Thoughts/Input on itinerary

Maybe fly between San Sebastian and Salamanca? We flew between Barcelona and Granada so assume that there are other flights that connect the country,

If you want an apartment, we stayed in one right on Plaza Santa Ana through Spain Select.

I would suggest flamenco in Seville as well.

We took bus from Granada to Seville. it goes more often and is just as fast. Very comfortable.

Would you consider renting a car? If so, you could do the trip as you propose through San Sebastián. Then travel back to Madrid, possibly fly and rent car at airport, drive to Segovia. Spend night. Drive to Salamanca (see El Escorial on way? -- make sure it is open on that day). Spend 2 nights. Return to Madrid (or spend night in Toledo).

The current weekday rail schedule shows a 9:33 AM departure from San Sebastian, arriving in Salamanca at 3:48 PM. There's a change in Palencia. At least you don't have to detour through Madrid. I don't think flying would help since the nearest airport seems to be Madrid-Barajas.

We stayed at Eurostars Conquistador in Cordoba- it's located right across the Mezquita. Lovely little hotel.

Thank you for the great input!!

I think what you propose works quite well.
A few points ...
1) You will prob need a Madrid connection for your flight from Granada to San Sebastián.
2) Schedule a half day stop in Cordoba on your long travel day from Seville to Granada. This gives you more time in Seville as well as eliminating a single night stay first up.
3) Similarly a half day stop in Valladolid breaks up the long journey from San Sebastián to Salamanca.

•Arrive Madrid. Take train to Seville and stay 3 nights
•Train via stop in Córdoba to Granada and stay 2 nights
•Fly via Madrid to San Sebastián and stay 3 nights
•Train via stop in Valladolid to Salamanca and stay 2 nights
•Train to Madrid and stay 4 to 5 nights
(day trips to Toledo, El Escorial, Segovia)

With more input and suggestions I have planned the following...

Fly to San Sebastian from Madrid, stay 3 nights.
Fly to Seville, stay 3 nights (day trip to Cordoba)
Train to Granada, stay 2 nights
Train to Toledo, stay 1 night
Train to Salamanca stay 2 nights
Train to Madrid stay 5 nights

Ive booked the air travel and hotel in San Sebastian and Madrid (nice package deal). I'm looking for a small hotel in Seville near the Cathedral and the same in Granada near the Albaycin, Plaza Nueva.

Is a day trip to Cordoba feasible? I find the Renfe site frustrating because they don't post trains in advance.

Also I've never stayed overnight in Toledo. Suggestions? Is the Parador too far out from the center?

Thanks!

I don't think your schedule is going to give you enough time to enjoy Toledo. Unless you plan to get up at the crack of dawn to catch the 6:50 AM train out of Granada, it will take 7 hours to get there, and you won't arrive until 6:23 PM. Then the next day you're off to Salamanca, and that trip takes at least 4 hours. Toledo isn't one of those cities where you step out of the train station and find yourself right in the historic area. You'll need to add time to get from the station up to the historic area.

There's so much to do in Toledo, I'd be really frustrated to have--at the most--a very few hours on the morning of the second day.

According to Google Maps there are a couple of lodgings in Toledo with "parador" in their names. The one north of the river might be more convenient to the historic district, but I'm not sure. Toledo sits up on a plateau, and if that parador isn't on the same level as the historic district, it wouldn't be ideal.

Thanks, good point. Just checked airfare and train to Toledo. Leaving Granada at 9:20 it's feasible to get to Toledo by 1pm..... much better!

We stayed in Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula in Granada. Great location and price.

I think your new plan will involve more time in transit than the original one.