Need Assistance with November 2015 Andalusia Itinerary

Maybe return the car on arrival in Granada as you won't need it there. Then take the bus/train to Madrid.

Try this if you want to avoid the single night stays ...
Sat - Arrive in Seville - 3 nights
Sun - Seville sights - Cathedral, Alcazar
Mon - Day trip to Cordoba for the Mezquita
Tue - Pick up hire car in Seville. Drive via Arcos to Ronda - 2 nights
Wed - Day excursion to pueblos blancos (Grazalema & Zahara de la Sierra)
Thu - Drive via Nerja (??) to Granada - 2 nights
Fri - Return hire car in Granada. Visit Alhambra, Albaicin, Cathedral
Sat - Bus/train to Madrid - 1 night
Sun - Depart from Madrid

I can't think of any improvement on David's plan.

Spend most of the day from Seville visiting Arcos and other small towns. Then use your day in Ronda to see it - the bull ring and museum, a couple quirky museums (wine - which is also a folk museum, bandolier museum). On leaving Ronda, you can visit other hill towns, or drive down to the coast, or visit Antequera, or go straight to Granada. Book your tickets (as soon as possible) for the Alhambra before you commit to the itinerary. They sell out and you don't want to be locked into dates only to find out you can't get tickets.

Thanks David and Chani for help with the itinerary! David, your plan definitely helped eliminate the one nighters, while still visiting the same places. Chani, thanks for the advice on booking the Alhambra tickets in advance(just booked this morning). I also like the option of being able to drive to the coast(Nerja), if we feel the desire, but I'm assuming late November, much will be closed/shuttered and not of ideal temps.

Now onto booking hotels! I will look through old posts to see what you all recommend for Seville, Ronda, Granada, & Madrid.

Thanks!

Good suggestions by Chani as your options with the car from Ronda.
This is a good list/overview of pueblos blancos.
http://www.planetware.com/spain/top-rated-pueblos-blancos-white-villages-of-andalusia-e-zzz-11.htm
Arcos de la Frontera / Ronda / Grazalema / Zahara de la Sierra ... are perhaps the most famous.

David, the top pueblos blancos link is great; I have it bookmarked! Also, your revised itinerary is very appealing! Thank you again.

Unfortunately, as I was looking at option from Granada to Madrid, I realized that the 4hr + journey is too much for us to do straight with an infant, esp since you must bus it to Antequera-Santa Ana from Granada to catch the fast train, which stops in Cordoba anyway. The timings don't match our intended schedule and taking a bus from Granada to Madrid straight, as others have done, would not be an option for us because I am motion sick in buses(only buses) for some reason.

Also, returning the car in Granada incurs extra fees(as much as the rental), if we pick up the car in Seville on Tues. and drop off in Granada on arrival, whereas if we drop off in Cordoba (on our way to Madrid), there is no rental car drop off fee(the rates were much lower as well) and it allows us the flexibility of not having to bus it to Antequera-Santa Ana, as well as choose our own timings. I've picked this option only due to the work that's being done on the lines in Granada, the ability to leave Granada as we please, & the very appealing option of being able to take a break and let the baby crawl around, and have some lunch in Cordoba before catching an evening fast train to Madrid(also there are a lot more options available from Cordoba to Madrid for the only 1 hr 45 min train). Note, I will have to pay for parking in Granada, but I like the flexibility of having the car, should we want to explore outside of the city.

Does anyone have any recommendations for other sites to use for car rentals besides Hertz? The rate that I'm getting is about 16 EUR + taxes per day, which is pretty good, I think?

For those that mentioned PayPal, as well as the tripadvisor post on using the Renfe's sight were lifesavers for booking train travel.

First off, don't make assumptions about the weather in November. My visits have been in February and I've had a lot more sun than clouds and hardly any rain. This year, when after an overcast and drizzly day in Ronda, I got up the next morning to similar conditions and decided to head for the coast instead of spending the day in the hills. I had fog until I was nearly at sea level, where it was delightfully sunny and warm.

For car rentals, check autoeurope.com. Also watch for fees. I have to admit that price sounds pretty low to me, but maybe there's an economic reason for it. I rented from Europcar on my last trip and all their information said they were in the train station. Well, after past it three times (which took a good 20 minutes or more - if you miss the turn, it's a long way to circle back), I finally saw the tiny sign that led me to the parking garage in the bus station across the street. The offices were also in the bus station, not the train station. I'm pretty sure Hertz uses the same garage. Their offices may be in the bus station or the train station. If you need the bathroom, go to the train station - clean and modern. The ones in the bus station were about on a par with the worst US gas station toilets. The luggage storage facilities, should you need them, are in the bus station. If you want a nice lunch before going to Madrid, consider stopping somewhere before you drop off the car. Or pick up some things along the way and picnic on the train. I don't remember there being much in the station.

Hi. I am in Spain now having a few extra nights after the RS Best of Spain Tour. I suggest looking at their agenda for a few ideas. We spent 2 nights in Arcos de la Frontera, lovely town. One day was spent going to Jerez for Sherry tasting and I think Andalusian horse farm visit. Arcos is tiny.

I LOVED Sevilla! We stayed near the Cathedral, maybe 7 minutes walk; I stayed 2 nights after the tour too. One extra day was spent taking the train to Cordoba, well worth the visit. I could have spent more nights in Sevilla to explore more. It had a good feel. With a good map, it was great.

I am in Cadiz now for 2 nights. I have enjoyed the small old town. Today I visited the mercato, great cheeses and cured meats, fruits and veg. I had a snacky supper last night and tonight after a large late lunch. I did intend the Cadiz visit to be low key, with walking, people watching from cafes, thngs like that. I was lucky to have nice weather! I walked in the sand looking at shells and sea glass this afternoon.

I agree with the replied change of schedule.

In Seville, look for Bolas, ice cream shop, in Ricks book as Villar Ice cream. Artisan gelato, soooooo delish! Recommended by our guide. Walk up the Cathedral tower; it is a ramp, varying in steepness (is that a word?). I am not super fit and I took it slowly and enjoyed the Views.

It did take me a while to adjust to the tapas style of eating. The tour guide and tour meals did help to inform me on how to cope with tapas. I am gluten free, so a bit challenging. Sevilla was probably easiest, perhaps because I was more experienced. I used Ricks suggestions for eating spots and our guide's suggestions also.

Enjoy. Sevilla has some lovely parks. Not sure how old the baby is; a park may be enjoyable.