I do not know when this pueblos blancos mania started, and while they are a worthwhile excursion they are not in the category of Barcelona.

Hotels: www.booking.com

You should take a look at Antequera almost right in the middle between Granada and Sevilla. Known as the "heart of Andalucía" with its dolmens, Roman baths, a Moorish Castle, Gothic churches, Renaissance fountains and baroque bell towers. Antequera was the first of the Granada emirate towns to fall to the Christians in 1410. Medium sized (pop 40 000) and very much white...
http://www.andaluciacoastandcountry.com/antequera.html

Just outside Antequera, you'll find the spectacular limestone rock formations in the Torcal nature reserve: http://www.andalucia.com/antequera/torcal/home.htm

And close by you'll find small Ardales (pop 2 700) with the nearby and spectacularly crazy Camino del Rey:
http://www.andalucia.com/province/ma...dales/home.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmDhRvvs5Xw

And, of course, Ronda would also be close: http://www.andalucia.com/ronda/

The first time I went to Spain I spent 2 weeks in Andalusia.
The two weeks went by quickly, there wouldn't have been time to go all the way to Barcleona.

The second time we started in Barcelona and drove through the Pyrenees. Again, two weeks was perfect.

Okay, here is a real itinerary I need your input on:

Madrid 4 nights/ 3 1/2 days
AVE to Sevilla
Sevilla: 4 nights/ 3 1/2 days (day trip to Cordoba)
Rent car in Sevilla - drive to Granada 1 day
Granada: 3 nights/ 2 days
Fly to Barcelona
Barcelona 3 nights/ 2 1/2 days

OR should we take Barcelona out of the picture and, if so, where should we put those extra days/nights? What is the best way to get back from Granada to Madrid without just wasting a day/night driving back to catch a flight the next morning?

LSky -- How did you organize your two weeks in Andalusia? I'm leaning toward pull Barcelona out of the plan so that we aren't so rushed and aren't moving hotels so much, so I'd love to get your input on how we should organize it.

okay. we have our dates finally-- sept 2 through sept 17.
Still thinking the following itinerary:
Madrid -- 3 nights
Train to Sevilla
Sevilla -- 4 nights
Rent car to Granada
Granada -- 3 nights
Fly to Barcelona
Barcelona - 4 nights

How does this sound? Again, am i trying to do too much? Would i be better to drop Barcelona and add more nights to my other cities and maybe add a night or two in Marbella or Malaga?

Three days in Granada and 4 in Sevilla is too much for a first trip.

More time in Madrid, less in Granada !

okay, i will add a night to Madrid and cut Granada to 2 nights.
I did 4 nights in Sevilla because i thought we could do day trips from there as well. We do like to explore. But i am open to better ideas. What about driving to Barcelona from Granada and stopping in Valencia? is that worth it? Is it a drive worth making?

Your trip is really coming together, and just as it is, it would be wonderful.

I would, however, take a day from Sevilla (or Granada - though I actually like Granada more than Sevilla) and add it to Madrid so I could do a day trip to Toledo (or Segovia). If I had to make a choice, I would choose Toledo (from Madrid) over Cordoba (from Sevilla) for a day trip.

I have not done it, but isn't there a fast train from Barcelona to Madrid? Could you fly home from Barcelona?

Yes, we can fly into Madrid and fly home from Barcelona. I will add a day to Madrid.

Include at least one stay in Paradores, for instance in Arcos de la Frontera, may be you can go by land from Granada to Barcelona. You probably have to check what way is better.In Seville we stayed in one of the high tech hotels, Petit Palace Marques de Santa Ana Hotel, we were pleased with it,
got the best price directly form hotel including breakfast which is good. On the contrary I did not like another hotel that we stayed before called Hotel Dona Maria accross from the Cathedral.

Any recommendation for hotels in these cities? We like moderate-luxury hotels. Besides the Parador in Granada, which is booked, are there any other paradores within our route that we should try to stay in?

I would fly Vueling from Granada to Barcelona to save time.
Don't know about driving.
We stay in apartments.

I have found some hotels and would like to get some input:
Madrid: Hotel Preciados
AC Palacio Del Retiro

Sevilla: Casa No. 7
Las Casas de la Juderia

Granada: Hotel Casa Grande 1800
Santa Isabel la Real

Barcelona: Villa Emilia
Hotel Claris

I'd love input and would welcome other ideas!

There are no paradores in Madrid, Barcelona, or Sevilla.

Someone suggested that i take a night off of Barcelona and add a night in Ronda. Is that something i should consider?

Also, is it worth it to do a guided tour of the Alhambra or is a self guided tour just fine?

Will you get into Cordoba? It's a wonderful, walkable town and the Mezquita is incredible.