A tour through Andelucia

Well you have Madrid and Barcelona listed so it is not completely A tour through Andalucia. Maybe you should cut Madrid and go to Seville from Barcelona.
Having been to everywhere you want to go on 3 different trips here is how I would do it.
I'd fly into Barcelona and out of Malaga.
Barcelona 3 nights
Take the train to Madrid
Madrid 2 nights
Take the train to Seville.
Seville 3 nights (day trip to Cordoba or Ronda)
Take bus or train or rent car to Granada
Granada 3 nights
Fly out of Malaga

You’ve chosen the fairly standard first timers to Spain list of places to visit. Subtract the Barcelona days and that leaves 4 or 5 stops in the remaining 11 days, assuming the 14 days is exclusive of travel days (which it isn’t) and however much time you spend in Madrid. Other than Ronda you wouldn’t need a vehicle.

How much time you spend in each city should depend on what you want to see rather than an arbitrary number of nights. List what you’d like to see in each city and guess how much time you think you’ll need. You will spend more time at some sites and less at others.

Because of the number of places you want to visit there is a lot of travel time involved. You will use the better part of a day just getting to Barcelona.

First take a good look at train schedules. Spain is big. When you calculate how much time you're going to spend in transit - pack, transport to train station with at least a few minutes' lead time to find platform and go through security, transport to new hotel, check in and unpack - IMHO you are cramming too many places into not nearly enough time. And except for 2-3 days meandering in the hill towns including Ronda, car travel would just add to your in-transit time. Remember, you need 2 nights in a place to spend 1 full day there.

How are you counting your 14-day trip? I always start planning by counting nights on the ground. I also take into account that my arrival day is a mostly wasted one (after a long-haul flight, especially a red-eye), as is my departure day unless I have an evening flight.

If Barcelona is a must-visit, you need 4 nights there and you'll use the better part of a day getting there from anywhere in Andalucia. In that case, I'd probably Malaga and either Madrid or Ronda.

thank you all for the feedback. Our initial thoughts were to fly into Madrid and stay the night (to stretch, get some rest and acclimate to the time change) before hopping on a connection. we would then move by train the following day.

I really want to spend a few nights to visit Barcelona, and thought to place that at the end of our travels so we could non-stop it back to the states.

so here it goes (and please tear it apart if it doesn't seem feasible):
14 days / 13 nights
1.) fly into Madrid- arrive early afternoon - NIGHT (1) in Madrid
2.) Fast train to Cordoba - 2 NIGHTs in Cordoba (La Mesquita)
3.) Fast Train to Granada - 2 NIGHTS in Granada (Alhambra)
4.) Fast Train to Seville - 4 NIGHTs in Seville (Plaza de Espana, Seville Cathedral, Alcazar Palace, Flamenco)
- would be interested in visiting Ronda on the way, but i already feel like we may be trying to fit too much in.
5.) Fly Seville to Barcelona - arrive early afternoon - 4 NIGHTs in Barcelona (Sagrada Familia)

I realize Barcelona doesn't necessarily agree (geographically) but from scrolling through a lot of the forum, i feel like this isn't totally unreasonable. suggestions? Our plans aren't unbreakable yet so we can easily make changes. I would really love to hear your thoughts (and thank you).

jeffreycos, your itinerary looks eminently reasonable. As I don't at all care for Córdoba I wouldn't myself want to stay there for two nights, but vive la difference when it comes to these things.

Let me add that, in future Spanish trips, I would highly recommend visiting both Murcia and (especially) Valencia. Valencia is my favorite city in Spain, with so much culture and the fabulous Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, and Murcia was a revelation - clean, fun, lots of stuff to do and see. And it seems like there's always a festival in Murcia.

I like your plan. Cordoba is my favorite Spanish city. There's plenty to see besides the Mezquita.

Agree with @Chani! The Mezquita is, literally, awesome but also Cordoba is lovely…and the food is incredible. Skip Ronda. It is an overcrowded, touristy, nightmare.

Have a great trip!

I also like your revised plan, except I'd skip Madrid entirely. You haven't time in this schedule for any sightseeing there, so push through the fatigue the first day and take a train to your second destination. You might pick up a light lunch at the station to eat on the train. Cordoba is relatively small and compact, so it won't take long to reach your accommodations. You wake up the next day ready to explore.

I also like your revised plan, except I'd skip the first night in Madrid, and instead, continue on to Cordoba by train. It's a relatively quick trip and you could pick up some food at the station to eat on the train. Cordoba is relatively small and compact so it won't take long to reach your accommodations.

Hello,
is there a reason you are flying into Madrid? You could fly into Barcelona, and out of Malaga. is that doable for you?
J.