The 5 Best Day Trips from Madrid

Madrid sits in the middle of Spain with three UNESCO cities and a mountain range inside an hour of it. These are the days out the city’s own hosts send guests on.

The day trips our hosts recommend most — from Toledo and Segovia to El Escorial and the trails of the Sierra de Guadarrama.

Sierra de Guadarrama national park

Sierra de Guadarrama national park (1/3)
Photo by Zlata Ap (Google Places)
Sierra de Guadarrama national park (2/3)
Photo by Pedro Delgado Martínez (Google Places)
Sierra de Guadarrama national park (3/3)
Photo by Carive (Google Places)

If you are looking for a quiet getaway away from the bustling capital, the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park is the perfect destination.

Guadarrama has also been known as "La sierra del dragón verde ", as the succession of spiky, tree-filled peaks resemble the back of a large dragon asleep and lying on the ground.
Some of the most emblematic places of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park are La Pedriza and the Peñalara Massif.
The activities programmed by the different Visitor Centers are usually free, although in many of them it is essential to make a previous reservation.
For hiking enthusiasts! On their website you can find a wide variety of detailed routes: geological, botanical, ornithological and with children.
Remember, bathing in the Manzanares River is prohibited in order to preserve the environment.
More information

Exploring Toledo

Exploring Toledo (1/3)
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Exploring Toledo (2/3)
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Exploring Toledo (3/3)
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  • Meeting point VPT Viajes Para Todos De Ferraz Street, 3
  • Duration 8 hours
  • Language Spanish and English
  • Free cancellation Cancel up to 24 hours in advance and receive a full refund

Known as the city of three cultures, Toledo was a place where Christians, Muslims and Jews lived in harmony. A tour of this historic city is, without a doubt, a must.

You will take the bus in the morning, and after 1 hour trip you will arrive to Toledo, a city declared National Monument and World Heritage City by UNESCO.
The Alcazar, the Primada Cathedral, the Synagogue of Santa Maria La Blanca, the Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, the Bridge of San Martin.... Toledo's beauty is spectacularr!
The guide will passionately explain the history of the city, take you through the narrow streets and you will contemplate the gothic and renaissance architecture of well preserved monuments.
You will have free time before the return, where you will enjoy the freedom to shop or simply visit the city at your own pace.
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1 day tour in Avila and Segovia

1 day tour in Avila and Segovia (1/3)
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1 day tour in Avila and Segovia (2/3)
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1 day tour in Avila and Segovia (3/3)
Photo by GetYourGuide
  • Meeting point Fun and Tickets San Bernardo Street, 7
  • Duration 9 h
  • Language Spanish and English
  • Free cancellation Cancel up to 24 hours in advance and receive a full refund

Visit the historic cities of Segovia and Avila on a day trip from Madrid, discovering every alley and monument.

First, the tour will focus on Ávila, where you will admire its famous walls, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Basilica of San Vicente.
After that, you will continue to Segovia, with its famous Roman aqueduct, the Gothic cathedral and the Alcazar fortress. You will even enter the church-convent of Santa Teresa de Jesus which was built by the Order of the Discalced Carmelites in the 17th century.
You will have free time for wine and a snack, or continue exploring the city on your own.
After the visit, you'll head back to Madrid in a comfortable bus.
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Visit to the Escorial monastery

Visit to the Escorial monastery (1/3)
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Visit to the Escorial monastery (2/3)
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Visit to the Escorial monastery (3/3)
Photo by GetYourGuide
  • Meeting point Fun and Tickets San Bernardo, 7
  • Duration 5 h
  • Language Spanish and English
  • Free cancellation Cancel up to 24 hours in advance and receive a full refund

Embark on a journey through history, from the Royal Monastery of El Escorial, symbol of the power of Philip II, to the basilica of Valle de los Caídos, offering an enriching experience about the Spanish Civil War.

You will take the bus in the morning,and after a 45-minute journey, you will arrive to San Lorenzo de El Escorial. There, with the guide, you will learn about the history of Spain during the reign of Felipe II.
You will visit places like the Kings Garden and the Cloister. After that, the bus will take you to the Valley of the Fallen to explore its excavated basilica, where 33,847 people who died during the Civil War are buried.
Before returning to Madrid, you will be able to visit its surroundings!
You will have to arrive 20-25 min in advance at the meeting point. And this tour does not include food and drinks.
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Horse riding in the Sierra de Guadarrama

Horse riding in the Sierra de Guadarrama (1/3)
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Horse riding in the Sierra de Guadarrama (2/3)
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Horse riding in the Sierra de Guadarrama (3/3)
Photo by GetYourGuide
  • Meeting point Calle de las Pozas, 1, Collado Mediano
  • Duration 2.5 h
  • Language Spanish and English
  • Minimum age 12 years

Ride through the Sierra de Guadarrama national park on a trip from Madrid, in a group of no more than six.

You are picked up at the meeting point north of Madrid, in Collado Mediano, and driven the last ten minutes by jeep to the stables near Navacerrada.
From there it is around two hours in the saddle through the Sierra de Guadarrama national park, on trails with long views over the mountains. The route suits complete beginners as well as experienced riders, and the group never goes above six people.
Guides ride with you in English or Spanish. Helmet, insurance and the transfer from the meeting point are included.
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