THE BEST DAY TRIPS FROM MADRID AND HOW TO GET THERE
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If you have an extra day on your visit to Madrid and want to enjoy some of the places around the capital, you are lucky as you can choose among many day trips from Madrid, the opportunity to visit many other interesting places within one hour distance. In your day trips from Madrid don’t miss Toledo with its ancient historic city centre, or the Royal City of Aranjuez, Segovia with its impressive roman aqueduct or the beautiful Alcalà de Henares, city of Cervantes.
So let’s go! The best day trips from Madrid, what to see and how to get there:
DAY TRIP FROM MADRID TO TOLEDO
Distance between the two cities: 73 Km
How to get there from Madrid:
– Train: these are high-speed trains (AVE). They leave from Atocha station and arrive in Toledo in 33 minutes.
– Bus: departure from Plaza Eliptica, the journey takes about an hour.
– Car: it takes about 50 minutes to get from Madrid to Toledo by car.
– Tour: to visit Toledo on a guided tour from Madrid click here.
Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Spain and a perfect one-day trip from Madrid, Toledo is a city not to be missed as it is very close. Toledo is a city declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, it is known as the “city of three cultures” because it has been populated over the centuries by Christians, Muslims and Jews.
It is worthwhile, if you have the time, to spend a night in this city. Although Toledo is a small city, it has many things to see: the Alcazar, the Cathedral, the Juderia (the Jewish quarter), the Zocodover square, the church of Santo Tomé and the work of El Greco: the Burial of Señor Orgaz, the Mosque of Cristo de la Luz,…
You can also enjoy the cuisine of La Mancha region in one of the many restaurants found in the city.
DAY TRIP FROM MADRID TO ARANJUEZ
Distance between the two cities: 43 Km
How to get there from Madrid:
– Train: trains leave from Atocha or Chamartin station. The route is on line C3 and takes approximately 30-40 minutes. You can also take the trip in the “strawberry train”, a vintage train that leaves from Príncipe Pío station.
– Buses: Buses leave from Méndez Álvaro station (south station) and take around 45-60 minutes.
– Car: the journey between the two cities takes about 45 minutes.
– Tour: to visit Aranjuez on a guided tour from Madrid click here
Aranjuez is a municipality in the Community of Madrid, perfect for a day trip from Madrid due to its proximity. It is one of the “royal sites” of the Spanish crown since 1560 and subsequently declared “Royal City“. The city of Aranjuez is known for being one of the residences of the Spanish kings for centuries, as evidenced by the unique beauty of its noble palaces, beautiful gardens and a well-preserved historic center, all at the foot of the Tajo river.
In the Villa de Aranjuez stand out the Royal Palace, the three Royal Gardens (of the Island, the Prince and the Perrete), the Plaza de Parejas and the Plaza de la Mariblanca, the Church of San Antonio, … The cultural landscape of Aranjuez was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.
DAY TRIP FROM MADRID TO SAN LORENZO DE EL ESCORIAL
Distance between the two cities: 56 Km
How to get there from Madrid:
– Train: trains leave both from Chamartín station (50 minutes) and from Atocha (1 hour). The railway line is the C8a.
– Bus: departure from the Moncloa junction on lines 661 and 664, journey time approximately 55 minutes.
– Car: from Madrid to San Lorenzo de El Escorial it takes about 55 minutes.
– Tour: to visit San Lorenzo de El Escorial on a guided tour from Madrid click here.
San Lorenzo del Escorial is a city located north-west of Madrid, always within the same autonomous community and located within the natural landscape of the Sierra de Guadarrama.
This city is best known for the royal monastery of San Lorenzo de el Escorial, also this Unesco World Heritage Site. This complex has a royal palace, a basilica, a pantheon and a monastery, among other constructions. It was built between 1563 and 1584 by order of King Philip II.
The palace was the residence of the kings of Spain and the Pantheon of Kings; it is the place where all members of the Spanish crown – both Habsburg and Bourbons – were buried, starting with King Carlos I, with a total of 26 sepulchral monuments.
If you have the whole day to do this excursion, in addition to visiting the Escorial Monastery we recommend taking a small path through the Sierra de Guadarrama which, if you like walking, we are sure you will enjoy.
DAY TRIP FROM MADRID TO SEGOVIA
Distance between the two cities: 92 Km
How to get there from Madrid:
– Train: High-speed trains (AVE) depart from Chamartin station and take 27 minutes and regional trains depart from Atocha station and take about an hour.
– Buses: buses leave Madrid’s Moncloa junction and take about an hour.
– Car: the journey by car takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
– Tour: to visit Segovia on a guided tour from Madrid click here
Segovia, northwest of Madrid, is located in the Castilla y Leon region, and is the capital of the province of the same name. Although Segovia is a little further away, it is still a perfect choice for a day trip, or more, from Madrid.
Among the many tourist attractions that can be visited in Segovia there are undoubtedly the Roman Aqueduct (the most important Roman civil work in Spain) and the old city, both declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1985: it can not be missed , the Alcazar, the Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral, the Main Synagogue, the Puerta de San Andres,….
Segovia, as happens in Toledo, is a fairly large city and with many interesting things to visit, you can enjoy it in a whole day, but it is also highly recommended to spend a night in the city and enjoy the famous Segoviano pig (the “cochinillo”).
If you decide to stop one more day in Segovia you can also enjoy its surroundings: very close to Segovia (13 km away) there is the Granja de San Ildefonso where there is another royal palace famous for its beautiful gardens and fountains.
DAY TRIP FROM MADRID TO ALCALA DE HENARES
Distance between the two cities: 34 Km
How to get there from Madrid:
– Train: trains leave from Atocha station (40 minutes) and Chamartin station (55 minutes) with lines C1, C2 and C7.
– Bus: take bus 223 from Avenida de América; takes about 30-40 minutes.
– Car: the journey takes about 35 minutes.
– Tour: to visit Alcalá de Henares on a guided tour click here
A little more than 30 km from the city of Madrid, and always within the region of Madrid, there is Alcalá de Henares, a small city famous for being the birthplace of the most famous Spanish writer of all time: Miguel de Cervantes .
Being very close to Madrid, getting to Alcalá de Henares, besides being very simple, is very fast, with a high frequency in public transport.
Since it is the city of the author of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, you cannot miss the house-museum of Miguel de Cervantes. In addition to this museum, Alcalá de Henares is famous for its historic University and College of San Ildefonso, the Calle Mayor, the Plaza de Cervantes, the Puerta de Madrid, the Corral de Comedias,….
And a visit to Alcalá de Henares will not be complete without tasting its famous tapas, very varied and in large portions, which makes Alcalá the perfect city for “going for tapas”.
OTHER PLACES TO VISIT FROM MADRID IN ONE DAY TRIP
Here we have suggested you some ideas for a day trip from Madrid. Of course there are many other sites worth visiting, both cultural and natural, if there are still a few more days left. Here we list some of them.
Other cities close to Madrid that are worth a visit:
. Avila (Region of Castilla y Leon)
. Cuenca (Region of Castilla La Mancha)
. Chinchon (Region of Madrid)
Natural areas near Madrid:
. Sierra de Guadarrama (Region of Madrid, Segovia and Avila)
. Sierra de Gredos (Avila, Region of Castilla y Leon)