The abundance of easy day trips from Madrid adds to the attraction of the city as a travel destination. Spain is not an exceptionally large country, and every inch seems to hold a point of interest or place of distinction, especially the area around Madrid.
Madrid has enough attractions, landmarks and culture to occupy a visitor for days, if not weeks. The city is full of history, unbelievably delicious food and a lively atmosphere, but these qualities spill over into the cities and towns around Madrid as well.
Whether you’re looking for a day away from the city enjoying the outdoors, exploring Spain’s storied history or tasting incredible local delicacies, there are several easy day trips from Madrid to enhance any visit. The transportation network in and around Madrid makes these day trips an even simpler undertaking for travelers.
Madrid is an great tourist destination made better by the surrounding area. When in Spain, make sure to allot extra time to explore beyond the most famous sites. Using the capital city as your base, here are ten easy and worthwhile day trips from Madrid:
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Segovia
The small city of Segovia is one of the most popular day trips from Madrid. Segovia is steeped in thousands of years of history that is generously on display.
Segovia has three principal landmarks which garner a significant amount of attention. These landmarks tell the tale of Segovia and, to a greater extent, Spain, from Roman times through the Renaissance to today.
The 16th-century Cathedral of Segovia is a beautiful masterpiece that dauntingly sits atop the city. The medieval Alcazar of Segovia, nearly a thousand years old, has excellent views, stories and local history within its walls. Though less visible from afar, the Roman aqueduct of Segovia is truly a spectacular, jaw-dropping remnant of the ancient world.
All of these historic sites have stood the test of time. Each is unique and plays an important part of the history of this city and Spain. Also, each of these can be easily (and affordably) explored in a day trip from Madrid. Entrance to the Alcazar tops out at €8, while visiting the cathedral peaks at €7. The aqueduct is free to visit.
Segovia isn’t entirely ancient. Today, the attractive city center is perfect for further wandering, and the city is even better for eating. From famous lamb and suckling pig to sweet local delicacies, Segovia has it all.
Located about 40 miles (25 km) northwest of the capital, Segovia is an easy choice among day trips from Madrid. The journey takes 30 minutes by high speed train (about €26) and a little under two hours by normal train (€12-14 round trip) from Madrid Chamartin train station.
Consuegra
By Emily from Wander-Lush
For one of the more unconventional day trips from Madrid, follow in the footsteps of one of Spain’s greatest literary legends, Don Quixote, to the beautiful landscapes around Consuegra. The small municipality in Castile-La Mancha’s Toledo, roughly 140 kilometres (87 miles) south of Madrid, is known for one thing: It’s majestic windmills, which Cervantes’ protagonist famously ‘tilted at’ in the novel.
The set of 12 whitewashed windmills known as the Molinos de Viento de Consuegra were originally built in the 19th century for grinding flour. They’ve since been decommissioned and now serve as exhibition spaces, while one has been transformed into a tourist office and gift shop. Located on a narrow ridge on the edge of town, the windmills cut a striking figure. The view of the windmills silhouetted against the sky and endless plains beyond is awe-inspiring.
Other things to do in Consuegra include visiting the Castillo de Consuegra, an old fortress that affords more views of the windmills, and the Municipal Museum in town. Restaurante El Retorno Consuegra serves up regional specialties and is an ideal place to break for lunch. Don’t miss Mazapanes Peces, a family run bakery that’s been making traditional Toledo marzipan since 1915.
The town and windmills can be reached by local bus in a little over two hours, but it’s preferable to hire a car or join a day excursion to make the most of your time. It’s a good idea to combine your visit with a stop in Toledo, which lies roughly halfway between Consuegra and Madrid.
Aranjuez
By Eva from Elevate Calm
The town of Aranjuez was a beloved destination for the Spanish royals. As soon as you set foot here, you can sense it was once fully planned and developed as an area for nobility.
Aranjuez is located south of Madrid, just 35-45 minutes away by train. To encourage tourism, and making this one of the most affordable day trips from Madrid, the Spanish railway service offers economic round trip tickets for just €5 versus €6.25 for a single ticket.
Despite the original plans, Madrid’s first railway finished at Aranjuez. It was used by the royal family for a safe and convenient trip to their spring residence. Since 1984, the so-called Strawberry train has gone from the Madrid Railway Museum to Aranjuez, paying tribute to the industrialization of Spain.
If you enjoy history and fancy a strawberry degustation, you might enjoy taking this antique train with wooden seats and hostesses dressed in 19th-century attire. The chief sight in Aranjuez is the fascinating Royal Palace, which is best visited with a guide to inform you about the craftsmanship and attention to detail that have gone into its decoration.
Aranjuez’s relaxed atmosphere is aided by the marvelous parks and royal gardens (Jardín de la Isla, Jardín del Parterre, Jardín del Príncipe), which instantly take you back in time. The stroll through a variety of flowers, trees, fountains and pavilions is enchanting and unforgettable.
Valley of the Fallen
By Izzy from 24 Hour City Guides
One of the more somber day trips from Madrid is just 45 minutes from the city center. The Valley of the Fallen, or Valle de los Caídos, is a place that holds a unique and, at times, controversial position in Spain’s heart.
The resting place of tens of thousands of victims from both sides of the Spanish Civil War, the Basilica of the Holy Cross was also the burial place of General Franco, the architect of that war and the following dictatorship, during which he ruled the country with an iron fist until his death in 1975. Such was the controversy surrounding Franco’s resting place here. Tributes to him were banned in the Basilica.
In 2019, after a long court battle, his remains were finally exhumed and moved to his family mausoleum. Whether this has the desired effect of “symbolically closing the circle of Spanish democracy” remains to be seen.
The Valley of the Fallen is a beautiful (though haunting) place on the slopes of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains, where the final push of the war took place. The 152-meter-high cross that dominates the Basilica and surrounding buildings is easy to spot from miles away. Finished in 1959 and hewn from local granite, the scale of the buildings and cross against the mountain backdrop is breathtaking. The views are equally spectacular.
Take the 664 bus from the Moncloa Interchange in Madrid to the entrance of the valley. From here, you can walk the remaining three miles. The memorial is open every day except Mondays, from 10 AM to 6 PM from October to March and to 7 PM from April to September. Entry costs €9.
Alcala
By Tom from Travel Past 50
Alcalá de Henares was once a Roman city, but the reason it’s famous today is for its university, the second oldest in Spain (after the University of Salamanca). The University of Alcala was founded by Cardinal Ximénez de Cisneros in the early 16th Century. Alcalá is also noted for the most famous native of the city and alumnus of said university, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, author of Don Quixote.
The entire old part of Alcalá that surrounds the campus is one of the most incredible UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain. You can admire the medieval columns which line a walk in front of the old buildings. You can visit numerous churches, the archbishop’s palace, the cathedral, Cervantes’ birthplace and more.
Be sure to see the University’s “Room of the Nymphs,” a small auditorium where students take their final oral exams and where the Cervantes Prize for Spanish Language Literature is awarded.
As you look at Cervantes’s statue in the main square, ask yourself why is this fellow who wrote a hilarious and scathing satire of Spain – and, in the process, adding the phrase “tilting at windmills” to a language not even his own – the most revered figure in Spanish literary history?
Also ask yourself why every tower in the city is home to a family of storks. It’s an odd scene, to be sure, that there are literally hundreds of massive nests and ungainly birds wherever you look.
Alcalá is one of the easy and cheap day trips from Madrid Atocha station on the Cercanias train system. The train takes about 40 minutes and costs a few euros.
Toledo
By Linn Haglund from Brainy Backpackers
One of the best day trips from Madrid is, without a doubt, the medieval town of Toledo. The historic center has nearly as many historical sites per square meter as Rome. That should say it all.
Make sure you at least visit the cathedral and the Jewish quarter on a day trip to Toledo, but there are also a whole lot of interesting museums highlighting the city’s dramatic history and famous artists. And when in Toledo, you also want to try the marzipan for which the city is especially famous.
To save money on entry tickets, you can get a tourist bracelet. Prices start at €9 and get you into most of the highlights. The center of Toledo is car free (except for residents), so make sure you wear good walking shoes to cross kilometers of cobblestone streets.
Toledo is also a highly touristy town, so make sure you practice responsible tourism and respect the locals during your day trip. Less than an hour away from Madrid, Toledo is easily reached by train, bus, and car. Public transport is only a few euros.
Rascafria
By Brittany from Travel X Britt
For outdoors lovers, Rascafria is the perfect city escape within arms reach for Madrilenos to visit. There are tons of hikes in the area along with Rascafria’s nearby city center. If you’re looking for nature-themed day trips from Madrid, start here.
Let the senderismo (‘hiking’ in Spanish) begin! One of the most famous hikes outside of the national park is Cascada de Purgatorio. There is parking available at the monastery. If going by bus, it’s about a 25-minute walk from the bus station.
The route starts at the beautiful Monastery of El Pilar and takes about 8 km of hiking (approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes) to reach the waterfall. The entire route takes a bit under 4 hours. It is moderately easy so it’s a great route for anyone. Along the way, you’ll find picturesque rocks and mountains, with a 10 meter high waterfall waiting at the end. You can bring lunch, eat at the waterfall and then go for a swim.
If you are not into the outdoors, the city of Rascafria also holds up well for visitors from Madrid. In the city center, there is the Plaza de los Trastámaras, tons of restaurants and a neo-Mudejar style town hall.
For festival lovers, Rascafria also has a Natural Folk festival in June. And the Mushroom, Game and Wine Food Festival is in October-November.
Rascafria is about an hour to two hours from Madrid. Car is an easy way to get there. Public transportation includes bus 194 or 194A from Plaza Castilla for about €15.
Avila
By Nicole from Go Far Grow Close
Avila is specially designated among day trips from Madrid. It is a World Heritage City, and the fortified walls that surround the old city of Avila are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The walls were built between the 12th and 13th centuries and are considered among the finest city defenses in the world. They are two and a half kilometres long and, at least, three metres thick. To this day, you are able to walk on top of certain portions and learn about the fascinating history. The views atop the wall are amazing.
Throughout its early medieval history, Avila alternated between Christian and Moorish rule and attracted noble families. Accordingly, with these influences, there is a vast array of medieval architecture found throughout the city. This includes the palaces of those nobles.
For those who love churches, cathedrals and religious history, Avila has a lot to offer. From the 12th-century Romanesque church, the Basilica de San Vincente, to the oldest Gothic cathedral in Spain, Catedral de San Salvador, and the Convento de Santa Teresa, built in 16th century to celebrate the Saint Teresa, this city will keep you enthralled for days.
Avila is 109 km from Madrid or approximately one and half hours by car, depending on traffic. By train, it can take one and a half to two+ hours depending on your starting point in Madrid. Trains depart for Avila from multiple Madrid stations, and tickets cost €10-15 each way.
Salamanca
By Ucman from Brown Boy Travels
Salamanca makes for a perfect day trip from Madrid for many reasons. It is easily reachable by bus or train, and a round trip ticket costs less than €30 for the high speed train. It takes less than an hour and a half to reach Salamanca from Madrid.
Salamanca is famous for its beautiful architecture, university and the beautiful Plaza Mayor, the most beautiful plaza in Spain. It’s a significant distinction for a country in which every city, big or small, has a plaza that serves as the heart of the city.
The University of Salamanca has the honor of being the third oldest university in Europe. It was chosen well, and, through centuries, it has produced many notable figures in Spanish history. The building alone with its intricate facade will make you wonder if this really is just a university building.
The cathedrals, old and new, small gardens, Roman bridge – there’s so much to see and do which can be comfortably covered in an easy day trip from Madrid. When you need a break, try some Hornazo from any bakery or restaurant. This regional delicacy may be worth the trip by itself.
Salamanca is very walkable, and the beautiful, aristocratic houses surrounding the city keep the walk interesting. Next time you’re in Madrid, say goodbye to the Spanish capital for a day and immerse yourself in the culture of Salamanca. You will not be disappointed.
El Escorial
El Escorial is an historically important structure closely tied to Spanish monarchy. The complex, which predominantly functions as a museum and monument today, has served as a center of education, religion and government. And, of course, El Escorial was the home of the Spanish monarchs for centuries.
Today, the enormous complex at El Escorial is famous for its art, stately rooms, basilica and tombs. In particular, the royal crypt, the final resting place of many Spanish kings and queens, is a subterranean sight to behold. The ornate detail in the crypt is only matched by the powerful stillness in the room.
Aside from the deceased, El Escorial offers visitors a glimpse into what life was like for royalty in centuries past. The outside of the building, menacing in size but somewhat dull in appearance, conceals the splendor that lies within the powerful walls. Frescoed ceilings, murals hundreds of feet long, stately libraries and so on. The halls and room inside El Escorial are far more interesting than the exterior is imposing.
El Escorial is one of the quickest to reach of these day trips from Madrid. Only 25 miles to the northwest of the city, It can be reached in less than an hour from Madrid Chamartin or Puerta de Atocha for about €7 each way.
Madrid is an excellent base to explore the central region of Spain. Whether you’re traveling with friends, traveling with a significant other or landing in Madrid as a solo traveler, spending time outside of the destination is key to thoroughly experiencing the culture and history.
Each of these day trips from Madrid provides an easy boost to your trip. The city has a lot to offer that attracts millions of visitors each year, and the attractions of the surrounding region only heightens the allure of Madrid.
Once I am at El Escorial, is there a taxi that would take me to the Valley of the Fallen?
I’m not sure if there is a dedicated service, but there are taxis around El Escorial. I would imagine they would be willing to take you there.