I’ll be honest … I enjoy what surrounds Madrid more than what is in the actual city. Now don’t get me wrong … I like the city of Madrid and always have an amazing time when I go. However if you don’t get out of the city a bit, you’re missing out. There are so many day trips from Madrid that you can take!
There are towns full of history and culture just 30 minutes-an hour outside of the city. If you want to experience some amazing food and explore some Roman ruins, look no further.
These 6 day trip ideas are easy to add onto a few days in the city. If you want to experience a bit more of the Spanish culture in a different way but don’t have time to go stay in a different city, one of these day trips could be the perfect thing to make your trip to Spain’s capital a bit more unique!
1. Segovia
We’re going to start with one that will leave you absolutely stunned. Segovia, a small city just an hour outside of Madrid, has an old Roman aqueduct right in the city. If they were to create a list of Spanish wonders, this would easily make the list.
After snapping some photos and gawking at this amazing Roman ruin, make your way through the streets of the town. You can also visit the Alcázar of Segovia, a castle that the Disney castle was apparently based on. You also have to try suckling pig while in Segovia!
Several years back, I spent a night in Segovia and wrote about it here: 5 things to do in Segovia. I remember finding a 4 star hotel for 55€ and treating myself (on an English teacher salary 55€ is treating yourself). You can catch a train from the center of Madrid to get to Segovia making it one of the easier day trips from Madrid.
2. Aranjuez
Aranjuez is both a town and the name of a royal palace that has been the residence of past kings and queens. It costs 9€ to explore the palace. While the town perhaps isn’t the most picturesque town in Spain, it’s worth a little walk around.
There’s a Cercanias train station in the town, so it’s an easy day trip to make from Madrid. If you feel like spending the night, check out the Hostal Real Aranjuez where my boyfriend and I stayed for 50€ a night.
3. Toledo
Toledo is a city that will leave you amazed. If you make a day trip here, you will want to leave early in the morning so you can spend the entire day exploring the city. You have to get lost wandering through the streets.
The amazing thing about Toledo is that it’s a city where Christians, Jews and Muslims coexisted peacefully for hundreds of years. You can explore churches, synagogues and mosques when you visit.
There’s a tourist bracelet you can buy that lets you enter seven sights (there are quite a lot in Toledo). When I went five years ago it was 9€.
You can take either the bus or the train here. I remember when I went, there were many Alsa buses at an affordable price.
4. El Escorial
El Escorial is another former royal residency that is one of many great day trips from Madrid. It also houses the tombs of many former Spanish kings. There’s also a cute village surrounding it, so you have lots of options for food and drinks.
I would definitely suggest that you buy your tickets in advance. When I went, there was a line for people without tickets.
There is also some great hiking around this area. You can hike up to the Silla de Felipe II to get a nice view of the palace from above. When we went in December, it was quite windy so just be prepared for that.
5. La Granja de San Ildefonso
This is another palace, but perhaps one of the more stunning ones. Someone referred to it as the Spanish Versailles on Instagram and I decided I had to check it outThis was actually the summer home the royal family. After exploring the interior, you’ll want to spend some time walking around the gardens.
The only downside of getting to La Granja from Madrid is that there is no public transportation. If you have access to a car, I’d recommend visiting that way.
6. Alcalá de Henares
This town is about a 45 minute-1 hour train ride from the center of Madrid. It’s where Cervantes was born, so you can take a stroll by his house.
Every October there’s a Medieval festival. There’s also a famous university in this town.
Have you been to Madrid or any places nearby?
Love it? Pin it!
