4 nights in Spain

Toledo is much smaller, older and more atmospheric than Madrid, so I'm all for including it as long as you don't need to overdose on the art museums in Madrid, which could potentially take a lot of time.

I think you have a good plan, enough for Madrid and Toledo. Spend that night in Toledo if you can. If you and/or the young'uns find you love Spain, there's much more to see on future, longer trips. (Acraven will tell you all about it if/when the time comes.)

I’ve been to Toledo twice and thought I would love to spend the night there and was disappointed when I did, everything shut down when the tourists left. It was spring time but maybe the month of June will be better.

We spent a night in Toledo in September 2017, and the city did not shut down after the tourists left. Restaurants, bars, cafes, and some stores were open, especially in Zocodover Plaza. The plaza was crowded primarily with locals, with Spanish families and their children riding bikes. Toledo is magical at night when the tour buses have left and the city is illuminated. Definitely spend at least one night in Toledo.

We enjoyed our 4 nights in Madrid and felt it was just right. We took a morning train to Toledo and enjoyed seeing the sights & lunch. We returned to Madrid before 4 pm.

We enjoyed a free small group tour in Madrid with Ogo Tours. It was a great introduction to this fun city. ogotours.com

I’m a big fan of Madrid—I’m in the city right now. A few days here can be an introduction, but really only scratches the surface.

I agree with Acraven—Madrid’s big museums can bog you down. Each of them can be a filling as a thanksgiving dinner. I love the city’s minor museums. Not only are they each jewel boxes, many set in the homes of their founders, but they’re geographically more dispersed, so seeing them shows you more of the city. The Sorolla, the Lazaro Galdiano, the Cerralbo, Palacio de Liria. The naval museum is great, but maybe a niche interest. Those are the ones I know.

Have a lunch at the Mercado de San Miguel, which is touristy, but fun. Have a dinner at La Perejila, which is a mix of tourists and locals, and always has energy as good as the food. (On a street full of restaurants and taverns it’s a hit among many misses.)

If you’re there on a Sunday hit El Rastro, the flea market south of Sol/Plaza Mayor on/around Calle Ribera de Curtidores. It’s the one time/place I’ll be stuffy enough to give a pickpocket warning. And have a plan or reservation if you want to have lunch around there—half the city is on those streets at Sunday lunchtime.

I spent 3 nights in Toledo and felt it was just about right, I stayed at Sercotel Alfonso VI, a very tradition Castillian lodging with stunning views of the Toledo Cathedral and comfortable rooms. When the tourists leave in the evening is when you truly feel like you have been transported back into the middle ages. I spent hours just wandering the back alleys and lanes of the town at night.

I'm with Carlos, time-wise. The tourist office (or perhaps it was a local travel agency) used to sell a wristband that covered entrance to 6 - 8 secondary sights, all of which I found very worthwhile. I managed to keep the wristband on for at least 2 full days. Best of all, visits to at least some of those sights included short bilingual tours. You could spend most of a day just finding those places and seeing them, then there's the cathedral, the El Greco Museum (which I skipped) and wandering around the medieval streets. Toledo's my kind of place: large, atmospheric historic center plus lovely interiors (some Mudejar) to enjoy.

Thank you all for your replies. We won't need too much time for museums so I think a trip to Toledo will fit into the schedule nicely. I did a week in Andalusia in 2019 and loved it. I Can't wait to return.