From impressive castles to immense monasteries, passing through royal gardens, well-preserved medieval cities and historic centers declared World Heritage Sites, there is no shortage of interesting day trips leaving from Madrid! Here is our top 10!

Using the fastest transport in each case, you can reach all the destinations we are going to show you throughout the video in less than 90 minutes from Madrid, returning to sleep in the city – no need to change hotels. 

Only in the cases of Ávila, Toledo and Zaragoza we do think it is worth SPENDING THE NIGHT in the destination to make the most of the visit, but if you organize yourself well, you can see the basics in a day trip.

Alcalá de Henares

The first destination on our list is Alcalá de Henares.  Its fame is due to the fact that it is the birthplace of the most important Spanish writer in history, Miguel de Cervantes (to whom, of course, homage is paid in many places in the city), as well as the presence of an important university, the second oldest in Spain.

Alcalá de Henares, or simply Alcalá, is a city of almost 200,000 inhabitants located northeast of Madrid. Its university and historic center were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for being the first planned university city in the world, a city that has served as a model for many other universities in Spain and other parts of the world. 

Alcalá is a very pleasant city to walk around and an exciting destination for those interested in history and literature.  To get to know the basics of Alcalá, half a day should be enough. For a leisurely stroll, with time for all the monuments, including the University, Cervantes’ Birthplace, the old theatre and the Archaeological Museum, we recommend a full day, which will also give you time to enjoy the noble tradition practiced in Alcalá of serving drinks accompanied by a complimentary snack.

Due to its proximity and good public transport connections, it is very easy to reach Alcalá from Madrid.

Aranjuez

The second day trip is to Aranjuez, which is on the World Heritage List. UNESCO recognized the Cultural Landscape of Aranjuez as an example of the complex relationship between man and nature, articulated through canals, irrigation systems, gardens and palaces. 

Aranjuez is a town located almost 50 kilometers from the Spanish capital. It has 60,000 inhabitants and belongs to the Community of Madrid, although it is a short distance from the province of Toledo. 

The Tagus River crosses the municipality from east to west. The Cultural Landscape of Aranjuez includes numerous elements, among them immense and wonderful gardens and the impressive Royal Palace of Aranjuez, one of the historic residences of the Spanish Royal Family.

If you are interested in history and enjoy walking outdoors, you will love Aranjuez. 

To visit the palace and its extensive gardens, you will need a full day in Aranjuez. You could go for half a day to see the palace, but you would miss an incredible part of the destination, the gardens. 

Ávila

Ávila, the third trip on the list, is a spectacular Castilian city declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Ávila is a city of 160,000 inhabitants located 110 kilometers west of Madrid. 

Ávila is famous for its well-preserved historic center, surrounded by an incredible wall. It is a gigantic medieval defensive barrier, with a total length of more than 2.5 km. The wall completely surrounds the historic center of the city and is very well preserved.

A large part of the wall can be covered on foot, in a long and delightful walk that allows the visitor to contemplate Ávila from above.

Inside the walls, visitors can discover an exceptional collection of Renaissance churches and palaces and savor the famous local gastronomy. Among all the temples, the majestic Cathedral stands out.

Outside the walls, the Basilica of San Vicente and the extraordinary Monastery of Santo Tomás, with its three cloisters, are two of the city’s other great jewels.

If you stay in Ávila until sunset, or spend the night in the city, you can enjoy the end of the day from the Cuatro Postes and walk back to the center to admire the illuminated city walls.

If you like medieval cities with well-preserved architecture and incredible monuments, you will love Ávila.

You’ll need a full day to get the gist of Ávila, but if you want to enjoy the unforgettable spectacle of the city lit up at night, you’ll need to sleep in the city.

Brihuega

Brihuega is a village that once harvested 10% of the world’s lavender production.  Brihuega, with less than 2,500 inhabitants, is 90 km from the center of Madrid. Today its lavender fields, scattered throughout the town center, attract many visitors to the area. 

Of all the day trips on the list, this is the only one that has a very specific date to take place. The lavender blooms in July. There is no point in going earlier, nor too late, when the harvest is over. On the official tourism website of Brihuega there is a map with the location of the lavender fields. It also explains how the flowering goes each year.

July is a very hot month, so we recommend visiting the fields early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the soft light of the sunset makes the photos much more beautiful. 

When you get to the fields, respect the work of the farmers so that we can continue to enjoy this incredible bloom year after year. The time you spend on the walk will depend a lot on your interest in the landscapes and the photographs, but it is an excursion that will not take you more than half a day.

The journey to Brihuega should be done exclusively by car, both for the time it takes to get there and for the mobility between the different lavender fields scattered throughout the region. You will take the A-2 highway, toll-free, and it will take you 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Chinchón

Chinchón is a picturesque village in the autonomous community of Madrid. Chinchón is 44 kilometers from Madrid and has less than 6,000 inhabitants.

The Plaza Mayor, the main square, is its main attraction and also its greatest charm. It is a charming square that began to be built in the 15th century, during the Middle Ages. It was completely closed in the 17th century. It has an irregular circle format. Wooden buildings, painted green, surround the square.

Around the square there are many bars and restaurants, ideal to have a drink and enjoy the scenery, or eat on a balcony with a view.

The remains of the Castillo de los Condes, a 16th century Renaissance castle, stand on a hill with beautiful views of the land surrounding Chinchón. 

If you like towns with flavor, you will enjoy Chinchón, which is a picturesque but small town. Therefore, it is best to see Chinchón as a half-day trip, which can be done in the morning (with lunch in Chinchón) or in the afternoon (with dinner in Chinchón).

Cuenca

Cuenca is a city with an incredible location and a historical heritage recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Cuenca is a city of just over 50,000 inhabitants located 170 kilometers east of Madrid.

The historic center of Cuenca is situated on top of a hill, in an amazing balance between the Huécar River on one side and the Júcar River on the other. It is this incredible location that makes Cuenca an extraordinary sight. The streets of the historic center are narrow, with stone houses on both sides. Cars drive on the main street that runs through the center, while the rest is reserved for pedestrians.

Cuenca is famous for its “hanging houses”. The view of the houses built on the edge of the abyss that falls over the Huécar river is amazing and defies vertigo. Cuenca’s cathedral is another of the city’s must-see sights.

Always remember that, as the historic center of Cuenca is narrow and is on top of a hill, if you go to the left or to the right, you will always end up discovering beautiful viewpoints overlooking both the Húecar and Júcar rivers.

If you like unusual cities, with a lot of history and an extraordinary location, you will love Cuenca. Dedicate a whole day to this peaceful round trip.

The return to Cuenca in the same day is only possible by high-speed train. Ave, Avlo, Iryo and Ouigo services make this journey from Chamartin station in Madrid. The journey takes approximately one hour.

El Escorial

El Escorial is the name of a town in the Community of Madrid where one of the grandest monuments in Spain stands. El Escorial has 16,000 inhabitants and is located 55 kilometers east of Madrid.

The monument that justifies the day trip is the extraordinary Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The monastery was built in the 16th century in an austere Renaissance style by order of Philip II. One of the main motivations of the monarch was to build a monastery to support the new burial place of his family. 

During the last years of Philip II’s life, the Royal Site became the major center of political power on earth. The monarch died in the monastery of El Escorial. The Royal Site is a symbol of the power of the Spanish Catholic monarchy during the Golden Age, between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Besides being majestic, El Escorial is gigantic, with extraordinary dimensions. Within the complex itself, there are many different parts. Among others, there is a basilica, a palace, a college, a convent and an incredible library, as well as extensive gardens.

If you are interested in history, you will find a visit to the Monastery fascinating. Spend between two and four hours for this visit, a half-day round trip from Madrid.

Segovia

Eighth on the list, Segovia is another spectacular Castilian city declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Segovia, with 150,000 inhabitants, is 90 kilometers north of Madrid.

Segovia’s beautiful historic center has three major monumental landmarks. The Alcazar is located at the western end of the city and is striking both for its architecture and its location at the edge of the city, as if it were the prow of a ship.

The second must-see in Segovia is its imposing cathedral, a striking presence in the city’s Plaza Mayor, in the heart of the historic center.  The cathedral is known as the “Lady of Cathedrals” for its visual presence. Its imposing tower, almost 90 meters high, dominates the city skyline.

Segovia’s most famous attraction is its Roman aqueduct. It was built to bring water from the mountains near Segovia, more than 15 kilometers away, to the city. It is estimated that the aqueduct was completed in the 2nd century B.C. and that it took 20 years to finish the work. The stones of the aqueduct are still standing 2,000 years later, having been laid with apparent simplicity. 

If you like cities with history and great monuments, a day trip to Segovia will be a success.

To see the basics of Segovia you will need a full day. It is not essential to sleep in Segovia, but keep in mind that the city is very beautiful illuminated at night.

Toledo

Superlative Toledo, a World Heritage Site, is a classic day trip for those planning an outing from Madrid. Toledo, with a population of 85,000, is located south of Madrid. 

The city, which for many centuries was the political and spiritual capital of Spain, brings together an incredible mix of cultures and religions, with spectacular monuments and a unique location. It is 2,500 years of history on a hill surrounded by the Tagus River, in the role of the moat that protects the castle.

The concentration of monuments and places of interest in Toledo, representative of the Jewish, Muslim and Christian cultures, is so great that it is worth preparing the visit well. By organizing your itinerary, you will be able to get to the essentials without too much trouble.

A full day should be enough for the basics in Toledo. But we strongly recommend that you spend the night in the city, Toledo is beautifully illuminated at night and the extra day will make it much easier to complete all the visits.

Zaragoza

The tenth and final day trip proposal is the city of Zaragoza, in our opinion and in the opinion of many travelers we have spoken to, the underrated Spanish destination. With some 700,000 inhabitants, Zaragoza is located 320 kilometers northeast of Madrid.

Zaragoza is a city where the history of the Iberian Peninsula is present in its streets, squares, temples and ruins. Founded by the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus, the Iberians, the Romans, the Arab monarchs, the Catholic Monarchs and even Napoleon’s troops left their mark on the fifth largest city in Spain.

Today Zaragoza is a modern city that preserves a historic center full of centuries-old buildings, charming squares, narrow streets and lots of life and animation.

Famous for the unmistakable silhouette of the Basilica del Pilar, one of the largest and most important Marian temples in the world, Zaragoza also has three beautiful monuments declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

You can see the essentials of Zaragoza in one day. But we recommend spending the night in the city, as Zaragoza is beautifully illuminated at night.

A same-day return to Zaragoza is only possible by high-speed train. Ave, Avlo, Iryo and Ouigo services make this journey from Madrid’s Atocha station. The fastest journey time is 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Which one to choose?

You may be left wondering which of the many day trips to choose.

There is no right or wrong answer to this question, because it all depends on your interests and the time you have available. It also depends on your itinerary in Spain. But let’s answer some questions to help you in your choice.

• If it is your first time in Madrid, the most classic excursion, as we have already pointed out, is to the magnificent Toledo. You can’t go wrong. 
• If you like intense day trips with a lot of content, those that will make you walk from the end of the morning to the end of the day, Ávila, Segovia, Toledo or Zaragoza will be perfect options.
• If you are looking for World Heritage cities or monuments, you should go to Alcalá de Henares, Aranjuez, Ávila, Cuenca, El Escorial, Segovia or Toledo.
• If at any time you travel from Madrid to Barcelona, or vice versa, include Zaragoza as a stopover between the two, spending the night in the city.