Southern Spain itinerary (April 2026 - 9 nights)

Your schedule is fine, do not be tempted to add nights anywhere else..

I do however have concern about your plan to try and get to the coast. From Granada, Nerja is 2 1/2 to 3 hours by bus, basically taking the whole day, Granada is well worth your two days available.

The same with Seville, you will be about 2 hours from Cadiz, the easiest beaches available. Cadiz is a great city, worth a visit, but you can fill your two days in Seville easily without going someplace else.

You should check into flying multi-city so that you don't have to backtrack to Madrid, which wastes time. Such as fly into Madrid and fly home from Seville.

With only 3 nights in Seville, I would not take a daytrip. In fact, 4 nights in Seville would be better. Seville is a beautiful city with many important cultural and historical sights. Don't forget that 3 nights gives you only 2 full days with perhaps 1/2 day on arrival day. Another sight I would add to Seville is the Real Alcazar, which is gorgeous and so interesting. It was a highlight for me.

If you could fly home from Seville, you can add that extra night to Seville and perhaps visit Cordoba as a daytrip from Seville. The Mezquita in Cordoba is another important and amazing sight.

Consider flying into Malaga instead of Madrid with a “multicity ticket” - a different arrival & departure city on one reservation.

Stay 1-2 nights there to have some beach time (or a city nearby along the coast). Then up to Granada where you can do 2 nights since you’ve completed your beach plan.

Over to Sevilla (with either a stop in Cordoba or 1 night). Skip trying to go to Cádiz with this short time. And I would go to a Flamenco show in Sevilla. Then train to Madrid for your final days.

If you start south & go north, the flights are usually a little more convenient from Madrid.

And if you’re considering going to Barcelona on a future trip, I’d skip Madrid on this one and add it to that future trip. Then for this one, it could be RT Malaga & consider lovely Estepona for your real beach time.

In case this helps with ideas. : )
Have a great time! I’m heading back there next month.

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