Upcoming Spain itinerary-eyeballs please!
 

Ok, I have totally redone our upcoming mid May trip, but there is still time to change things up. Here is what I have at this point...13 nights on ground. Using train, but do not have tics yet.
Madrid (AC Retiro) Tues, (arrive at 9a.m.) Wed, Thurs
Cordoba (AC Hotel Cordoba) Friday
Seville Sat, Sun , maybe Mon? (El Rey de Moro)
Granada Mon (maybe), Tues (have late afternoon Alhambra tics) if not Mon then will stay Wed (AC Palacio de Santa Paula)
Wed, Thur maybe Fri Malaga, but open to suggestion (AC Hotel Malaga Palacio)
Fri (maybe), Sat, Sun Mon Madrid (AC Santo Mauro)
Using Madrid as base for Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, maybe Valladolid.
I decided to scratch the Basque country for this trip, will visit another time. Also, I have really struggled with eliminating Barcelona, but I want to make sure to have some relaxing time.... But since I am not sure I am double booked with this itinerary:
Fly in to Madrid, train to Barcelona T, W, Th
return train to Madrid F, S, Su
Granada M, T
Seville W, Th
Cordoba F
Madrid Sat, Sun, Mon
What say you? We travel light so don't mind the one nighter... and are using points or certificates for four of the nights at ACs. Also, I was considering getting down to the Rock of Gibraltar, but it kind of seems like it could be an annoying travel day approaching and returning....

There used to be two AC hotels in Cordoba. The best one, AC Cordoba Palacio at Paseo de la Victoria, is now a Eurostar property. The one that remains is located near the train station, not exactly the best location unless you're a business traveler. The change happened suddenly in January and the staff wasn't too happy with the situation. It seems Eurostar doesn't pay as well as the AC.

I would eliminate Barcelona from the mix, especially since you will be using up two days traveling back and forth. Just keep it Madrid and Andalucia.

And forget the Rock! It's best views are from afar.

I was thinking of maybe staying the 3 nights in Seville and just visiting Cordoba for a day, or even better on the way, as long as those lockers are readily available and safe (in the bus station I think?) And yes, the travel days are why I was considering eliminating Barcelona...
Re the Hotel Cordoba, yes that is the one near the station, though I was thinking that to be convenient for a one nighter? It doesn't look too bad?

There are lockers at both the bus station and across from the train station. The bus station lockers are more convenient.

The AC Cordoba is typical of AC (Antonio Catalán) hotels in general, excellent business class hotels and very comfortable. It would be okay for an overnight stay.

Also,we like to go to classical concerts, ballets, opera, I noticed Malaga has organ season in May, does anyone know about that?

As usual, Robert is right. Forget Barcelona and Gibraltar. Cordoba is worth an overnight. or two, stay. Have fun !

Does anyone think I need to prepurchase train tics? I would rather have time flexibility, we don't mind paying a bit more for that..

And am I correct in assuming we would take a bus from Granada to Malaga?

Perhaps another thought would be to visit Cordoba for the day after Granada and skip Malaga?
#Third try:
Madrid 4 nt with Segovia, Avila, El Escorial
Seville 3 nt
Granada 2 nt
Cordoba 1 nt
Madrid 3 nt with Toledo
or the original #one is (to condense)
Madrid 3 nt
Cordoba 1 nt
Seville 2 nt
Granada 2 nt
Malaga 2 nt
Madrid 3 nt
Please tell me I am not the only one making myself nutso with trip planning!

treble - why are you splitting up your time in Madrid? it's very wasteful of your time doing that, unless you really have to. Better to go straight from Madrid to your first destination - Cordoba - and spend the night there, before carrying onto Andalucia. you've got plenty of time to do this as you land [hopefully] at 9am, and it's a good way of using up a first day when you might be suffering from jetlag. This should free up an extra day somewhere, which will make the trip less frantic and bitty. you should also get a longer single stay in Madrid which will help with the planning of day trips.

so that would give you this:

Day 1 [tues] arrive Madrid 9am. bus/train to Acocha, train to Cordoba
Day 2 cordoba
Day 3 [thurs] train to Seville stay 4 nights
Day 7 [mon] train/bus to Granada, stay 2 nights [fits in with your Alhambra booking]
day 9 [Wed] train to Madrid stay 5 nights,
day 14 - fly home

you could free up a night in Cordoba if you wanted to, and add it to Madrid to give more time for day trips.

Well, I have a couple reasons for staying in Madrid on the front end. I was thinking we could drop off our bags and head out sightseeing, I am sure we will want to stretch our legs and walk around, probably have breakfast, go to the Prado, have late lunch, then check in, relax for a bit, maybe hit another shorter site, then head out walking around in the evening and get some tapas.

<we like to go to classical concerts, ballets, opera>

Then you should check the program in at least the following theaters in "your" cities:
Teatro Real in Madrid: http://www.teatro-real.com/en
Maestranza theater in Sevilla: https://www.teatrodelamaestranza.es/
Gran Teatro and the Axerquía theater in Córdoba: http://www.teatrocordoba.org/
The Cervantes theater in Málaga: http://www.teatrocervantes.com/en/

If any of the concerts of the Flamenco viene del Sur (Flamenco comes from the South) program meet your dates, I recommend this very much. Mostly a local crowd and only the finest flamenco artists. This year is focused on new and up-coming talents: http://www.flamenco-world.com/notici...022014ing.html

Don't forget to hit Ronda

Well, I have a couple reasons for staying in Madrid on the front end. I was thinking we could drop off our bags and head out sightseeing, I am sure we will want to stretch our legs and walk around, probably have breakfast, go to the Prado, have late lunch, then check in, relax for a bit, maybe hit another shorter site, then head out walking around in the evening and get some tapas.>>

treble - well, of course you could do that, but it doesn't address the problem that you are effectively checking into Madrid twice, with all the extra time and effort that entails. also, you have no idea how you will feel on arrival - you may not be up to sightseeing at all, in which case your first day in Madrid will be a bit of a wash-out.

if you follow Kimhe's suggestion about the theatre, beware of the "limited view" seats at the opera [teatro real] in Madrid. we were sat in these all through double bill of Cavallera Rusticana and Pagliaci, and we could only see 50% of the stage. Despite there being a big screen opposite showing us what we couldn't see, it was very frustrating. I'd rather not have gone than have sat in those seats, to be honest.