1st time in Spain: the more I research, the more I second guess all my planning :)

Hi, Meredith,

First off, cut yourself some slack. First time in Spain, you're just not going to see everything you might want to, so please don't stress about it. I haven't been to Spain recently, but took much the same path (minus Barcelona) when I went. I did go to Nerja, and while it was pleasant, I felt like I was in a British resort town. I love the Brits as much as anyone, but when I'm in Spain, I want to feel like I'm in Spain. I also spent a couple of nights in Tarifa, which you don't mention. I know that there are some really cool historical buildings there, plus a great beach, which also happens to be world famous for parasailing.

You don't really say how you're going to use the 3 days in Cadiz or the 4 in Seville. I think if it was me, I might try to shave one of those days off, and add it to the Madrid stay at the end. That would make your option for a day trip to Toledo or Segovia more palatable. Not to mention relaxing, as you'd still have time to enjoy some of Madrid the other day.

Not sure if this helps or not, just my two cents worth. I'm sure wherever you end up, it'll be an amazing trip! I adored Spain, and I'm certain you will too.

Frankly there isn't all that much in the way of ancient ruins, especially if you've been to Italy. The Roman ruins in Malaga are good. If you drive to Sevilla, visit Italica on the way, before returning the car. You won't want or need the car there. The city center is pretty, there's a really really old wine bar (the name escapes me). What many of us love in Andalucia are the Moorish ruins. Barcelona has some interesting Roman ruins at the underground museum, MUHBA Plaça del Rei.

I once drove from around Marbella to Gibraltar and back. There are two ways - take the toll road which is fast but totally unscenic, or take the local roads which is near the shore some of the time. The local roads take nearly forever. It seemed like there was a traffic light or roundabout every kilometer and quite a few slow trucks. I lived in the Bay Area for 8-1/2 years and did a LOT of driving. The Costa del Sol is boring compared to just about any stretch of West Coast ocean. OTOH I loved driving through the hills, stopping often at the pull-outs to enjoy the views with the white hill towns, occasionally stopping to walk around one for a bit. It's not dramatic scenery but it is very picturesque. Ronda is pretty and interesting, with several quirky museums, highlighting various aspects of local history and folklore. And there's the bull ring and it's excellent museum. Arcos is a charming hill town you could visit either on the way to Cadiz (or later as a day trip by car).

You can day trip to Jerez from Cadiz for a horse show at the Royal Equestrian School (only 2-4 times a week) and the tour and taste at a couple of sherry bodegas.

Agree with the justsweetjs--don't sweat it! But I would definitely be focusing on what you will be doing on those days in Malaga and Cadiz. Sevilla will be easy.

I'd like to be confident in justification for having the car. It's not the number of nights so much as what you will do with those days. What was your husband's reasoning for choosing those coastal places--do you have a list? Nick gave some great suggestions. I'd add Antequera, Zahara de los Atunes (some good seafood in this region), and perhaps Donana national park. I don't think you are going to find the interior similar to CA but actually the highlight--a lot of the places you mentioned adding are places I'd be trying to avoid at all costs (e.g., Estepona)--but maybe I have a wrong impression. I found the coast near Los Canos de Meca with its orange sand quite pretty. I'd focus on the area near Tarifa. The green on the map is usually a good sign.

Staying up late is a great method to adjusting to Spanish culture as there is so much to gain by extending your day to midnight. TIP: Upon arrival take a long walk and stretch yourself out prior to temptation to take a nap. Devour Tours is a great choice and confident you will enjoy the experience.
We have been going to Malaga for 20 years, but strongly recommend NOT staying there in lieu of the an option to visit Granada. Granada and the Alhambra are magic and a UNESCO heritage site. Take a bus to Granada, great experience and leave the driving to others. Two nights in Granada should do you justice.
We often rent cars in Spain, but that scenic drive from Malaga to Cadiz is more interstate with a view of mountains, the Med and Gibraltar. Think I-5 running from LA to SD.
From the Granada airport you can rent a car and venture west (don't rent a car inside of Granada). Have you obtained an IDP from AAA for driving in Spain?
From Granada recommend heading to Ronda for at lease one night. From Ronda you can drive to a variety of destinations with Cadiz being an excellent choice. ViaMichelin is an excellent routing resource we rely upon.
https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Maps?tid=city-1192392
Drop the car at the Seville airport for driving in old town Seville is impossible.

October is wonderful time to visit Spain.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to give me your detailed replies. justsweetjs, you definitely helped me calm my planning jitters. I know Spain is a very large country, and I know there's no way to see everything in one trip. I guess I just want to make sure we make the most of the time we have there.
As far as my husband's reasoning for wanting to focus on coastal towns...I actually don't have a concrete answer other than that's the only thing he requested. He usually goes with the flow of whatever I plan (I'm the vacation planner and organizer), so the fact that he had a specific request this time; I just want to honor that to make sure he has a good time, as well.
I didn't write down details of our plans for Cadiz or Sevilla in my original post, simply because I didn't want to write too much, but I definitely have the typical first timer tours and visits planned, so I'm not stressed about that. At your suggestions, I think I may tack a day trip to Cordoba in there, because that's a city I would really like to see.

Also, thank you Marbleskies and Valadelphia for letting me know your experiences driving the interior hills versus the coast. It sounds like a small thing, but your comparisons with California really did help guide my decisions. Gracias!

As you mentioned an interest in archaeological museums and ruins, I thought I might point out that there are several Roman ruins, some quite grand, in Merida. However, Merida is rather off your itinerary, parts of which seem already fixed, so this may not be very realistic advice. (Were you to consider it, I believe a direct train ride, or a drive due north on the N630, would get you there from Seville. And if you made that trip, and had the time to spare, a night in the charming white town of Zafra, maybe in its fine parador, would be worth considering.)
As to another question, Toledo is a fine city to visit, but I think that with only two final nights after Barcelona, perhaps it would be best to explore Madrid as well as you can in that last full day.

Hi meredith, I'm a big history buff as well, with particular interest in Classical and High Medieval history! Spain is an absolute playground if you are in to history and archeological museums and ruins. Here's some of my top pick from places you will be around:

From Madrid - Segobriga (intact Roman city with hardly a tourist in sight)
From Malaga - Dolmen de Menga (Megalithic tombs burial site)
From Cadiz - Baelo Claudia (Roman town right on the beach)
From Sevilla or Cordoba - Madinat al-Zahra (Ruins of the Caliph's palace of Al-Andalus)
From Barcelona - Tarragona (Roman provincial capital) Empúries (Ancient Greek Colony)

Hope this gives some ideas :)

Just wanted to say, I feel your pain. My husband and I are going to Spain in October. I'm on version 117 of our itinerary...only a slight exaggeration.

A few thoughts- Cadiz has archeological ruins and a Roman theater. We enjoyed it there, Europe’s oldest city. We did not care for Malaga.
Please plan to visit Cordoba! It is a glaring omission to me. It is on the train line between Sevilla and Madrid. The Mezquita is from the 8th century, a must see. One of Spain’s “must sees!”
I do not understand giving Malaga more nights
than Madrid.