2 Weeks in Spain & Italy - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Highlights of Italy & Spain

This highlights itinerary is an excellent choice for first-time visitors seeking a mix of culinary experiences and historical sites in some of Spain and Italy's most popular destinations. In Italy, you'll visit the Colleseum and other hotspots and take a food-focused tour of Rome, go wine tasting in the Chianti Hills, sample Venetian tapas, and cruise the canals in a gondola. In Spain, you'll learn about Gaudí's architectural masterpieces in Barcelona, peruse the markets of Madrid, wander the grounds of the Alhambra fortress, capture photos of the Ronda gorge, and visit the Alcázar fort in Seville. 

Your adventure begins in Rome, Italy, where you'll dive into local cuisine with a food tour that includes a chance to taste fresh produce at the Mercato dei Fiori and tuck into traditional dishes in the Roman Ghetto. The next day, you'll visit the city's historic highlights, including the Spanish Steps and the Colosseum. Then, catch a train to Florence for a guided culture tour before heading to the Chianti Hills for wine tasting. The Italian leg of the trip concludes in Venice, where you'll sample cicchetti (the Venetian version of tapas) during a local food tour and cruise the canals on a gondola.

Next, fly to Barcelona, Spain, for a tapas experience and a tour of Gaudí's architectural masterpieces. Catch a train to Madrid and embark on a local markets tour followed by a journey through the city's history and culture, including a tour of the historic Hapsburg district and a visit to the Prado Museum. Day 11 takes you to Granada, where you'll explore the grounds of the Alhambra fortress and attend a flamenco performance. Finally, admire the whitewashed buildings and gorge of Ronda and the Pueblos Blancos (White Villages) before wrapping up your trip in Seville with a visit to the Alcázar Moorish fort. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Culinary Journey Through Italy & Spain

Aspiring chefs and wine connoisseurs will appreciate the opportunities to immerse in each region's unique flavors and foodie culture on this culinary journey. You'll perfect your pizza-making skills in a masterclass in Naples, prepare pasta and tiramisu in a cooking workshop in Rome, sip white wines in Frascati, taste prosciutto and Parmigiano Reggiano in Parma, visit the vineyards of the Chianti region, go bar hopping on a pintxos tour in Bilbao, sample the red wines of Rioja, and enjoy a tasting tour in the Madrid countryside.

Starting in Naples, Italy, a street food tour will introduce you to taralli (mini circular breadsticks), cuoppo di pesce fritti (cones of fried fish), and other local favorites. Then, you'll make Neapolitan pizza in a masterclass with one of the city's oldest pizza-making families before heading to Pompeii to see the ruins. Take the train to Rome on Day 4, and you'll immerse in Italian cooking with a pasta and tiramisu-making class before sipping wines at a vineyard in Frascati, an idyllic town known as la città del vino (the city of wine) and surrounded by rolling hills carpeted in vineyards.

Continue to Bologna and feast on tortelloni in brodo (meat-filled pasta in a broth) and other regional specialties before sampling prosciutto and Parmigiano Reggiano in Parma. Your driver will transfer you to Florence, where you'll have time to visit Il Duomo and the art galleries at your own pace. The next day, your driver will whisk you away to the Chianti region for wine tasting, followed by a tour of the medieval town of San Gimignano. Fly to Bilbao, Spain, and experience local gastronomy on a pintxos (Basque tapas) tour. Cap off your trip with wine tasting in La Rioja and the Madrid countryside. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Coastal Spain & Southern Italy Trip: Barcelona, the Costa Brava, Sicily & the Amalfi Coast

Cover the highlights on this multicountry trip of coastal Spain and southern Italy, perfect for sun-seekers and those who enjoy road-tripping. You'll experience Barcelona's tapas culture, tour Antoni Gaudí's masterpieces, hike and kayak the Costa Brava, sample Sicilian street food, and check out Arab-Norman architecture in Palermo before embarking on a road trip that includes a hike at Mount Edna, a Sicilian cooking class in Catania, and Baroque architecture in Syracuse. Your final days will be spent cruising the Amalfi Coast by boat and Vespa. 

Refuel on arrival in Barcelona, Spain, with bomba Barceloneta (croquettes topped with aioli) and other tasty bites during a tapas tour. The next day, you'll visit La Sagrada Família and the whimsical Park Güell on a tour of architect Antoni Gaudí's work. Then, your driver will transfer you to the Costa Brava, where you'll swim in a lagoon, hike the coast, and kayak in the Sant Feliu de Guíxols area before flying to Palermo, Italy. Here, you'll be introduced to Sicilian street food, such as panelle (chickpea fritters), on a tasting tour and admire Arab-Norman architecture at the Duomo and the Piazza Vigliena.

Pick up your rental car on Day 7 and spend a day in Cefalù, relaxing on Lungomare Beach or checking out the views from the Bastione di Capo Marchiafava fortress. Continue to Mount Etna for a hike, then hit the road to Taormina, where you'll feast on seafood. Learn the secrets of Sicilian cuisine in a private cooking lesson in Catania, then admire the Baroque architecture in Syracuse before catching a flight to Naples. From there, your driver will transfer you to the Amalfi Coast, where you'll spend your final days soaking up the sun, cruising the bay by boat, touring the coastline by Vespa, and visiting the island of Capri. Learn more

Itinerary #4: City Culture & Outdoor Adventure in Spain & Italy

This city culture and outdoor adventure is ideal for active travelers who enjoy hiking. After tapas and an architecture tour in Barcelona, you'll trek in Tossal de l'Àliga Mountain and Montsent de Pallars, forage for mushrooms in the Catalan Pyrenees, see the sites, and join a food tour in Venice, tackle a three-day hike in the Dolomites Mountains, and celebrate your journey with a hot spring soak in Sirmione and wine tasting in the Valpolicella region.

On arrival in Barcelona, experience the local food scene on a tapas tour with stops that include the Gothic Quarter. Then, learn about architect Antoni Gaudí on a walking tour to La Sagrada Família, Park Güell, and other well-known works before hitting the food stalls at La Boqueria market. On Day 3, your driver will take you to see the views from the Monastery of Montserrat en route to the Pyrenees mountains. Here, you'll hike Tossal de l'Àliga Mountain and Montsent de Pallars and refuel with a picnic at the Mainera Lakes.

Continue for a trek through the Catalan Pyrenees, where you'll forage for wild mushrooms, and visit the Montgarri, with options for additional hikes. Stop by the Alquézar Arab fortification on your way back to Barcelona, then catch a flight to Venice, Italy. Embark on a tasting tour around the canals and backstreets before visiting Piazzo San Marco and Basilica San Marco. After a gondola ride, transfer to the Dolomites Mountains for a three-day trek through the Ortler Alps and Val di Rabbi. End on a high note with a hot springs soak in Sirmione and a wine tasting in the Valpolicella region. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Off-the-Beaten-Path Road Trip in Spain & Italy

Travelers eager to get off the tourist track will enjoy this road trip. After experiencing Madrid's rooftops and tapas, you'll savor seafood on a market tour in Santiago de Compostela and visit historic cities along the Galicia coast. Then, you'll road trip from León, stopping for sightseeing in Burgos and a pintxos tour in Bilbao. In Rome, you'll hit the highlights before embarking on another road trip with adventures that include the medieval towns of Calcata and Viterbo, a walking tour of Civita di Bagnoregio, a boat tour and hike at Lake Bosena, and wine tasting in Orvieto.

See Madrid from above and sample local dishes on a rooftops and tapas tour before taking the train to Santiago de Compostela, the terminus of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. Here, you'll indulge in the region's seafood, such as pulpo a la Gallego (Galician octopus), on a walking tour through the markets, then enjoy a full-day tour of Galicia's coast and historic cities, including Pontevedra with its well-preserved historic center and Cambados, the capital of Albariño wine. From there, you'll drive to León to see the medieval landmarks and Gothic architecture and to the UNESCO-listed historic center of Burgos.

Continue to Bilbao for a pintxos tour before flying to Rome, where you'll visit the Pantheon and more on a highlights tour. Stop in Calcata en route to Viterbo, known for its medieval quarter and thermal baths. Next, take a walking tour of Civita di Bagnoregio, an ancient town only accessible by a pedestrian bridge, on your way to Bolsena. Here, you'll hike to Farnese Palace on Bisentina Island and tour the towns along Lake Bosena by boat. Partake in a wine tasting in Orvieto in central Italy, then visit the ruins of Spoleto and, finally, capture some photos at Marmore Waterfall before returning to Rome for departure. Learn more

More Great 2-Week Spain Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Spain? Check out these other two-week Spain itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.