Day Trips Around Madrid
Madrid and its attractions
The wonderful capital of Spain has numerous attractions for its tourists: a huge list of museums, monuments of great historical and archaeological importance, paved squares packed with terraces and bars where the delicious tapas are served and an active nightlife.
In addition to all these, Madrid is located in the centre of a group of other cities to which a day trip sounds fantastic! As you can see, it is impossible to get bored in Madrid!
A few day trips
From Madrid, Toledo is just 50 kilometers away. You can easily reach Toledo by bus, car or even by train, but if you do not want too much trouble on your part, visit the city with an organized group. Toledo functioned as a capital of Spain for no less than five centuries and it is now an important attraction for those who are interested in seeing a combination of elements in architecture: Christian, Moorish and even Jewish.
Segovia is another perfect destination for a day trip as it stands just 88 kilometers away from Madrid. Segovia deserves the attention of tourists because it has a wonderful palette of monuments to offer: the Roman aqueduct, the spectacular old part of the town, the impressive Gothic Cathedral and last but not the least, the delicious Castilian cuisine. A day trip can also be the one to El Escorial, just 40 kilometers away from Madrid.
The most important attraction of El Escorial is represented by the Palace built by Phillip II; the Monastery is another beautiful monument. Both the Palace and the Monastery date back to the 16th century and they will surely impress you with their austere aspect. El Escorial has one more attraction: the famous Valley of the Fallen. The Valley is the home of an impressive monument built in the honor of those who lost their lives in the cruel Spanish Civil War.
The monument was built because General Franco felt the need and the importance of such a gesture; in fact, the nearby El Pardo, the palace where the General spent many of his days is open for public. The list of day trips can continue with those towns and villages that have been entirely designated World Heritage sites by the UNESCO; among them, take into consideration Cuenca and Salamanca. Doesn’t Madrid sound like a fun city? I assure you that it really is, so consider the possibility of visiting it!