We are two reasonably fit couples and want to take a trip to Spain next year. Looking for input as to best time to go and which two areas to make bases. We like to do 5-7 hours walks in the mountains (we live in USA Florida) and really do not care for cities. I was thinking of renting a car and the two bases should be close enough to drive between them ( 1 week in each). I was thinking of Andulsia and Valencia. I am open to suggestions and input. Our last vacation was in Ruidoso, New Mexico and we did walks 10 of the 14 days. Took day trips to Carlsbad and White Sands.
I am also looking into flights from USA into Malaga, Valencia, Madrid, and/or Barcelona.
Malaga brings up a question.... is it worth it to go over to african continent for a day?
We usually stay in a timeshare and so the self-catering is a good option for us. We like to hang out together in an apartment/house setting.

So, any thoughts?

Have you checked in with a professional regarding this trip? Not trying to be facetious, but this is what professionals do for a living, planning you next great adventure...

What time of year are you planning on doing this trip,,,I ask because in the heat of the summer you will not be able to walk far.
There are quite a number of walking sites around and here are a few of the better ones
http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/home.do?locale=en
http://www.everytrail.com/browse.php...ularity&page=1
I always use the following website for bases in the countryside and thus near the walks http://www.toprural.com/. There are some other listing sites but these tend to be covering towns and cities too.
Personally I do not know if there is much in the way of walks near Valencia. There are several areas I would suggest you look at. The Mountains areas to the Northwest of Madrid and Alpujarras in Andalusia. Fly into Madrid and out of Malaga...or the other way around.
It has been said before that a day trip to Morocco is not worth it as it is a tourist trap and you cannot get a good feel of the country.

Hopefully this will help you to start palanning your own itinerary rather than someone else's idea of what is good for you!

The walking routes of Andalusia and Valencia are covered by the Topwalks website: http://www.topwalks.net/en/index.htm
It offers very detailed route descriptions in English, driving instructions, maps, GPS waypoints, slideshows and lots of photographs. In addition, the routes are graded by difficulty, length, walkability, total climb etc. The recommended trekking months for each route are also there.
The National park of Sierra Nevada is one of the best places for hiking in Spain. But the highest peaks are snow capped from late November until late May. The Nature park of Cabo de Gata-Nijar is one good option during the winter months.
There are a lot of routes in Valencia region. I prefer the routes in Marina Alta and Marina Baixa area. In Valencia you can hike any time of the year, but March, April and May is the best season. Rincon de Ademuz is a special place in Valencia area, but the season is shorter than in other parts of Valencia - I would recommend (late) March-(early) June and September-October in Rincon de Ademuz.
In winter time and during the hot summer months it is better to walk close to the sea in Valencia.
The Topwalks website covers 90 routes in Andalusia and some 70 in Valencia. After you have decided the areas, where you are heading, I could recommend our favourite routes over there.

Research Grazalema. in Spring. I'd make the other destination in Andalucia also--Cabo de Gata for some coastal difference or one of the other mt areas.

The walks inland from Gandia should be good as it is an incredibly beautiful area. Barx is a town nearby.

For "self catering" check out www.vrbo.com/Seville, or what ever city you want. These are vacation rentals by owner, and are really the way to go. Rentals can be found all over the world, depending on where and when you want to go. We've found them much cheaper than hotels in the area, and it gives us more room to spread out, and do laundry if needed.

If you are planning on going walking around sierra nevada I would recommend a beautiful tipi site as a great base for walking and seeing the surrounding area, and it makes for a more unusual experience than staying in a hotel! It's luxury camping! Have a look at www.altiplanotipis.com