Day trip ideas: Aranjuez and the Strawberry Train

In between Madrid and Toledo is the very elegant UNESCO town of Aranjuez, which was once where the Spanish Royal Family spent their summers. Tourists can visit the many old palaces and summer residences and their very ornate gardens. The Royal Palace, the Fountain of Mariblanca, the Chapel of San Antonio and the Isabella II and Panterra gardens are absolute musts. For those interested, there is also a bull fighting museum. The region around the town is a famous producer of very delicious strawberries and in the summer months, the Strawberry Train (an old stream train) runs for tourists and makes a memorable day out.

Getting there: from Sol or Atocha Cercanías stations, trains leave two or three times an hour. The journey time times around 45 minutes and the shouldn't cost more than around six or seven euros return. The Strawberry Train runs on most weekends from spring until the end of October, however we are trying to find new information for 2011. Tickets are 26€ for adults and 18€ for children, although it includes some entries to attractions and strawberry tasting. It leaves Madrid's Railway Museum at 10am and returns later in the evening. In late April we read in the the local press that the train would not run this year due to financial reasons, but we've since heard that a rescue package was put together, so it should run as normal.

Day trip ideas: El Escorial

The former royal palace and monastery at El Escorial is another UNESCO site in the Madrid region, located some 30km from the city. In the summer, due to its higher altitude, it makes a nice escape from the heat of Madrid. Dating from the second half of the 16th century, it was built by King Felipe II to commemorate a Spanish battle victory over France. This site is huge and visitors can spend hours wandering around the exquisitely decorated buildings and grounds. The must-sees are the Pantheon (where Spanish monarchs are buried), the Patio of the Kings, Hall of Battles and the Basilica. Art lovers will be thrilled with the many paintings by masters such as Velázquez, Titian and El Greco. Be sure to pause for a few moments to take in the stunning views of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range. Allow 2-3 hours to see the buildings and gardens, however note that once you start a visit to the buildings, you have to go all the way through to the end to exit, which might be a fair trek given the size of the place! Those with mobility problems keep that in mind. Entrance to the buildings and grounds costs 8€, but EU citizens can get free admission on Wednesdays if you show your passport or other EU ID. The opening times are 10am-5pm from Oct-March, and 10am-6pm from April-September. Closed on all Mondays. Guided tours run throughout the day. The quiet town of San Lorenzo where the site is located is also worth a wander around, and there are plenty of restaurants offering menus del día for lunch.

Getting there: there are cercanías trains which leave frequently for El Escorial from Atocha. Journey time is around one hour and costs around 6-7€ return. You can also take the frequent 661 or 664 buses from Moncloa interchange (metro L3 and L6). The jouney is also one hours and costs roughly the same as the train, although it does leave you nearer the monastery.


To learn more about El Escorial, we recommned taking a look at this page by Feel Madrid. It gives you a good background into its history as well as lots more photographs.

Day trip ideas: Ávila

Some 120km from Madrid is the historic walled city of Ávila, which has many fine examples of Romanesque architecture. There are a number of important churches here including the Basilic of St Vincent and San Pedro's Church, located on the pretty Plaza Santa Teresa (named after the town's saint). The gothic style cathedral dating from the twelfth century is another must with its very ornate decoration. Entry costs 4€. The walls too can be visited for a small fee, and you have spectacular views of the surrounding area from them. They're perhaps the most famous in Spain and are perfectly preserved. The city is a food lover paradise; trying the local chuletón or grilled streak in one of its many famed restaurants is highly recommended. Also you should make sure you try yema; these are traditional sweets from Ávila made from milk and egg yokes. We really loved the café-delicatessen La Flor de Castilla (Pl. Sant Teresa 6, or Calle Caballeros 3). They have delicious cakes, pastries, chocolate and other typical products such as hams, cheeses and yema. They've been going since 1860!

Ávila walls

Yema- typical sweets

As Spain's highest provincial capital and at an altitude of 1200 metres, we can tell you that it gets very cold here. We've been twice, in January and in March, and both times it was chilly- you'll notice the difference from Madrid. In fact a Spanish saying goes "Avila, 9 months of winter, 3 months of hell". In summer it would make a nice change from the heat of Madrid.

Getting there: buses leave the Estación Sur bus station (metro Mendez Álvaro, line 6) around every 90 minutes and the journey takes an hour and three quarters. The return journey is roughly 15€. See the Avanza Bus website for more details. There are also many trains from Chamartin (about 4 or 5 kms north of the city centre- you can get there on metro line 1 or 10) and the journey takes roughly 90 minutes. The cost is around 20€ return. We recommend paying a little extra for the train as they are very efficient and much more roomy. See www.renfe.com for more details.

Day trip ideas: Cuenca

With the arrival of the high speed AVE service between Madrid and Valencia, it has never been so easy to visit Cuenca, a beautiful medieval town with UNESCO world heritage status dramatically perched above a gorge.  The city lies some 140km south west of Madrid and makes a pleasant day trip or overnight stay.

View of Cuenca

The main attraction is the hanging houses, which have become a symbol for the city. These date from the middle ages and hang precariously over the side of a steep ravine, in fact it almost looks as if they are part of the cliff face. One of the houses contains an excellent abstract art museum, which is considered one of the most important collections of its kind in Spain. If you decide to visit it, make sure you step onto the balconies to get a spectacutar view of the gorge.

For a great view of the city and to get a good shot of the hanging houses, make sure you cross the San Pedro bridge, which lies at the entrance to the city. From here you can really appreciate the size of the gorge and you are surrounded by spectacular views. Other sights in the city include the ruined cathedral (built in the 12th century, but fell down in 1902- so far only the façade has been rebuilt), the churches of San Pedro and San Miguel, and the charming Plaza Mayor. If you like museums, there's an archeological museum and the Museo Diocesano.


 Getting there: Cuenca is served by both regional and high speed trains, but the prices and journey times vary greatly. If you take the high speed AVE,  you can be there in less than one hour, however expect to pay around 38€ one way (very overpriced we know!!!). The cheaper regional train takes three hours, but costs 12,30€ one way. See Renfe.com for more information. The other option is to take the Avanza bus from the Estación Sur bus station (Metro Mendez Álvaro L6), where the return trip can cost as little 11,25€! There are many departures each day and the journey takes 2- 2 1/2 hours. The Avanza buses are very comfortable and modern. If you choose to go by car, you can take the N400 or the N320 from Madrid.

The balconies of the Hanging Houses

The Hanging Houses

Church of San Pedro

The façade of the cathedral

The main strret in Cuenca, Calle Alfonso XII

Toledo: day trip ideas

Toledo

 Another idea for an excursion near Madrid! Toledo is around 70km to the south of Madrid. It was the capital of Spain before Madrid and has a very rich history. In the Middle Ages it was an important centre for Christianity, Islam and Judaism, and influences from these three religions can still be seen today. The city played an important role during the Spanish inquisition. Toledo boasts a very impressive gothic cathedral with a very elaborate series of stained glass windows; an old fortress or alcazar on the hill which gives the city its dramatic skyline;  many ancient synagogues (such as the Santa María de la Blanca or the Transito) and churches like the El Cristo de la Luz which was originally a mosque. It also has a very attractive main square known as the Zocodover. Much of the city's architecture shows influences from Spain's islamic period in a style known as mudéjar which later was often mixed with more modern European styles.  The city was also the home of Spanish renaissance painter El Greco and there is a museum dedicated to his life and works, although his house is long gone.Toledo has always been famous for metallurgy and you'll find no shortage of shops selling modern replicas of armoury, swords and shields. You should also make sure you try some manchego cheese, the most famous cheese in Spain which comes from the Castilla la Mancha region of which Toledo is the capital.

To make the most of your visit to Toledo, we recommend purchasing a Toledo Card, which includes free entry to many of the city's museums and attractions as well as a guided cathedral tour. Some packages also include return train fares from Madrid, rides on the tourist bus and restaurant meals. See the Toledo Card website for details. 


Getting there:  Buses leave half hourly from Plaza Eliptica bus station. You'll need to take metro line 6 to get here, which if you are staying in the centre will be a bit of a trek and you'll probably have to change lines. The journey costs around 6€ each way and takes an hour.  From the bus station in Toledo, it's a ten minute walk uphill to the heart of the historic centre. By train from Atocha, it's a little more expensive around 10€ each way and the trains aren't so frequent (every 1-2 hours). However the journey only takes thirty minutes and for those staying in the centre, it's probably easier to get to Atocha Station for the train.

Here are a few more pics of Toledo:

25 little known historical treasures in Madrid

The Comunidad de Madrid has just published a list of 25 places of high cultural interest in the region as part of its 25th anniversary of preserving the region's herritage. Most of these places very few people know about, in fact in many cases the monument is no longer standing and only the remains can be seen today. However they are all hidden jewels from the Comindad de Madrid's rich and interesting past and we think it would be well worth visiting some of them.  Here's the full list:

• XI century walls at Buitrago de Lozoya
• The castle at Manzanares el Real
• Coracera Castle in San Martín de Valdeiglesias
• The museum of Regional Archeology at Alcalá Henares
• The former El Alquila brewery in Madrid dating from the early 20th century

• Chinchón's Plaza Mayor (above)
• San Ginés Church, Madrid
• Real Coliseo Carlos III at  San Lorenzo de El Escorial- one of the oldest theatres in Spain
• San José Hospital and homeopathy institute
• Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, in Madrid- located in a beautiful former palace

• The roman bridge at Talamanca de Jarama (above)
• The Telegraph Tower at Arganda del Rey
• The Queen Mother's coach house at Aranjuez
• Roman roads at Fuenfría which once linked Segovia and Toledo
• Dinosaur remains at Carpetana Metro Station
• Remains of the Buen Suceso church in Sol Cercanías Station, uncovered during construction

• Traces of the old Roman town of Complutum, located near Alcalá Henares (above)
• Remedios Necropolis at Colmenar Viejo
• Medieval burrial ground in Sieteiglesias

• La Capilla de Obispo gothic style funeral chapel (above)
• Asunción de Nuestra Señora Church in Meco dating from the renaissance era
• The church at Colmenar de Oreja
• The barroque masterpiece Sacristía de los Caballeros del Convento de Comendadoras in Madrid
• The organ at the Santuario y Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro Church in Madrid
• Golden Rococo style altar at the Parroquial de Santa María Magdalena, church in Torrelaguna

Segovia- day trips and excursions

Segovia

Segovia

Segovia is one of Madrid is User Friendly's favourite excursions. Segovia is a beautiful sleepy medieval city perched on a hill, a little more than an hour from Madrid. In 1985 the city was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status because of its many important pieces of architecture including the Roman aqueduct, dating back to the 1st or 2nd century AD, its city walls and Disney-like alcazaror castle.  It is home to one of Spain's most important cathedrals and its tall towers can be seen from afar. Visitors can also enjoy wandering around its maze like streets taking in its many romanesque churches and other examples of medieval architecture, or relaxing with a coffee in one of its fine squares. When ordering lunch, you might like to try the cochinillo de Segovia, which is very succulent pork and a speciality of the Segovia region. You will also find excellent hams here. From the city you have fantastic views of the surrounding Sierra de Guadarrama mountains, which are even more spectacular in the winter when they are covered in snow. If you have a car, you could perhaps combine a visit to Segovia with an excursion exploring of the area. We recommend Manzanares el Real, El Coto, La Granja and La Pedraza. Be warned that as you are up in the mountains, the weather here can be colder than in Madrid. Bring a jacket just in case!

Segovia can be visited as a day trip, however if you have the time it's worth spending the night. There are plenty of hotels on offer.

Getting there: on public transport you have two options, the bus and the train, although you are far better on the bus. Buses leave every half hour or so from Prinicipe Pío bus station (metro L6, 10, R) and the journey takes just under one and a half hours. The company which operates this route is called La Sepulvedana and their buses are very modern and comfortable. You can see the timetable on their website. Tickets are cheap and a return from Madrid is around 12€. The buses leave you  on the edge of the old city so there's no major hassle finding the centre (you can get tourist maps at the bus station). The train however, is more complicated as most trains depart from Chamartin which is probably the other end of Madrid to where you are staying. Some trains like the AVE make the journey in as little as 20 or 25 minutes but are ludicrously expensive, whilst the infrequent slower trains take almost two hours but cost around 6€ each way. Also the train station is quite a walk from the centre of Segovia.

Are you interested in other day trip ideas in Madrid? See our post about excursions

Day trip ideas near Madrid

Many people coming to Madrid make a day trip to Segovia or Toledo, but the area around Madrid is rich in historical towns and sites, many of them with UNESCO status and feel a world away from bustling Madrid. These places can be easily reached in less than an hour and a half on public transport. If you have a spare day or two (although we're sure you'll find plenty to do in Madrid!), here are ten places worth discovering:

1. Segovia- a beautiful sleepy city with a Disney like castle, Roman aqueduct and excellent food. One of our favourite cities in Spain!

The castle at Segovia

2. Toledo- former capital of Spain and rich in medieval history. This city was once an important religious centre in Europe for Christians, Jews and Muslims.

3. Aranjuez- charming UNESCO town with many former royal residences and elegant gardens. In the summer, a stream train runs between here and Madrid.

4. Alcalá de Henares- birthplace of Miguel Cervantes (writer of Don Quixote) and home to one of Spain's oldest universities.

5. Cuenca- slightly further away, but can be reached by high speed train. Cuenca is famous for its 'hanging houses' which are perched dramatically over a cliff face. It also has an excellent modern art museum.

The hanging houses of Cuenca

6. Ávila- home to perhaps the most famous walls in Spain! The town has impressive medieval architecture and is known for its restaurants. From the city you can enjoy breathtaking mountain views.

7. Chinchón- ideal for a half day visit. Chinchón will transport you back to medieval times. The main square is very pretty and lined with many ancient houses with overhanging galleries. A great place to visit for lunch and a stroll. We also recommend trying the local Chinchón tipple!

Step back to the Middle Ages in Chinchón

8. Manzanares el Real- if you're here in the summer months, Manzanares makes a great escape from the heat of Madrid. It's an attractive small town in the Sierra de Guadarrama located next to a lake. The town has a picturesque castle, which kids will love.

9. El Escorial- a massive monastery and royal palace. This UNESCO site will amaze visitors with its elaborately decorated stately rooms by masters like Titian, El Greco and Velasquez. It's also the final resting place for Spanish monarchs.

10. The Sierra de Guadarrama- you don't have to go far out of Madrid to reach spectacular mountains and unspoilt nature. Although these mountains are best reached by car, from Cercedilla or El Coto (both accesible by cercanías train or bus) there are excellent walking and hiking opportunities with incredible views. In winter it's possible to ski at nearby Val de Esqui.

Walking in the Sierra

We have an excellent section on excursions which includes more about these places on our website. Visit it here