I realize that my kind of itinerary question is highly subjective and depends so much on what kind of traveler one is, but I do appreciate hearing input from all you Fodorite travelers, so here goes: My husband, college age daughter and I will be traveling in Andalucia in June. We are spending several days in Madrid, 3 nights in Seville, 2 nights in Granada, and 1 night in Ronda, before returning to Madrid for our last night before departing. I would like to see the gorge in Ronda and a white village, but it means less than 24 hours there. We'll take train there from Granada in the morning, spend the afternoon and evening there, and then have to take a long train back to Madrid the next day. I'm starting to wonder if that's worth it. If we stay another day in Granada, is there something enticing to see? (We will already have seen Alhambra). What I'd love to do is grab a last day at the beach, but that makes our distances even longer!
Input please!

Instead of Ronda which is a secondary destination, I would go to Cordoba from Granada. And from Cordoba you can catch the fast train to Madrid.

I'd stay 4 nights in Sevilla and visit Cordoba. Ronda is nice but I'd definately prefer Cordoba particularly since you'll only have 1 night for Ronda and won't have a car which is the best means of exploring the white villages.

Forgot to mention that we are taking a day trip to Cordoba during our stay in Sevilla. Sorry - should have mentioned this at first.

In Granada, you should see the huge and powerful Cathedral. It was built for the so called Reyes Católicos/Catholic kings (Isabel and Fernando) after they took Granada from the last emir of Moorish Spain in 1492 and ordered the expulsion from Spain of all Muslims and Jews.

The same year Columbus sailed overseas on a mission from Isabel and "discovered" the New World. Isabel and Fernando are buried in the adjoining Capilla Real/Royal Chapel together with their daughter Juana la Loca (The mad), her husband and their infant son. http://www.capillarealgranada.com/en/cont_index.html

Few monarchs have had such impact on history as Isabel/Isabella (especially she) and Fernando/Ferdinand. The Cathedral leaves no doubt that the two of them meant business!: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_I_of_Castile

You could easily see Alhambra and the Cathedral as two parts of the same story.

If you want to grab a last day at the beach, you can also save much time on your last leg to Madrid. Take the bus from Granada to wonderful Málaga city at the coast. The high speed AVE train between Málaga and Madrid is only 2h 30 mins.

Go to the Malagueta city beach, or go just east of the city center to Pedregalejo and the popular Las Acacias beaches. Here you also find lots of great and affordable waterfront restaurants (fabulous seafood in Málaga) that are very popular with locals.

About Málaga, one of my absolute favourite cities in Spain:
http://www.andalucia.com/cities/malaga/home.htm http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/200...-breaks-travel

Hotel Don Curro is great value and as central as it gets. Taxi stand 50 meters from the hotel. Five minutes and some 5-6€ to the María Zambrano train station:
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/hoteldoncurro.en.html

I'd still add the day to Sevilla and skip a 1-nighter in Ronda. Personally I dislike 1-nighters and given you won't have time to explore the white villages I'd spend the time in Sevilla.

3 nights in Sevilla and a daytrip to Cordoba will be a little rushed. With the additional nightin Sevilla you'd have time to not be so rushed. If it turns out you feel like it then you could do another daytrip. In June a trip to the coast (Cadiz, Sanlucar) may be nice. Or you could visit Arcos, Carmona, Osuna, etc....

I agree with Cathy. If you must go to the beach Cadiz is a good place for a one nighter. 3 and even 4 nights in Seville is great. 4 is best to include a day in Cordoba. Ronda is nice we spent an afternoon there and it was enough. I'd like to go back someday and stay at the hotel overlooking the gorge though. Just so much to see and do day and night in places like Seville, Granada, Malaga, Cadiz etc.