Andalusia itinerary?

I think your plan is sensible. Cordoba is worth a full day, i.e. two nights. I haven't been to Cadiz, but you might consider spending one less night there and one more in Seville, where there's more to see and do. The train between them takes about 90 minutes, and many people visit Cadiz as a day trip.

I liked Seville and Cordoba better than Granada, but many would disagree. I think it's too far from the other cities for your timeframe. But note that trains between Seville and Granada go through Cordoba, so you could combine them any way you wanted if you had more time. Certainly not "silly" to skip Granada this time. Too often people try to "do it all" in too few days, but your plan will make for a better trip, I think.

Hi Latourvi,

The itinerary looks solid for the trip to Andalusia, my favorite region in Spain. May I suggest staying in Seville for 3 days instead of 2 because there is so much to do there. This was my 14 days itinerary when I visited Andalusia earlier this year.

Day 1 - 4 Arrive in Madrid and stay for 3 nights.
Day 4 catch train to Cordoba, stay 2 nights
Day 6 catch train to Malaga, stay 2 nights
Day 8 catch train or bus to Ronda, stay 2 nights
Day 10 catch train to Seville, Stay 3 nights
Day 13 catch a train to Madrid and fly back to U.S next day

Not going to Granada is fine. The selection of cities is fine, sure there are other options, but for your time, these are a nice mix of places, they are well connected, so transport times will be short, meaning even a travel day will still give you a full afternoon at your destination.

If I were to tweak it at all, it would be to take a night from Madrid, and add it to Seville. However, if your husband has specific plans in Madrid, you do what makes sense.

Over the years traveling to Europe I’ve found that it works well to land and then go straight to the first destination- this avoids the 1 night stay at the end of the trip before flying back home. I’ve also found this a good way to recover from jet lag and avoids trying to figure out what to do between landing and check in.

If you decide to go with that option your itinerary could be adjusted by landing in Madrid and taking the train to Cordoba and then spending your last 3-4 days in Madrid before flying out.

We loved Granada - the visit to the Alhambra was amazing. We also enjoyed wandering the moorish quarter.

Have fun!

Sounds like an exciting trip! I agree with Shirin's suggestion to consider combining your time in Madrid at the end of your itinerary. My wife and I landed early morning in Madrid and hopped an early afternoon train to Sevilla the same day (stored our luggage near the Atocha train station for a couple of hours and grabbed lunch at a nearby outdoor cafe ... plenty of walkable food options near Atocha). Only downside is the extra travel time on day 1.

There is an ongoing debate on this forum over Granada vs. Cordoba. We visited Sevilla, Granada, and Madrid, with Granada being our absolute favorite. All three are tremendous, but the Alhambra and the Albayzin were the most enjoyable, beautiful, enriching, and memorable parts of our trip. Definitely a challenge to pick a few destinations among so many amazing options. Good luck!

It's so difficult to fit everything in and to figure out what to omit when you are limited for time. I admit that I would not be able to travel to Andalusia and not see the Alhambra. It is one of the most amazing places I have ever visited. One question I ask myself is whether or not I will return to Spain at a not too distant future. And will I regret not visiting a certain place. If you don't think you will visit Spain again, I would try to spend a night or two in Granada to see the amazing Alhambra. Is it possible to add a night or two to your trip?

Even though I love Cordoba and always recommend that people spend a night or two in Cordoba, in your case I would visit as a daytrip from Seville, and spend those 2 nights in Granada. You could take a night from Madrid and add that to Seville in order to visit Cordoba as a daytrip from Seville.

OR better yet, as others have suggested, if you can take the train to Seville on the day you land in Madrid, that frees up an extra night. Or take the train to Cordoba when you land in Madrid, and spend that night in Cordoba. Then in late afternoon or early evening the next day, take the train to Seville. It's only a 45-minute train ride from Cordoba to Seville.

A possible itinerary could be:

Cordoba - 1 night
Seville - 3 nights
Cadiz - 2 nights
Granada - 2 nights
Madrid - 3 nights

Have you researched the Alhambra and seen photos of the Alhambra and Granada? That might help you decide. Also, keep in mind that visually and architecturally, Seville, Cordoba, and Granada are all very different cities. So you do get a different experience in each place.

In the end, this is your trip, and you should do what makes you and your husband the happiest.