nights (fly or train from Madrid depending on cost and timing), 2 nights each in Córdoba and Granada, then 3 nights back in Madrid.

If visiting in summer, Andalucia will be very hot so depends on the time of year.

Córdoba could also be done as a daytrip from Seville thus adding 2 nights among the other towns/cities. Maybe 4 nights in both Seville and Madrid with a daytrip from each.

I, personally, would hate an itinerary that includes Madrid (and surrounds) AND Barcelona (and surrounds) -- too much! Similarly, I think it's too much to try to see Madrid AND Sevilla in one trip of about 10 days. The three together? NO WAY!!! (IMO) There is more than enough to see and do in just ONE of these locations, to include a few priceless day trips.

Once you decide on WHAT you want to do, you can begin to think about HOW to get around. If it helps, you can get a preliminary sense from rome2rio.com

Unfortunately, none of us can tell you what YOUR "must-sees" will be. Any decent guidebook will give you information that you can use to identify your priorities.

I have 24 hours to change my flight so it sounds like it would be better if I fly into Barcelona and out of Madrid. I can spend half my time in Barcelona and half in Madrid and save Seville for another trip. This way, I don't have to get back to Madrid for flight. It's only $100 use more for multi city flight and figured I would save time and money on train. I am going to start the planning once I get the flights booked. Just wanted to see if a seasoned Spain traveler agreed that this is the best choice? I really think that just staying in Madrid for the entire 9 days might be a bit too long and the same with Barcelona. Sound ok in your opinions?

I wouldn't do two large cities for the entire trip. You are going to miss out on the charms of many of Spain's small towns. Maybe add them as daytrips? Toledo, Segovia, Montserrat, etc.?

<<I really think that just staying in Madrid for the entire 9 days might be a bit too long and the same with Barcelona. Sound ok in your opinions?>>

yes, that's what I would do also, I would not want to spend 9 days in either one if that was my entire vacation time, either. I certainly do not agree that visiting two cities in 9 days is too much.

I don't think the OP ever said she had no intention of doing day trips from these two major cities, I presume she will.

Ideally, I would stay 3 days in Barcelona and the other 6 days in Madrid. I will definitely want to see other small, quaint spanish towns while in both of these cities, if they are close enough, of course. Maybe day trips to Toledo and Segovia from Madrid is what seems to be what keeps coming up in my searches. I am just at the beginning of my search, wanted to figure out what cities to fly in/out of and then begin planning. Any recommendation for accommodations? In Madrid and Barcelona, I would like to be central to everything but not in a loud area that might keep us up at night. I will be traveling with my 2 kids and husband. Kids are 12 and 17.