Southern Spain

Ronda is breathtakingly beautiful and well worth a stop. Granada (one of my favorite places and Seville are also must-sees (in my opinion). How far south do you want to go?

Thanks for these suggestions, I will look into all of them. :)

No concerns on how far south, excepting the limitation that it might only be a few days.

Where do you end to end up? Methods of travel? There are many many options but I think the travel logistics should determine what makes the most of your time.

How long is your trip? What time of year? I love Andalusia but it is very, very hot in the summer, such as high 90's and low 100's.

For me, the can't miss locations in southern Spain are Seville, Granada and Cordoba.

Seville has the gorgeous Real Alcazar, cathedral, Casa di Pilatos, Plaza de Espagna, Triana neighborhood, carriage rides, and flamenco. It's a beautiful city with gorgeous architecture, plazas, fountains, parks, etc.

Granada has the amazing Alhambra, cathedral, Albaicin neighborhood, etc.

Cordoba has the magnificent Mezquita, Roman Bridge, Juderia neighborhood, Palacio de Viana, mercado Victoria. White-washed walls, narrow lanes, patios and flower pots.

All 3 cities are very different from each other visually and architecturally. If you choose these cities and have the time, I recommend 4 nights in Seville, 2 nights in Granada, and 2 nights in Cordoba.

Completely agree with everything kmkoo said. Sevilla was my favorite of the cities in Andalusia. Very lively and gorgeous. We were surprised by Cordoba and quite happy we stayed 2 nights and could have stayed 3. The Mezquita is probably the most usual place I've visited and there is so much more in Cordoba, including the famous patios. And Granada, with the Alhambra is a must see. There are other sites there worth seeing including the royal chapel, and walks around the Albacin and Sacromonte. The tapas scene in Granada is quite lively and tasty.

My answer would depend on how many nights you can spend in the south, and where you need to spend the last night of the trip (i.e., what is your departure airport?).

I too am looking into this region, I'm not renting a car, if anyone has any suggestions for order of visiting,

You'll likely pass through Cordoba on the way from Madrid to Seville, on the way from Madrid to Granada, and on the way from Granada to Seville if you take the train. Put Cordoba just about anywhere and it will work.

There are fewer trains in and out of Granada than on the Madrid-Cordoba-Seville route, so I'd take a look at those options first.

Yes I was planning 2 weeks in each Spain and Portugal, RS recommend itinerary is so helpful I just wish he had one combined for both countries. His 21 day best of Europe tour was a godsend for my trip last year, I made my own modifications but the general layout stayed the same.