Itinerary Help Madrid & Andalucia

The new fast trains are a great way to be transported longer distances in a leisurely manner but quickly.

Well, it's only a week, you will manage it but it could feel rushed.. Cut back on activities if necessary, but it's doable. Be sure to book your Alhambra promptly when tickets are released....generally, the beginning of the third month prior to your visit....so early December.
One variable is your flight in. You would save more booking train well in advance, but you have no guarantee of on time flights. I was going to suggest a compromise and head to Cordoba for their Jewish sector, but I think you will run into Sabbath closures being a Friday and Saturday. It also means one over night then on to Seville next day.
Cordoba is a short train ride from Seville but dates make it a bit harder to fit it in as a day trip. You could leave Seville early, head to Cordoba, then on to Granada for night.
After some thought....Are your flights bought? Would Malaga airport be an option, or can you fly into Madrid but then right on to Seville or Granada? I did just that previously. Flew to Madrid and got a code share same ticket to Granada for about $80Canadian. So much more convenient.

It sounds as if the AVE service may be running all the way to Granada by the time of your trip, which should cut your transportation time quite a bit.

You have just seven full, non-jetlagged days, so I think trying to include three cities is pretty aggressive. However, I'm sure you have a good idea of the main sights you want to get to and will balance the time allotments as well as you can. You may be able to stretch your time a bit by scheduling the second and third rail journeys either early in the morning or in the evening.

You'll need to get your Alhambra tickets well in advance. These days, the Alhambra sells out months ahead of time. Lines for the Alcazar in Seville were very long last month, so--though it doesn't usually sell out--you would be smart to buy those tickets online before heading to Spain. The Seville Cathedral is subject to substantial lines as well, but Rick tells you how to avoid those in his book.

Three nights Sevilla, 3 nights Granada, and 2 nights in Madrid before you leave is busy but doable. It’s fast but they will get a taste and even the transportation between the cities is an experience if you’ve never been. Just make a list in order of what you want to see and only go at the pace that works for your family - but I loved just wandering and experiencing best.

I like travelmom's itinerary. Or, depending on how much you like art museums, you could do 3 nights Sevilla, 2 nights Granada, and 3 nights Madrid. Keep in mind there is more to Granada than just the Alhambra. And I think you need a day just for the Alhambra in order to do it justice. Please don't rush through the Alhambra. Take you time, savor it, enjoy it! We also did the night tour in addition to the day tour. The night tour is worth it!

Hello, if you are interested in Jewish history in Spain, consider 2 days in Cordoba, 2 days in Toledo, and 3 days in Madrid, all accessible via the AVE high speed train.

Toledo Jewish history:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewishquarterof_Toledo

Cordoba Jewish history:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juder%C3%ADadeC%C3%B3rdoba

If you select Carlo’s itinerary, go to Toledo, first, since the train ticket is cheaper. Then you can buy the rest of your train tickets ahead of time to save money.