5 Easy Day Trips from Madrid
If you look at a map of Spain, you’ll notice that Madrid lies smack dab in the middle of the Iberian Peninsula. This is not only wonderfully convenient for your Spanish wanderlust, but for your wallet as well.
After my first year living in Madrid, I was easily able to visit a number of nearby cities via AVE train, buses and car including those in this post. The following five cities are certainly not all of the day trips you can take from Madrid, but they are definitely all worth a visit.
Segovia is about an hour and a half outside of Madrid by bus (how I traveled there for 15 euros roundtrip from the Moncloa bus station) or 30 minutes by the AVE train. I’ve been to Segovia three times now and I’m nowhere near tired of it. This charming UNESCO city offers the beautifully restored Alcazar, a Gothic cathedral, the Roman Aqueduct you can find in almost any Spanish textbook and their famous dish, cochinillo (or suckling pig).
Last, but certainly not least is El Escorial. The Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial is the main attraction. Unfortunately, you are unable to take photos inside which include a wonderful library and palace, but this little city is worth a 40 minute bus ride or a shorter train trip.
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