Need advice for summer trip to Spain with 3 teens

Check average summer temperatures in Seville/Granada. Seville's average is over 100F. Madrid itself gets unpleasantly hot. Perhaps you'll still decide to head south, figuring that you can suck it up for the length of time you have, but I would stay far away from Andalucía, at least. Pools will help, but the typical tourist is outdoors a great deal, and some indoor locations (small shops, cafes, even some museums) are not air conditioned.

Thinking with the family,its best to enjoy each city but not rushed. Maybe 3 in Barcelona and enjoy the city however you wish. There are many sites that need pre purchased tickets. Then Granada and the Alhambra is a do not miss. The family will enjoy but you must get tickets ahead. Maybe two nights here to also stroll through the beautiful city. Then either Sevilla or Salamanca. Check the train unless you have a car. I would recommend not too many cities and enjoy the culture of Spain more. Multiple trips to Spain is the best way than to pack too much in as a family. I am sure you will soon hear from other travelers with their suggestions.

Barcelona’s location on the Mediterranean means it will be cooler than the other places on your list which will be very, very hot during the summer. Why not combine Barcelona with the Basque region on the cooler Atlantic coast?

Staying north is what our family planned, to avoid the hottest parts and still enjoy exploring Spain for the first time. We are spending time in San Sebastian, then taking the train to Barcelona and spending time there. We will fly home from Barcelona. We are also traveling with our three (young adult) kids.

When we were making our decision, we watched the RS travel videos for Madrid/Toledo/Segovia, and then Barcelona, and let our son pick which city interested him most. He chose Barcelona, so I hope that some other time he'll be able to get back to Madrid and other parts of Spain. He's not bothered by extreme heat, but I am...so that decision was probably best for us for a July trip to Spain.

Have a great trip!
Laurie

Stick to the coast or go north. The center (Madrid) and Andalucia (Sevilla, Granada) are miserably hot in summer. Even in mid-June the temps are likely to be uncomfortably warm. Valencia is a good place for a few nights. Or the Pyrenees.

For ease of logistics, and with just 9 nights, I would stick to the gateway cities of Barcelona and Madrid.

Day
1. ARRIVE Barcelona (4N)
2. Barcelona
3. Barcelona
4. Barcelona
5. Late afternoon train to Madrid (5N)
6. Madrid
7. Day to Toledo
8. Madrid
9. Day to Segovia
10. DEPART Madrid

When we're in Spain in the summer we are either by the pool or on the beach, we leave the exploration to the spring or autumn. I can think of nothing worse than traipsing around the cities (and towns) of southern Spain in the height of summer.

As others have suggested, I'd look at visiting the north of the country.

Thank you all for the great advice! I will take your suggestions and try to put a good itinerary together!

When you have a basic plan, come back and we'll nitpick it for you :-))

Thank you! Another question-is there a small city/town that anyone could recommend if we would like to stay outside Madrid for a few days. Someplace good for families but not as rushed-also good for nice day trips. Thanks again!

Alcala de Henares is an old university town with a lovely historic core. It's accessible from Madrid by commuter train with very frequent service, even on wekends. You will see very few foreign tourists there.

Better known and very popular side trips from Madrid are Toledo, Segovia and Cuenca. I've spent multiple nights in all of those cities. Cuenca is on the high-speed rail line to Valencia, and that ticket can go up sharply in price if not bought well in advance. Toledo rail ticket prices do not change. Segovia prices are somewhat variable. In all cases you should check the round-trip price, which is often a very good deal in Spain.

Toledo would be my #1 recommendation, with the proviso that you can expect a very heavy tourist load between Zocodover Square and the cathedral, at least during day-trip hours. But the historic area is really large, so you can easily wander away from the mob. There are many lovely minor sights (some with mudejar architecture) that can be visited on a package deal. Toledo gets surprisingly quiet at night.

Toledo would not be my choice for summer. It can get very hot and it's hilly, San Francisco hilly.

Maybe a couple of nights in Salamanca.
https://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/grandes-ciudades/salamanca.html#
https://youtu.be/IHhr1WyByls

Day
1. ARRIVE Barcelona (4N)
2. Barcelona
3. Barcelona
4. Barcelona
5. Train via Madrid to Salamanca (2N)
6. Salamanca
7. Morning train to Madrid (3N)
8. Madrid
9. Day to Toledo
10. DEPART Madrid

It is late to be planning for mid-June of this year; hotels and flights will be booked up. I love Spain and love Madrid and the surrounding area, but NOT in July or August! The heat will greatly reduce your enjoyment. Hotel air-conditioning in Europe is not what it is in the US. Many restaurants don't even have A/C.
If you are travelling in mid to late Summer, absolutely stay in the north of Spain, from Barcelona westward to Santiago de Compostela and Galicia.
Make good decisions based on your tolerance of 100+ degree heat for days on end.
Enjoy your trip!

Sony thought now is four nights in Barcelona then 2 nights Madrid then 4 nights Grenada. Could add an extra night to Madrid. Does anyone have suggestions for day trips from Grenada that will interest teens? Nerja caves look nice and my husband would like to see Ronda. Thanks everyone.

So my thought now is four nights in Barcelona then 2 nights Madrid then 4 nights Granada . Could add an extra night to Madrid. Does anyone have suggestions for day trips from Granada that will interest teens? Nerja caves look nice and my husband would like to see Ronda. Thanks everyone.

gr-A-nada.... Grenada is a tiny island in the Caribbean :)

Yes, Grenada is the tiny Commonwealth island nation invaded by the USA in 1983.