Thanks for your replies again... hmm, speaking with my colleagues, looks like the preference right now is probably Granada despite the extra time needed to go there because of the Alcazaba and Alhambra just as you mentioned. I guess I have 2 more questions then:
1. Granada to Madrid - is it probably going to be cheaper/faster return back to Seville and then make a return trip to Madrid? (you folks mentioned the pricings/routes from Cordoba, but not Granada)...
2. Here's what our tentative schedule looks like right now.... any comments?
- Fri Apr13: arrive in Madrid
- Stay 3 nights (Fri, Sat, Sun nights) in Madrid (so 2 full days in Madrid; will also give us a chance to check out Semana festivities)
- Mon Apr16 AM: take AVE to Seville
- Stay ?3 nights (Mon, Tues, Wed nights) in Seville (so 2 1/2 full days in Seville; will give us a chance to check out the Feria de abril); if we get really bored (unlikely), it sounds like we could even take in a daytrip to Cordoba
- Thurs Apr19 AM: take train to Granada
- Stay ?1 night (Thurs night) in Granada (so 1 day in Granada)
- Fri Apr20 midday: start the long trek back to Madrid, possibly by having to return back to Seville first if that's cheaper/faster, but just continue the transportation up to Madrid - aim to spend as much time in Granada early that day as possible and aim to somehow arrive back in Madrid late Fri night like around 10pm/11pm? or so to maximize that time.
- Stay Fri Apr20th night in Madrid +/- clubbing/late-nightcafe!
- Sat Apr21st - we have the flexibility to do whatever we want - ie. go to Toledo, or if we're too tired OR if we enjoyed Madrid enough the previous weekend and want to do more ie. shopping/sightseeing/eating we can also choose to stay around Madrid that day - it'd leave enough flexibility for us to wait until then to decide)
- Stay Sat Apr21st night in Madrid (last night of partying! - prepare for the flight next morning)
- Sun Apr 22nd - leave Madrid
Thanks again to all of you for your help... your advice has been really useful!
- James