best road trip from madrid

Pestana Holidays powered by Travel Compositor Sales & Support +351 215551041. I am Anya, from Ukraine but in heart, I am a citizen of the world. But, as it was also the burial site of Franco himself, it became a shrine for the far-right and detested by many Spaniards. Probably the least famous town on this list, Chinchn is home to one of Spains prettiest Plaza Mayors. When you reach the far side there are wonderful views back to the city and you can even find a little stony beach on the shore of the river to relax by. In the morning you'll pick up your rental car and begin your epic road-trip. The A-3 highway leads to Madrids beach, as some call Valencia, the closest city on the sea traveling from the capital. Show only these on map Optional Madrid Itinerary Addition: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Here are the 15 best day trips from Madrid. In this post, I havent even mentioned some of the micro trips and things to do in surrounding towns in Madrid. However, most visitors to the city take what is known as the Strawberry Train. For example being a native Californian, I would much rather know about Monterey or Carmel by the Sea than spend too many days in San Francisco especially as I love to hike and be in nature. But besides seeing the palace, it is also worth visiting the main square and just walking around the nice and cozy city. Patones de Arriba my favourite village I have found so far. If you plan to come to Madrid for 2 or 3 days only, then you will hardly have enough time to see the sights of the capital itself. Get our travel tips Delivered to your inbox. You will see the world's finest architecture in Barcelona, La Mezquita in Cordoba, the Seville Cathedral and Granada's Alhambra fortress but have time to relax in Puerto Banus, lay on the beach in Nerja and roam the narrow streets of Andalucian white villages. Best stops along Madrid to Valencia drive The top stops along the way from Madrid to Valencia (with short detours) are Parque Warner Madrid, Royal Palace of Aranjuez, and San Pablo Bridge. Travel Tip: Salamanca is one of the best places in Spain to practice your Spanish. Just about an hour out of Madrid, you will find the Sierra de Guadarrama, Sierra del Norte and the Sierra de Gredos mountain ranges. This road trip through Spain's heartland comes in a loop that starts and ends in the Segovia province. Rosquillas de Alcal traditional Spanish doughnut-shaped pastries dunked into a creamy glaze. Spend the rest of your time in Alarcn visiting churches, wandering the cobblestone streets, and walking up to the Mirador de la Pea to admire the views of the towns reservoir and the Jcar river. So, pack your bags, hit the road, and get ready to explore the best that central Spain has to offer! It dates back to the 1st century AD. Albufera Natural Park: Located just south of Valencia, the Albufera Natural Park is a beautiful natural reserve that offers visitors a peaceful respite from the bustling city. Baslica de Nuestra Seora del Pilar Simply stunning from the outside and home to a dome that was painted by Goya and a tower you can get to the top of for wonderful views. Where to Stay in Madrid. Hopefully, youll understand why I always recommend it as my best day trip from Madrid. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. It boasts a rich history that is reflected in its Gothic architecture and cobblestone streets. Travel Tip: With endless options of things to see and do, Barcelona deserves more than just a day. Royal Palace of Aranjuez 8. Alczar of Toledo An imposing castle on the cities highest point and home to an Army Museum. After that the road trip continues all the way to Port de Pollena before heading across the island to Cala Mesquida. Read My Story Page Here and Take Care! Protos is my personal favourite. It takes just an hour (give or take a few minutes depending on the train you choose) for the high-speed train from Madrid to Cuenca to complete the journey. Once inside the city, youll be transported back in time as you explore its narrow, winding streets. During your visit to Toledo, delight yourself with some local dishes such as Perdiz Estofada (Stewed Partridge) and Carcamusa (beef or pork stew). Puerto de Navacerrada (Ski Resort) 10. While Avila is a nice side trip from Madrid, if you allow a full day here, you may find yourself getting a little bored by the end, but it is certainly worth visiting. So this is it, my list of road trips from Madrid for now. Seville 13. The road trip then moves west along the coast to Santander, before further stops in Santillana del Mar, the Picos de Europa national park and Gijon. Madrid Wine Tour 5. That hotel room by the sea will still be there, even if you decide to see some of the sights along the way. Scroll down to see more detail on each one. You can also organise private tours that will take you to both sites with pick up and drop off. When you imagine the perfect seaside Basque village, something resembling Zumaia may come to mind. The walls of the village are punctuated by a number of gates including the Puerta del Campo (a must-stop for a photo of the village) and the Puerta del Calabozo (or dungeon). . The towns rich history is reflected in churches like the 12th-century San Pedro and the 13th-century Convent of Santa Clara. As a Madrid resident myself, I have spent a lot of time exploring the fringes of the city and the nearby neighbours, so I thought I would put together some of my top recommendations and share the best day trips from Madrid. Spanish travel restrictions explained, This destination is on track to become the most visited country in the world by 2025, The ultimate guide to planning an elopement, The 10 best places to visit in Europe in 2023, The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain association. The only real way is driving. Another thing is to walk along the streets of Salamancas old town as it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The palace is famous for its ornate Baroque architecture and lovely fountains. Just wander and get lost among the amazing buildings. Pestana Holidays. Decadent facades are on all four sides and there is a great little microbrewery to grab a drink, just sit and enjoy some people watching. Seville 8. However, winter can make your trip toward the northern locations magical and make you feel like you are in a snowy fairy tale. The palace is characterized by luxury and rich decoration. Sitting high up in the mountains, you are not allowed to drive into it, so you have to park your car and walk. As you make your way toward Valencia, build your road trip itinerary in that way where you visit first Aranjuez and then Cuenca. Or simply combine them together and have one long road trip in Spain with a departure point from Madrid! However, you get to visit some beautiful sites along the way. Compare that to the standard train, which takes about 3 and a half hours, or driving, which is about 2 and a half hours. La Rioja is a postcard of a province, with rolling green hills, alpine mountains . Rich in Arab, Jewish and Christian history, the former Spanish capital is a Unesco World Heritage Site. But this is nearer the beginning of the rivers life. As you approach Avila from the outside, it looks spectacular, is it a walled city with some of the most eye-catching fortifications you will see thanks to years of restoration work. The historic city is also home to a medieval Alczar offering beautiful gardens and impressive views from its towers. Located on the Ras Baixas highway in the Galician province of Ourense, Allariz sits on the Arnoia river and dates back to the prehistoric Castro culture; Romans and Goths later occupied it too. But this is not about that, this is about Salamanca. I offer you the top 6 of beautiful destinations where you can go on a day trip from Madrid by car. Ive become a pretty good tour guide for the city after my multiple visits to Segovia. From Seville you can take easy self-drive day trips to Cadiz, Jerez, Huelva, or Ronda. Bilbao 14. The walled city of Toledo is one of the most popular day-trip destinations from Madrid. There are also many different guided Toledo day tour options which would be a good choice if youre not confident using public transport and want to enjoy a stress-free day trip. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It is a huge square where you will find the gorgeous basilica, La SEO Cathedral and the entrance to the historic Roman parts of the city. Alicante. When in Chinchon, pay a visit to Bodega del Nero winery with generous tastings and tapas. About the destination: Madrid has a tempo of its own: The dry air of the Castilian plain crackles with its cosmopolitan crowds. The palace project (which was a residence of the monarchs) began as a Spanish response in the 17th century to the French Versailles. Aside from hiking, there are some fantastic little villages to be explored. In addition to the magnificent architecture, the adjacent park area will certainly impress. One other thing to bear in mind, if you are travelling with teenagers, Chinchn is really close to the Warner Brothers Theme Park. Once you arrive at the El Escorial train station, it is about a 15 20-minute walk uphill to get to Monastery of El Escorial. As Spain's third-largest city, Valencia offers a wealth of things to see and do within easy reach from Madrid. If you would rather take public transport, you can get buses to various towns in the region from Valladolid which is reachable from Madrid by train or intercity bus. However, as amazing as it is, a day trip to Seville from Madrid is not cheap, but it is definitely worth it. Definitely visit the Prado museum, walk around the Retiro Park and the . This Spain road trip starts in the most famous city in the La Mancha region - Toledo. Madrid is a vibrant, exciting city, and art and culture lovers will love the array of museums and art galleries. Rascafria Close to a reservoir, Rascafria is a great spot for hikes and natural swimming pools. We'd love to see how you get on! This trip covers a distance of approximately 503 kilometers in 150 minutes along the beautiful Spanish countryside with possible stops at Tarragona, Lleida, Zaragoza, and Guadalajara-Yebes. It wont be impossible, but it will be challenging to find vegan options in Guadalajara. The answer is all of the above, as well as the most important monument from the Spanish Renaissance. Another popular day trip from Madrid is Toledo, the old capital of Spain and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. Mark and I personally like to compare prices between Discover Cars and RentalCars to see which company has better deals. The great thing is, all of them are accessible via public transport. It also boasts a convenient location right in the heart of Spain itself, which makes the city a perfect home base when it comes to exploring the rest of the country. One thing that you will certainly notice on a Toledo day trip are the many shops that sell awesome swords. Tours will often combine it with a visit to Segovia. It would make sense that you might want to get to them as quickly as possible. Getting There: There is no direct public transport from Madrid to the valleyyou have to make a stop in San Lorenzo de El Escorial (see above for information on reaching the town from Madrid). There are quite a few stops to make and foods to try. Quick Barcelona to Madrid drive itinerary Distance - 955.7 km (593.8 miles) Time - 7 days Day 1 - Barcelona to Tarragona: 99.6 km (61.8 miles) Day 2 - Tarragona to Valencia: 259 km (160.9 miles) Day 3 - Valencia Day 4 - Valencia to Albacete: 185 km (114.9 miles) Day 5 - Albacete to Cuenca: 160 km (99.4 miles) Day 6 - Cuenca to Toledo: 179 km (111.2 miles) If not, you should definitely plan one since this region is full of wonders! If you love the mountains, hiking and being off the beaten track, a road trip around Catalonia is definitely the best choice in Spain. The biggest thing in the city is the university, it was the first one in Spain and is widely recognised as one of the best in the world with students from around the globe. Arvalo is a small historic town famous for its Mudejar architecture and art giving it a special protected status in Spain and Salamanca is an ancient city with two cathedrals - the New one (it is actually called that) began construction in 1513! You can easily explore the key sites and be back in Madrid ready for dinner. You get on the train at the old railway station which is now the Madrid Train Museum and an old school (read: uncomfortable) train carriage will take you to the town. If you do end up doing this one, please let us know! Garlic Soup The town loves its garlic, they even have a festival in honour of the delicious little edible bulb every October. If you did want to plan your own itinerary, Id recommend reading this post that I have written for the website Winerist, it has all the details you need to know about reaching Madrids vineyards via public transport. It can take close to 2 hours to get there. If you would like to read a more in-depth guide, check out my what to see in Zaragoza post to be fully inspired. Years of erosion by the Rio Piedra have created some spectacular waterfalls that visitors can visit and wander around. This drive will scale mountains with breathtaking views and take you to the mesmerising Mezquita cathedral in Cordoba and the unique Moorish Alhambra complex in Granada. The drive from Madrid to Toledo takes you through rolling hills and authentic local countryside life. The town is also famous for its roast lamb, which will provide sustenance as you continue your journey to the sea. As Spain's second-largest city and a thriving hub of culture and history in its own right, Barcelona has made a name for itself as one of Europe's most exciting destinations. We eat some mushroom burgers, croquettes, migas and much more, if you love your food and drink, you will not want to leave. The storied medieval town is also home to an incredible cathedral and a castle (the Alczar) said to have inspired that of Disney's Sleeping Beauty. The full circle - A complete road trip around Spain. Zaragoza 10. Ribera del Duero 12. Palma is the capital and often overlooked by visitors who go straight from airport to their preferred corner of the island. Of them are accessible via public transport can visit and wander around the A-3 highway leads to Madrids,! And wander around back in time as you continue your journey to the city youll! Notice on a Toledo day trip are the 15 best day trips to Cadiz, Jerez Huelva... 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