We plan to stay in Rondo or Arcos to explore the White Hill Towns and do some hiking, but I'd like to know if it would make sense to also do day trips to Gibraltar and Morocco from there?

If not, what do you think of this itinerary?

Day 1: depart US

Day 2: arrive Madrid; sleep in Madrid

Day 3: Madrid; sleep in Madrid

Day 4: Day trip to Toledo; sleep in Madrid

Day 5: Bullet train to Seville; sleep in Seville

Day 6: Seville; sleep in Seville

Day 7: Rent car and drive to White Hill Town region; sleep in Ronda or Arcos

Day 8: Hill towns, hikes; sleep in Ronda or Arcos

Day 9: Hill towns, hikes. Drive to Tarifa; sleep in Tarifa

Day 10: Day trip to Morocco; sleep in Tarifa

Day 11: Drive to Gibraltar, Nerja, Granada (return car); sleep in Granada

Day 12: Granada; night train to Barcelona

Day 13: Barcelona; sleep in Barcelona

Day 14: Barcelona; sleep in Barcelona

Day 15: fly to US

First of all, what time of the year are you planning this excursion? Second, which "white town region" are you talking about? There are the white villages south of Ronda, Arcos de las Frontera and Vejer, perhaps the quintessential "white village".

The only 'Bullet Train' I know of is the one between Tokyo & Osaka (Japan). You're apparently referring to AVE (Alta Velocidad Española) based on the French TGV (Tren Gran Vitesse) technology.

As Robert2533 writes: Dates (and days of the week) you plan to make this tour are very important. For example: it will be difficult to find lodging in Sevilla during Semana Santa (12-15 Apr), Sevilla's Feria de abril (week of 24 Apr) or the week before Pentecost Sunday (24 May - 4 Jun: Feria del Campo & Romeria a la Virgen del Rocio).

If it's just a daytrip, I would forget Morocco, especialy Tangier. It ain't the same place you saw in the movies! The same goes for Gibraltar, unless you want to take pix of the Barbary apes & the Ravens. And it's a 'hike' from Gibraltar to Granada.

In reply to your: "If not, what do you think of this itinerary?" When you get your TransAtlantic reservations set, put proposed dates & Days of the week on your itinerary and it may fall together a little better.
BTW
Several people have written recently that flying from Granada to Barcelona can be significantly less expensive than the overnight Talgo.

Agree with the previous poster: forget Morocco and Gibraltar. I'd rather spend an extra day for the white hill towns and add Cordoba too. Beautiful city!

Gaucin is a very nice little white town near Ronda. . .

Thank you all. The trip is in early September. I do mean the white villages south of Ronda such as Arcos and Vejer. AVE train is correct, please pardon my error.

Based on your comments I am inclined to skip Tangier and Gibraltar in favor of more time elsewhere.

Lorraine,
My favorite "white villages" were Vejer de la Frontera, Frigiliena, and Cascares, but I haven't been to all of them (yet). You might check out a book called The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain by Hugh Palmer, it will give you some other ones to think about as well.

Happy planning!