Wow, so much to learn about travelling in Spain. Thanks for sharing all of this info. Egbert; your itinerary sounds good but does anyone think it would be possible to add a trip to Barcelona and San Sebastian into this plan? The trip started in MAdrid to Sevilla (3 nights) Granada (2 nights) Malaga (1 Night) then o'night train back to Madrid. Thanks for any advice.

Hi ns,

>we'll get a taste for where we want to go when we return!<

I don't understand why, in this age of internet communication, anyone would think it necessary to visit someplace to see if it would be worthwhile to visit that place.

You've been given good advice. Don't try to cram so much into a short trip.

((I))

As both of you don't know Madrid yet, I would spend time there.
And add either Andalucia or Basque Country.
But not both.

A trip to the South and Madrid could look like this:

Day 1 AM Arrive Madrid airport, train Sevilla
Day 2 PM Arrive Sevilla, first impressions
Day 3 Sevilla
Day 4 AM Get rental car and drive 1/2 day towards Granada.
Day 4 PM Arrive at overnight destination, e.g. Ronda (or a small village), and explore
Day 5 AM Continue drive to Granada
Day 5 PM Arrive Granada, drop off car, see Alhambra
Day 6 AM explore more Granada
Day 6 PM Train to Madrid, spend evening exploring bars and old town
Day 7 Madrid
Day 8 Madrid (optional day trip to Escorial, Toledo,..)
Day 9 AM Departure

I would usually end a multi-destination in Madrid, as you will probably have to fly back to the US, and the westbound flights usually depart in the morning. Easier to handle when you are already in Madrid.

I would not squeeze in more cities like Córdoba or Málaga.
If you shave off one day in Madrid, you gain only 1/2 day elsewhere when you deduct the time necessary to go to/from there.