I need suggestions for this trip:
Flying into Barcelona and heading south down the coast for one week.

What are your can't miss places to see?
Where would you stay?
Where would you eat?

We've been to Alicante but I need more suggestions for all places in between.

Wow, 56 views and no responses?
I'll try this again with some more info.

The plan:
Arrive Barcelona - 1 night
Train to Alicante -2 nights
Bus to Malaga (is there a train? -1 night
Bus or train to Marbella (anyone know which is best?)-1night
Bus or train to Granada -2 nights
Fly to Barcelona-1 night
Go home

Let me know what you think. We're not going to alter it too much because this is where we want to go. I'd like to hear what not to miss in these cities.

I was in Barcelona last year and I loved all the Gaudi sites (one of the reasons I wanted to visit Barcelona). The parc Guell (I think) was incredible as was Sagrada Familia....but these are in all the major guidebooks, so you're probably aware of them. The Picasso Museum and the Gothic quarter are very interesting and Las Ramblas and the market....really great food market.

Barcelona has an exciting waterfront area too. It's a beautiful city. You could wander many of the streets and be very happy.

Didn't travel to any of the other coastal towns you are asking about, but did go to Mallorca and would recommend that highly if you've thought about taking a ferry there.

Hope this helps

train info at www.renfe.es plenty there
bus info best central source is www.movelia.es but not all bus companies there yet.
Barcelona, Malaga,Granada ,and Alicante are great many to see in their tourist office or Spain
www.spain.info
will need a book to tell all.

Is this your first visit to Spain? You could easily spend a week just in and around Barcelona without even scratching the surface.
2 days will be OK for Alicante ( The old town and castle).
2 days for Granada- pre book Alhambra. This would be 2 FULL days for each.
Marbella and Malaga for 1 night? I don't know as I've not been to either. I'd look at train and bus times and see how viable a one night stay would be.

In response to above:
Thanks for the links!

This is actually a trip I'm helping to plan for 3 women. (in their early 30s)

I was thinking Malaga and Marbella might need to be changed. If you only had to do 1 of those for 2 nights, which would it be.
They want to be on the beach, maybe shop and hit some bars/restaurants.

Barcelona would aptly fit the shopping, nightlife and beach, if they left out Malaga and Marbella, they could maybe have 2-3 nights in Barcelona at the end of the trip.
Have you looked at going straight to Alicante on day 1

spend 2 nights Alicante - has a nice beach as well as good shops
spend 2 nights Granada
spennd 3 nights Barcelona
Fly home.