We’re pulled towards the south - Seville, Granada, Cordoba, the Moorish history and a bit of flamenco - but worry we’d be skipping the essentials by leaving Madrid and Barcelona for another time. Would you give a first trip to Andalusia, or is that a mistake?
Southern Spain is one of my favorite destinations and honestly, it has it all: the best weather, incredible music, rich culture and history, and beautiful beaches. Andalusia as a first trip is absolutely not a mistake. Seville, Granada, and Córdoba are all stunning in their own way. Make sure you book the Alhambra in advance, it sells out very quickly. And if you can, add a day in Cádiz. It was my person highlight 
Hi, @carol
As a Spaniard from Madrid, my personal advice, & even loving the North Coast:
I agree 100% to what @SprightlyFjord told you. Especially abour the Alhambra ticket. You cam come to Madrid & Barcelona later.
Depending on yout tolerance to warm weather, you shold rather visit Seville & Córdoba between end of September & April .
San Sebastián (and Santander) in the North Coast is very beautiful too & less warm), just less “typical” Spanish.
Hey! So I’ve been doing way too much research for an upcoming Spain trip, and we actually ended up prioritising Andalusia too. The only reason we’re spending time in Barcelona is because we’re flying internationally, and it made the most sense for flights. We actually extended our trip by a couple of days so we could fit in Granada, Seville, and Cordoba.
To me, Spain feels like one of those countries that’s better explored over multiple trips rather than trying to tick off every major city at once. I’d rather spend a few days really experiencing Andalusia than rush through the entire country all at once 
@Lucia I’m interested to hear more about the North Coast as I feel it definitely isn’t talked about enough. What do you recommend there?