Of course 8 days is nothing for such a wonderful country but it's the best we can do. I've been to Spain five times at least but my husband has never visited. And I speak Spanish. We arrive Sept 11 in Barcelona ane we fly home to Seattle on Sept 19 from Madrid. I would really prefer not to rent a car but certainly could. I'm thinking maybe take him to Grenada (Alhambra), Sevilla, Toledo and Madrid which is a lot for just five days. Any suggestions. We are very flexible and comfortable with planes, trains, buses or rental cars.
You say 5 days, but with the dates you stated it's only 4. That's barely enough time to see everything Barcelona has to offer, let alone go anyplace else. Based on what you said, you'd be spending all your time traveling with not enough time time to see anything.
I corrected the dates. They are Sept 11-19 in Spain. Thank you!
It matters, when do you arrive and depart? A.M? P.M?
Fly from Barcelona to Granada. The flight is 1.5 hours, plus 1 hour to the airport (maybe as little as 1/2 hour if there is NO traffic), 1 hour (maybe more) at the airport to check in (carry-on luggage, only), at least 1/2 hour to get to your hotel. So about 4 hours. If you fly in the evening, then you'll have all of the next day to for the Alhambra. The next morning, take the first train (8.43) to Sevilla, gets in at 12.07. The train from Sevilla to Madrid takes 2.5 hours. Allow 1/2 hour at each end to get to/from the station.
Here's the best plan I can come up with.
11th - Barcelona (2N) Partial sightseeing day
12th - Barcelona
13th - Barcelona partial sightseeing day, fly to Granada (2N)
14th - Granada
15th - morning train to Sevilla (2N), partial sightseeing day
16th - Sevilla
17th - morning train to Madrid (2N) partial sightseeing day
18th - either spend the day in Madrid or day-trip to Toledo
19th - fly home
On the 17th, I'd take the train to Cordoba, check bags at the bus station across the street, see the Mezquita for sure and maybe spend a little time in the Juderia, then a later train to Madrid.