Valencia or Malaga

I would say Málaga has more day trip options and slightly more clement weather, but it's a smaller city and you've been to Andalucía already, so the answer isn't that straightforward.

Well, I can't really imagine spending more than one week in either. Where have you been in Andalucia? Will you have a car?

If it were up to me, I would do 1.5 weeks in Malaga and then 1.5 weeks in Valencia. I also can't see myself staying put in one city for 4+ weeks when I'm on vacation. I like to move around and actually feel like I'm traveling, get a different taste of places.

If you must be a temporary local for so long, I would probably go with Valencia. It's a transportation hub, and is very well located in the centre-east of the country, in between many regions.

From Valencia, you can do day trips or multi-day-side trips to: Cuenca, Albarracín, Teruel, Alicante Region, Costa del Azahar, Costa Dorada, Peñíscola, Tarragona, Island of Mallorca, heck even Madrid via the AVE! lol Most of these are accessible via train, but some may require a car, or even ferry like Mallorca.

Hope this helps :)

Thank you all and Carlos, we love the phrase “temporary local” because that is precisely how we travel. We usually have a car for use on day trips, but just walk a lot exploring our home base
I expect we’d land in Madrid, stay a few days, and then train to Valencia. Wouldn't mind not having to rent a car in Valencia if it’s unnecessary for trips. Thoughts?
We have begun searching for Aibnb in Valencia.... 4 weeks. Suggestions about location to rent apt in Valencia?

Thanks all.

My time in Valencia was 3 days at the end of a fatiguing trip, so I didn't see it all and I didn't have the energy to be wowed by it. However, I could easily see a week or so there. I was right at the top of the old town across the park from the bus station. I chose the area for that reason. I thought I would have luck with my 8th floor apartment, but the smell of drains from the bathroom was terrible. (In November). Valencia has this quirk. The drains, in houses and from the street can smell.....bad. It had been drought and still no rain so some say it is due to the sewers being dried out and concentrated, shal, we say. Also, the thought is since they filled the original river and made a park of it, it messes with the systems. I don't know. But you want to be sure you have read all reviews and hope if you ask, the host is honest. Hopefully a newer place would be better but that means being north of the main city.
I bussed from there to Barcelona airport (very handy) and saw numerous towns along the coast that looked interesting. Not sure if local bus or train feeds that area or whether car is better, but uou can check before committing to a car. Carlos offered some good suggestions recently on that area in this post
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/spain/advice-for-exploring-spain-s-east-coast
I haven't been to Malaga but know there is more to it than a little bit of Britain dropped on the beach. The plus side is ample lodging choices, the negative side may be higher prices and competion from European 'snowbirds'.

Tough choice, neither is a favorite on mine and I wouldn’t spend more than a couple days in either. What’s your maximum distance limit to be considered for a day trip? Carlos made some good day trip, or multiple days trips from Valencia suggestions.