My ideal European trip is to go to one city and stay a while. However there just too many cities in Andalucia that I want to visit. Here is my plan for our late September/early October trip:

3 nights in Madrid - I really just want to see the Prado, and make a day trip to Toledo
Train to Granada - originally thought 3 nights but should I plan for 4? [Yes, I have purchased our Alhambra tickets.]
Train to Cordoba - originally thought a day trip from Sevilla, but now I'm thinking of 2 nights.
Train to Seville - If I stick with 3 nights in Madrid, 3 in Grenada, and 2 in Cordoba, we will have 8 nights in Seville, which will include a couple of day trips.

We are in our late 60s, very healthy, love to walk. We have traveled a lot and don't need 6 different activities every day. I know that it may still be pretty warm in southern Spain.

My main question is whether I should take a day away from Seville and plan a 4th night in Grenada. (The train ride from Madrid will take up a good part of one day.)

My answer: No. IMO, three nights is sufficient for Granada --- a day at the Alhambra, a day for its other delights.

That said, I personally would not add that night to Sevilla – much as I love Sevilla!

IMO, Toledo easily merits 2 nights, if not 3.

IMO, Cordoba easily merits 2 nights, if not 3.

What day trips are you planning from Sevilla? I think know that – and knowing why you are prioritizing them – might help us give you better advice.

I'd think about adding the day to Madrid. In spite of the fact Madrid is personally less interesting than Seville.

Obviously it depends on what you want to see and do. But right now you have arrival. One day at the Prado and a day trip out.

I’d take one or even two nights away from Seville and give Granada 4. The Madrid to Granada travel day will eat a good amount of time, and Granada feels nicer with a slower pace, especially if you want the Alhambra without rushing the rest of the city. I also think 2 nights in Córdoba is a good call, much better than squeezing it into a day trip. Seville is lovely, but 8 nights there sounds a lot unless you really want very quiet days. If you want a sea-ish day from Seville, Cádiz could be a nice add on too. I remember looking at this when we were comparing Andalusia stops

I agree with kja. I had two nights in Cordoba and wouldn't have minded another and had three nights in Toledo, which wasn't too much. But it depends on why you're giving so many nights to Seville (which I also enjoyed).

Thanks, everyone!

I am devoting so many nights to Seville because I want to spend at least a week in one spot. My ideal in retirement (rather than having a second home) is to spend at least two weeks, if not three, in one city. No, it's not really "living like a local," but it's as close as I can get at this point in my life. My self imposed rule has always been "no more than three different hotels in a two week vacation", so I am breaking my rule for this trip. That is why I had originally thought of only day tripping to Cordoba.

I don't have a burning desire to see Madrid - I'm sure it's great, just not high on my personal list. But there are direct flights there, so it's a good time to visit the Prado.

If we have a day in Grenada where we sleep in, do some laundry, wander around and shop and duck into churches, I would consider that nice day.

Thanks everyone!

My ideal in retirement is to spend two, if not three, weeks in one location. There are too many cities I want to visit in Andalucia to do that, but that's why I want to spend at least a week in Seville.

I'm sure Madrid is great, but it's not high on my personal list, There are direct flights to Madrid, however, so it's a good time to visit the Prado.

If we have one of two days on this trip where we sleep in a bit, do some laundry, wander around and shop and duck into churches, those would be good days.

Italica is an easy day trip from Seville..a short, local bus ride

I was planing a visit to Seville + in mid October last year (my third time)
The weather forecast was 30C ( 86 F) a few days before my arrival ..too hot for me.

Agree, 3 nights in Granada is sufficient.

It is your vacation, sounds ok. I really liked Madrid and wouldn't want to spend 4 nights in Granada or so much time in Seville. I really liked Malaga a lot, also, but that's a bit out of the way of your other choices. I think for botyh Malaga and Granada, you have to go to/from Cordoba to get to/from Seville. I've been there at that time also and it was really hot in Seville.

FYI, it does not take all day to get from Madrid to Granada, there are direct trains that take 3.5 hours. Even when you have to transfer, it's about 4-5 hours trip. I think the only direct train may be at 7:30 am, though. And since you have to much time, that may not appearl.

I can't help but add a response, mainly because it is so rare in this forum to encounter a message from someone whose travel style is, or at least seems, so close to mine. I have in fact spent a week or more in certain great historic cities that interested me (Istanbul, Quito) and once came quite close in Lima. (So yes, it can be done!) But when, as is usual, I don't have a week to spend in one city, I'll usually make a point of spending at least three nights in each one I visit, with four usually being my ideal minimum.

After five trips to Spain so far, I still haven't seen Seville, though from all I've read about it, and from what I've seen elsewhere in the country, I'm sure I could easily spend a week there myself. And I'll agree with some of the preceding comments, in that your allotted time for each of the other cities on your list seems a bit skimpy; but then, I think it's all feasible -- if that's what it takes to spend a week in Seville, I'll offer no objection to your itinerary as originally stated! (Incidentally, I once made a day trip to Toledo myself, way back in 2006, and then regretted not having arranged for at least one night there. But then, I believe that seeing Toledo on a day trip is far better than not seeing it at all.)