May multiple city trip help

First hint, (unless you already booked your tickets, then it is for everyone else) is an open jaw ticket into Madrid and home from Barcelona. Probably cheaper and more convenient with an efficient use of time. It is a very quick hit. Two night really means just one day in each location. Madrid will easily suck up two days of activities so I would save the wine tour for another time. Cordoba should have an overnight but a half day is min. Remember, you need a train ticket from Madrid to Cordoba and then Cordoba to Seville. You cannot just get off the train and back on later. You need to make your reservations for the Alhambra yesterday. Tickets are set aside for hotel guest so you could ask your hotel for assistance if the web site is booked - highly likely at this time. With your suggested schedule you will see a lot -- mostly the inside of train stations and train cars and country side zipping by.

If you have already booked round trip tickets to Madrid, then I was save Barcelona for another time. There is really no point of an overnight train (if it is available) to Barcelona for one day and train ride back to Madrid. Spend that extra time where you are already going. If over 60 you can get a discount card for the train that saves 40% on weekend travel and 25% weekday.

A couple of years ago we did a rush trip of Madrid (3), Cordoba (1), Seville (3) and Granada (3) and home from Malaga. That worked but it still was more rushed than we normally do because son and dil had limited time.

Unfortunately you do not have enough time to do all this.
I would suggest choosing between Barcelona and Andalucia as an add on to Madrid.

I have to agree with djp and Frank. What you are getting "a lot in" of is time in transit. Even if you are traveling really light and are very efficient, it takes time to go from the train station to your hotel, check in, drop your stuff and get oriented to the new town. Then you have to check out, get to the train station and . . . repeat.

I also think a ten night trip to Spain needs to start with a northern or southern Spain decision.

In the South, Granada should be a minimum of three nights, Sevilla a minimum of two nights, the rest can be done with a car and built around your interests - Jerez, Arcos, Ronda, Gibraltar, Tarifa/Tangiers (not my recommendation), Cadiz, etc.

In the north, Barcelona should be four nights, Madrid can be two nights (or replace that with a stop at the Prado, a short walk from the train station, but stay in Toledo). The rest of the time (already mentioned Toledo) could include Avilla and Segovia. Alternatively after Barcelona, skip all but a day in Toledo and see Salamanca, Burgos, Valladolid (and three castles, Penafiel, Coca, and La Mota in the area) by renting a car in Toledo.

May is early for San Sebastian. If you chose to go that way, there's a great castle in Olite (near Pamplona).

I appreciate all the thoughtful comments. We do already have our tickets booked so that part is set. I do see the value in picking north or south to be able to really appreciate the different towns. So it is everyones opinion so far that 2 nights in most places isn't enough time? Would it be better to cut out Barcelona and concentrate on Madrid then south? (I know my husband was set on Barcelona but maybe a good excuse to go back:)

Would it make a difference to fly from Granada to Barcelona?

"So it is everyones opinion so far that 2 nights in most places isn't enough time?"

The problem is that two nights in a place is only one full day. For places with a lot to see, that's really rushing it. You're already losing time because you booked round trip rather than open-jaw flights (I realize it's too late now, but remember this for next time).

Whether to see Barcelona or Andalusia is a personal choice. Both have fierce adherents, and they are completely different.

Something like this might work for you...
Madrid 3nts
Cordoba 1 nt
Sevilla 2 nts
Granada 2 nts
Toledo 1 nt

My rule of thumb is no less than 3 nights in a destination unless I'm OK with just passing through and seeing one or two highlights. If I want to experience any more than that, 3 nights.

My favorite part of Spain is Andalucia (but I've done very little in the northwest, or Catalonia outside of Barcelona). If you want to do Madrid, Toledo and Barcelona, go for it! I will spell out an south-based itinerary for you since that's what I know better

3 nights in Madrid, with the first day being your arrival day (when does your flight get in? Also jet lag will limit the usefulness of this day). 1- arrival day, night 1 in Madrid. 2- Madrid, night 2 in Madrid. 3 - Madrid, night 3 in Madrid 4 - to Cordoba.

Cordoba is one that I'm OK with the highlights - 1 night. A lot of people love it overall and would do longer. I like it as a day trip from Seville, but I'm giving it a night. I'd arrive from Madrid in an early afternoon train, see the town, spend the night, see the Mesquita the next day, and take a later train to Seville. It's less than an hour, so any train after 4 PM will be fine, get into Seville for dinner

So that's 4 nights. Then 3 in Seville. Arrive Seville in the evening, have the next two days for it, then on to Granada.

3 nights in Granada. Get your Alhambra tickets ASAP. I love Granada and would do longer but 3 is sufficient.

From Granada, return to Madrid. Flying would help time wise, but it may or may not work with your scheduled return flight. For anyone else, scheduling Granada to Madrid to the US is easy - Iberia flies Granda to Madrid, and then Iberia is partners will all sorts of airlines, so you can connect through Madrid to the US. But the OP here didn't schedule it on one ticket so a delay would be really problematic if times are at all tight.

My first question is are you planning to spend the night in Madrid before your departure flight? If so, may I suggest that you spend all your final days in Madrid. Arriving on a mid-morning flight into Madrid, immediately take the shuttle (45 minutes) from the airport to Atocha train station (3 Euros per person). Take the train to Cordoba, arriving mid-afternoon. Check into a hotel in the old town (Hotel Viento 10 is in the old Jewish Quarter), planning a morning tour of La Mezquita. Mid-afternoon, after visiting the mosque, train to Seville, checking into lodging in or near Barrio Santa Cruz (Hotel Amadeus is well situated). Relax at the wonderful tapas bars in the Barrio Santa Cruz area. Next day, take a walking tour of Seville: the Alcazar, the Cathedral, Plaza Espana, Maria Luisa Park et al. Maybe a night of flamenco. Next morning, train to Grenada. Check into your lodging, hopefully near Plaza Nueva, the vibrant center of Granada, planning to visit Alhambra at 8:30 the next morning for your tour. Tickets can be purchased up to 90 days in advance. Booking online, you have a very small window of time to book your tickets for the desired visit. You can use this link www.ticketmaster.es. or call directly. If you can't find tickets for your time in Granada, you might request them through your hotel. Sometimes assigned tickets are still available using this procedure. You must be in line prior to 8:30 for your admittance into the Nasrid Palaces. Your pass is only good for 30 minutes for entrance. City Bus #31 will take you from Plaza Nueva up the hill to the Alhambra for your tour.
After the tour, you might consider walking up to Plaza San Nicolas through the Albaicin, the World Heritage Site just north of Plaza Nueva, for a sunset dinner at one of the Miradors overlooking the Alhambra. You can take a cab back down to Plaza Nueva. See what you can of Granada the next day, taking a late train to Madrid and your lodging there. Now you have 4 nights/3 full days to visit Madrid, preparing for your departure flight the last night in Madrid.
If you are not averse to driving, this same trip can be taken by car. The Spanish road system is very good. If driving, I might take Madrid down to 3 nights saving 1 night for the magical Ronda. It is an easy drive from Seville, through the Pueblos Blancos, to Ronda. The next morning, continue on your itinerary to Granada.
Hope this helps.

I would agree that pushing on to Cordoba (or my suggestion of Toledo) would make sense on your day of arrival.
Cordoba 1 nt
Sevilla 2 nts
Ronda 1 nt ???
Granada 2 nts
Madrid 3nts

yes, Toledo is even closer to Madrid than Cordoba...just a matter of choice, and as in all things travel...a matter to time.

Except that I don't think you can continue on the train to Cordoba. I think you have to come back to Madrid. I know that was schedule a few years ago when we did it. But things change.

I too am planning a trip to Spain in May. I've been checking the website to buy tickets to the Alhambra and the calendar doesn't even go to May yet, just to the end of April. Unless I'm missing something, it seems there is no worry of the tickets being sold out for May at this point

Wow, this is great! You all are so helpful. I didn't even think of going straight to Cordoba. Now I have to readjust my thinking to see if it can work. I like the itinerary but will admit that leaving out Barcelona still hovers in the back of my mind. What if we did the route of "e2dbg" but added Barcelona so it looked something like this:
-Cordoba-1 night
-Seville- 2 nts
-Granada-2 nts
-Barcelona-2 nts
Madrid- 3 nts
Granada to Barcelona could be a flight or overnight train? Pricing isn't too different so either could work.
The last I checked I will not be able to purchase tickets to the Alhambra until March 30th for the May dates.

Any thoughts on the bull fights? Hotels to stay away from?

I think we need to find a way to work Barcelona in, as you keep coming back to it in your replies.
Your last suggestion is probably the best option given your limited time.

Train to Cordoba - 1 nt - Frequent trains
Train to Seville - 2 nts - Frequent trains
Train to Granada - 2 nts - Check Renfe for train departs 1155, arrives 1507.
Fly to Barcelona - 2 nts - Check Vueling flight departs 0855, arrives 1020.
Train to Madrid - 3 nts - Frequent trains

Oh, and stay away from bull fights if you are an animal lover.
Visit a bull fight museum or bar with memorabilia instead.

If you are set on Barcelona, then give up the south. Here's why. It sure sounds like a quick trip from Granada to Barcelona by flying. But you have to get from your hotel to the airport, probably 2 hours before takeoff (check-in, security), then you have to wait for your luggage at the other end, then travel to the city and your hotel to check in. Unless you are taking taxis to/from the airport, you will have some wait time for the next train or bus. And you may encounter rush hour traffic. That's easily 4-5 hours. You will spend a good part of 2 days to go to Barcelona for essentially one day's sightseeing.

You can have a nice vacation staying in Madrid and Barcelona. From Madrid, there are day trips to Segovia, Avila, Toledo . . . From Barcelona, visit Girona, Monserrat, and much more.

Granada is a small airport and their website advises you should arrive at the airport at least one hour before departure.
So if you go for that early flight you would probably need to get a taxi (approx 25euro) from your hotel by 7am.
If the flight is on time and you get a taxi at Barcelona (approx 20euro) then I think you could expect to be at your hotel by midday.
Remember its a domestic flight so no Customs and Immigration.
The new terminal at Barcelona is very efficient and the airport is very close to town by most standards.