Time to see Barcelona, Madrid and Sevilla in a week?

You've the absolute minimum time required in each place, but it'll work.

I think it looks fine, though my personal preference would be more time in Madrid and less in Barcelona. It is certainly doable.

Tight but certainly doable. I concur with it being a bit much for Barcelona (relative to your overall amount of time). If you fly to Barcelona in the morning of D6, that would give you a whole extra afternoon/evening/night in Sevilla. D1 won't have much time for exploring and you'll be fighting jet lag. You certainly wouldn't want to take the train to Sevilla until early evening on D3, if not morning of D4. The transit time is right, but you'll need to factor in checking in/out of hotels, getting to/from stations/airports and finding your way around at first. Each trip leg is a half day lost in your case.

I wouldn't do this, for one personal reason. I find my jetlag the first day is much less if I am outdoors and much worse when I go inside. And for me, the highlights of Madrid were the Prado Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. So, I'd want more non-jetlagged days to see these, and would therefore add a day to Madrid and take one from Barcelona (skipping the Costa Brava). But that's a personal refinement. If you can accept the limitations of a forced-march schedule (and it seems like you can), your plan will work.

Two nights Madrid, two highs Sevilla, four nights Barcelona. It sounds just right to me. We loved Barcelona and found a lot to do there. Madrid not so much, in fact we left and went to spend a night in Toledo. Since you arrive Madrid in the morning, you have two full days to spend in parks and museums. Buy your tickets for the AVE to Sevilla 2 months in advance on Renfe if you would like to save some money.

Thanks so much!

Have you traveled extensively in Europe so that you have a sense of your tolerance for jetlag? Plan your first day in Madrid with that in mind. Me, I wouldn't set foot in a museum on my first day after a transatlantic flight! But walking around outside is actually good for you. While in Seville, check and see if the Museo de Flamenco has a flamenco performance scheduled. If so, that's a great way to see spine-tingling flamenco for a reasonable price and without busloads of "Ole!" tourists. First time I saw flamenco was in one of the heavily advertised flamenco nightclub shows; this is a much, much better and more intimate experience, in my opinion. Plus the museum gives you a sense of the cultural meaning of flamenco. Barcelona is so full of must-see and unique wonders that I wouldn't use the time for the Costa Brava. Check any of the Barcelona links here for ideas. Transit times aren't bad, actually. The Renfe trains are efficient and quick and you end up in the central areas where you want to be. Does your flight to Barcelona take you to Girona or to the main BCN airport? If it goes to Girona, then count on a fairly long trip into town. If it goes to BCN, you're a quick Aerobus ride to the Placa Catalunya in the center of town.

This is actually my first trip to Europe, but have traveled to Oahu and that was a 9+ hr flight with 6 hr time difference and jet lag didn't bother me...but I did stay outside that first day. Based on all the feedback I'll definitely plan on walking around outside in Madrid on day 1 and hit the Prado the next day. Thanks for the flamenco advice! Would it be worth catching a show at a bar or nightclub as well? Seems like it would be really fun to watch while having a drink, relaxing and just getting lost in it. The reason I'm including Costa Brava is that my husband and I want to do a 4 hr sea kayaking trip up there (hour train ride plus taxi, remote spot). I thought we might relax for a little bit after and have a semi-beach day and then head back to Barcelona in the evening. Haven't bought tickets yet, not going until June 2014...just really excited about first trip to Europe! I've been wanting to go longer than I can remember. Just bought Rosetta Stone! I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the feedback. I love this Rick Steve's travel community! I get excited every time I get an e-mail saying someone posted. Thanks again. Planning and anticipating is half the fun. :)

I would like to see anyone who says spend more time in Madrid and less innBarcelona to actually compare them. Myes, Madrid has the Prado and Reina Sofia, which are important to art lovers for Renaissance and other art. But what does Madrid have to compare with Barcelona' amazing and fanciful Parc Guell, or Montjuec with its gardens and museums ( including Miro) with great views, a fun ride to get there and back, and a bullring-turned-upscale shopping mall at the base, beautiful tree-lined boulevards made for strolling, trendy Modernism and older classical architecture, a long and wonderfully clean beach, La Boqueris market, and the party scene of Las Ramblas? And there are plenty of art museums,,including one dedicated to Picasso, as well as a beautiful concert hall, Palau de Musica Catalana, not to mention the church, Sagrada Famila. As well as older traditional churches, and even Roman ruins!