My wife and I (early 60's) are planning a 3-week trip to Spain in April 2025 and I've drafted an itinerary that I'm looking for feedback on. We fly into Barcelona (from the US) and back home from Madrid. This will be our first trip to Spain so am following Rick's suggestions on key areas and sights to focus on.
Fly into Barcelona
Barcelona - 4 nights (3 full days), with possible day trip to Montserrat. Take AVE train to Sevilla
Sevilla - 4 nights (2 full days). Upon departure from Sevilla, pick up rental car at train station and drive to Arcos
Arcos - 2 nights (1 full day). Drive from Arcos to Ronda
Ronda - 2 nights (1 full day). Drive from Ronda to Granada. Drop off rental car upon arrival in Granada
Granada - 2 nights (1.5 days). Take late afternoon train to Cordoba
Cordoba - 2 nights (1.5 days). Take afternoon train to Toledo (via Madrid)
Toledo - 2 nights (1.5 days). Take afternoon train to Madrid
Madrid - 4 nights (3 full days).
Fly home from Madrid
What I'm trying to decide right now is whether we should skip either Arcos or Ronda entirely, and add an extra night to Granada and Cordoba. I think we'll be looking forward to some "down time" after Barcelona and Sevilla, and visiting the White Hill Towns of Andalucia seems like the perfect recipe for some relaxation and an opportunity to recharge our batteries. However, if we were to skip Arcos or Ronda, I'm worried that we might feel that our time in that area was rushed and didn't allow enough time to fully recharge, plus the fact that we'd be doing quite a bit of driving for only a brief stay in the White Hill Towns. We've considered Nerja as an alternative to either Arcos or Ronda, but I've read mixed reviews about Nerja on this Travel Forum so am hesitant to consider it as a 2-night destination after Arcos/Ronda and before driving to Granada. My other concern is whether we have too many 2-night stays (5 total, all consecutive) which can feel like you're always on the go and don't have a chance to get settled in before it's time to pack up and get on the road again.
I'm open to any and all suggestions on the itinerary itself and whether we should consider trimming it down (more nights in fewer destinations) or simply make some minor tweaks.
Thanks in advance!