Extra days in cordoba or Sevilla

Madrid makes an easy entry and exit point for direct flights and worthy of a few night before, and a last night before flying out.

Many might look to fly in/out of Seville, but for most that means a change somewhere in Europe, I too prefer a direct flight to/from the US when I can, especially on the return.

At the end, Seville is worth a couple more days, the two nights of the tour does not seem like enough (not been on the tour, but been to Seville), the 2 nights on the tour in Cordoba are about right.

Madrid is definitely worth at least two full days if your schedule allows. I would recommend that you fly in and out of there. Take the train to Cordoba and for your return to Madrid.

I think "after" the tour is probably the best bet for someone on a first time visit to Spain. My reasoning being the RS tour will get you fully engaged and acclimated to the different Spanish pace and comfortable with the food situation. Certainly, Seville or Cordoba are good options for adding a few days to your trip, and finishing with a couple days in Madrid would be a plus too. All three have more than enough things to see and do - from activities (flamenco is obviously tops) to food to sites - so you'll still be able to return for more in a future visit.

Madrid could work before the tour as a place to take a few days to recover from jet lag and to hit their museums and parks without too much of a culture shock - ie the Prado and the Reina Sofia are very easy and accessible. Not sure about the NS from Boston, but most of our flights from DC land in the morning over there, so we try to drop our bags and get SUNLIGHT for several hours before calling it a day - before real Madrid comes to full life. Hitting the Retiro in the afternoon or a RS walking tour (or two) would get you time out in the sun to reset, and also be quite pleasant. Touristy but easy drinks in Plaza Mayor works fine and then kick off the next day early for a full day of adventure.

Hello,

A few things we enjoyed on our independent Andalusia trip that I see are not included on your tour:

Cordoba: Andalusia Horse Show

Sevilla: Rooftop tour of the Cathedral. Also, a half day tour from Sevilla to Itallica

We flew in and out of Madrid for convenience and spent about three days there at the end of our loop. In Madrid we visited the Prado and the Royal Palace. On one day we took a day tour to Cuenca and The Enchanted City.

I hope this helps. Enjoy!

Madrid has an exceptional number of quality day-trip destinations, though many of the latter can justify a 2-night stay (or possibly longer, depending on your personal interests). Among the top possibilities are Toledo, Segovia, Cuenca and Alcala de Henares. All are easily accessible by train. There are other options that may be farther away (Salamanca) or require a bus trip (Chinchon). However, there's a lot to see in Madrid itself, and art lovers in particular will need multiple days there.

Definitely visit Madrid. Fly in/out of Madrid. Train to Cordoba where your tour starts. Train from Sevilla back to Madrid to fly home.
As to whether you should visit Madrid pre-tour or post-tour depends on your previous experience with traveling in Europe and dealing with a foreign language.
I agree with a previous poster that the RS tour will get you experienced in Spanish culture, so doing Madrid post-tour makes sense.
I would allocated 3-5 days in Madrid to visit all the great museums and sites- Prado, Sofia Reina, the Royal Palace, etc and take day trips to Toledo, Segovia, etc.
Do take a food tour and a walking tour in Madrid.