11 Days in Spain Itinerary - Feedback Appreciated!
 

We are heading to Spain (first visit) at the end of August with our children (9 & 12) and would love some feedback on our itinerary and suggestions on things we can do. I know it is a busy (and hot) time in Spain but it is the only time we could travel. We would like to find some fun things for the kids to do (zoo, aquariums, bull fighting, swimming) in between the museums. We are not renting a car and plan to do a lot of walking and using metro. We are planning two trips by the high speed train......is it best to buy these tickets in advance online and would it make sense to buy a three trip pass (seems to be less expensive).

Flying into London and Days 1-4 touring London (staying in Highbury area) (booked)
Day 5 flying from London to Madrid (booked)
Day 5 - 7 (three nights) in Madrid; have not booked a place to stay yet; planning a day trip to Toledo by bus
Day 8 train to Seville
Day 8 - 10 (three nights) in Seville; have not booked a place to stay yet
Day 11 train to Barcelona
Day 11 - 15 (five nights) Barcelona; staying in apartment in example (booked).
Day 16 flying home from Barcelona

Thanks in advance for any suggestions / comments!

I trust you realize that the end of August can be brutally hot in parts of Spain, particularly the south?

And that you are missing two of Spain's most spectacular highlights -- Granada's Alhambra and Cordoba's Mezquita?

If August is the only time you can travel, and if you only have a week and a half for Spain, and if you have already booked your flights, then you might want to consider visiting only Barcelona and surrounds, or perhaps -- if you can fit everything you want in to that time frame -- perhaps Barcelona and Madrid / Toledo.

Good luck!

My first visit to Spain was at the end of August. Yes, it was really hot but I survived...

Many stores close in the afternoon ..
Try to adjust your sightseeing to earlier in the day.
Booking a hotel with the pool (in Madrid and Seville )would help.

***August can be brutally hot in parts of Spain*** Still it is well populated even at that time of the year ;-)

Thank you for your replies! I have heard that Cordoba was beautiful but didn't think I had time to go there and Toledo since I only had three nights in Madrid. However, now I am worried that three nights is too long in Seville? Maybe I can still do a day trip from Madrid to Toledo (return to Madrid to sleep) and then stop at Cordoba on our way to Seville (by train). Then we would arrive in Seville later in evening and have two full days to explore city before heading off to Barcelona. I am trying to find hotels in Madrid and Seville that have pools but difficult with five people. Any suggestions?

You know how well your family takes moving around and sightseeing in hot weather (100+)
It is possible to take an early train to Cordoba, leave the luggage near the station, take a taxi
to Mezquita , look around, continue to Seville later in the day.

for hotels use booking.com plus the filters they provide.

"***August can be brutally hot in parts of Spain*** Still it is well populated even at that time of the year" "

True -- but the residents have, presumably, become acclimated to it. Visitors might not be accustomed to the heat and might not be able to tolerate it very well.