We have lived in Madrid now already for a year and eight months. During that time we have discovered some really nice places in the city that we now regularly go to: restaurants, parks, whole neighbourhoods, … the Spanish capital can dish up something for the most diverse tastes. I will certainly come back to those in a different post. Here I would like to list my favorite places outside the city. We have done various day trips and weekend trips in the past year. Here I wanted to share the crème de la crème, the cherries on the delicious cake that is Madrid. Here are my 8 favorite day trips from Madrid.

8 – Anillo Verde

The route takes you along the edges of the city, through the beautiful Casa De Campo and along the Manzanares river

This day trip from Madrid  is actually not a day trip but more an activity. It is also not really outside Madrid. However I did include this because it is a great way to spend a day in the city, if you’re down for some physical activity.

The Anillo Verde is actually a bike path that runs all around the capital. It’s what some people call a bike highway: a completely separated part of the road with space for riding bikes in both directions. It even has its own website where you can find a little plan and information on the places along the route. Also some general tips about biking in Madrid. For example: not wearing a helmet could get you a fine! The route takes you along the edges of the city, through the beautiful Casa De Campo and along the Manzanares river.

I must admit I had some issues finding my way at times, they are interruptions in the bike path where it crosses certain bigger streets and it’s not always obvious where to cross the highways. But it is all part of the adventure. If you are planning on actually doing the whole Anillo: do not underestimate it. The whole route is around 70 km and it is definitely not all flat!

I obviously used my own bike but no worries there are tons of places where you can rent one for a day at a very decent price. For further market research I gladly refer to Yelp with their list of 10 best places to rent your bike. Some of them are almost on the route. So get your lazy but out of the subway and go bike!

7 – Aranjuez

The whole room is decorated with porcelain figures

Aranjuez is the Laken of Spain. Which, to people that do know Brussels, does not make any sense. So let me try to explain: the Palacio Real in Madrid is like the office of the King these days, while Aranjuez used to be his home. Used to be in this case is around the time of Phillip II (1560). Up until 1752 only royalty and nobility were allowed to dwell in the town. The royals moved to the more modest Palace of Zarzuela long ago however, leaving Aranjuez’ palace and gardens open for tourists.

The palace itself is definitely worth a visit with the “Doll Room” as one of the highlights. Yes, it is about as creepy as it sounds. The whole room is decorated with porcelain figures. Although the place is very well restored do not expect it to be as big as Versailles. Neither are its gardens as huge as the ones commissioned by the ego-tripping Roi Soleil of France. They are huge however and very beautiful in a more modest cosy way.

It is also super easy to get to using the cercanias (regional trains) from anywhere in Madrid. Just hop on line C3 at Sol and you’ll be there in about 40 min.

We actually visited on one of the hottest days of the year in August. Not the best day to do a day trip from Madrid and leave you AC comfortable apartment. We had to run from shade to shade in order not to burn our faces off (I am only slightly exaggerating here). So the gardens and their cool were a great place to be! So do yourself a favor: if it’s more than  40°C outside, go to the next suggestion.

6 – Riosequillo and Buitrago

The perfect place to relax for an entire day and cool of in the water and in the shade of the trees during one of Madrid’s hot summer days

Riosequillo is a recreation area in the Sierra (mountains) around Madrid. It’s main attractions however is the huge natural pool. During summer people from the city flock to places like this, so you will never be alone. If you need more peace and quiet this is not the place to go. It is also not the easiest place to get to, we actually rented a car for the day. The location is fantastic however and the view from the pool is amazing.

It is however the perfect place to relax for an entire day and cool of in the water and in the shade of the trees during one of Madrid’s hot summer days. Big Spanish families come together and mostly bring a ton of food. They spend the day eating and drinking in the grass. For the less prepared there is a small restaurant and bar that serves all the essentials: tortillas, sandwiches, paella, pizza,…

We finished the day by visiting Buitrago del Lozoya, the medieval town closest to the location of the pool. It is not the most buzzing town. In our case it was ok however since it was the day of Fiestas Patronales. See it as a yearly fair in all towns in the area and the best excuse for everyone to get completely wasted. We drove around to some other towns in the area and the view along the way was beautiful.

5 – Playa Virgen de la Nueva

It has everything you could want from a beach: crystal clear water, motor and paddle boat rental, a cafeteria and parking space

Who says Madrid does not have a beach? Granted it’s not actually IN Madrid but rather 50 min driving near a town called San Martín de Valdeiglesias. But still, it has everything you could want from a beach: crystal clear water, motor and paddle boat rental, a cafeteria and parking space. You can even go on one of those banana things dragged behind a speedboat. Only downside: it’s not a huge place, so make sure you’re there early on a sunny day. Apparently the place gets packed around 9 AM.

This beach is actually at the shore of a reservoir called Pantano de San Juan. A dam built in 1955 on the Alberche river created this 6.5 km² lake. In the Madrid area this is the only artificial lake qualified for swimming and other aquatic activities. It has even been awarded the Blue Flag (Bandera Azul). A brand of quality that takes into account high environmental and quality standards.

Unfortunately it’s almost impossible to get there without a car. It takes you up to 2 hours to get to the closest town and it’s still an hour walking from there. So either hitch a ride with someone of rent a car with some people, it’s worth it!

4 – Cuenca

On that cliff are several houses built right on the edge and even hanging over the edge

This rather small town about 2 hours driving from Madrid is famous for what they call the Casas Colgadas. Literally translated that means Hanging Houses, which is exactly what they are. The historical centre of the town is built on a steep hill that ends in a cliff. On that cliff are several houses built right on the edge and even hanging over the edge. It’s a marvelous sight! Next to the cliff is a pedestrain bridge that crosses the valley next to the cliff. The combination of the bridge and the houses makes for a very photogenic town.

Aside from that the surrounding area and the river making its way around and through the town. You can walk all the way to the top of the town and you’ll have a breathtaking view over the surrounding area. On the cliffs opposite the town somebody painted two giant eyes on the rocks, see if you can spot them!

Exploring the town however, is at most a half day activity, but no worries, you did not come all the way here for just the town. In the surrounding area you can do amazing hikes and even go explore some caves. For more information on the hiking trails you can either go to the tourist office or you can check Wikiloc or (if your spanish is ok) the website of the hiking organisation of Cuenca.

If your feeling even more adventurous you can go ahead and do some canyoning. I had a great experience making my way through the Jucar’s Canyon with Jucar Adventure. Check out their website to see all their activities: Canyoning, Caving, Paintball or Canoeing. This will make your Cuenca daytrip an action and culturally packed adventure!

The only tricky part of Cuenca is getting there. Easiest and fastest is with your car, however there are alternatives. With public transportation you can get there but it’s quite the hassle and will take you 4 hours. You need to take the C3 cercanía towards Aranjuez and then take a intercity train towards Valencia. Make sure you check it’s not an express and it stops in Cuenca. However you can also take a bus from the South Bus Station of Madrid for about €13 one way. Avanzabus has regular buses to Cuenca which take about 2,5 hours (first on at 6:45 AM last one back leaves at 8 PM). Check their website for schedule and tickets.

3 – El Escorial

Aside from being a Royal Palace, it has functioned as basilica, library, monastery, pantheon, museum and university

The Monasterio y Sitio de El Escorial de Madrid, or El Escorial for the locals, is another historical residence of the King of Spain. Over the years, aside from being a Royal Palace, it has functioned as basilica, library, monastery, pantheon, museum and university. The cool thing about it is that all these functions left its mark on the place. One minute you’ll be admiring a spectacular library, while the other you will be staring at the huge frescos depicting the Spanish victories on the battlefield.

It is also the last resting place for many of the Spanish Royals. Including a very creepy but huge structure containing dozens of their deceased children that did not survive infancy. I’ve seen tombs before containing kids supposedly but most of them had been anonymous mass graves. Here every tomb is clearly labeled, which makes it more personal, more disturbing.

If you are a devout Catholic (which I am not): el Escorial is apparently also a gathering place of more than 7500 Catholic Relics. The most important ones are gathered in the Basilica but a lot of them are spread across the huge complex.

Just like Aranjuez, it is very easy to get to the town of San Lorenzo de Escorial. You have to hop on the C3 line again but head north this time towards the Sierra. the last stop is where you will get off. After your visit you can enjoy the rest of the day by going mountains around the town.

2 – Segovia

Your standing high above the medieval town, crisp winter winds pierce your layers of clothes. In the distance you can see the snowy mountain tops and before them huge plains of green.

This is what you experience when you stand underneath the bells of the huge tower in the Cathedral of Segovia. Aside from this grand structure the small medieval town has a huge Roman aqueduct and a beautiful town square. But Segovia is probably most know for the Alcazar, a fortress built on the edge of cliff by the Roman. Later it was rebuilt during the Muslim era and afterwards largely replaced by the current structure.

It is said that the fortress served as the inspiration for the castle featuring in the final scenes of the Snow White movie. No, not the one with Bella the Vampire Lover but the original animation picture. It is truly a marvelous sight to see the castle from down below and watch it rise on the cliffs like the bow of a huge ship. We visited during winter the first time, which added the snow topped mountains of Guadarrama to the dramatic backdrop.

Segovia is also THE place to enjoy a good roasted suckling piglet. Although be careful not to get caught in one of the many tourist traps on the main squares. Find yourself a nice cozy place in one of the narrow medieval alleys that run through the town.

To get there, the train is probably the easiest and fastest way since there now is a high-speed connection, which gets you there in an hour and a half. The Segovia train station is still a 20 min walk from the historic center though. Buses take you closer but are slower (around 2 hour 30 min) and leave from all major Madrid bus stations.

1 – Toledo

You will not regret putting this ex-capital of Spain on your bucket list

Madrid is a big, modern city with a huge population. Toledo in comparison is a tiny town filled with ancient structures and small alleyways. If I am honest with you guys I would actually say: if you really want to see Toledo, you should go for at least a weekend. However it can be done as a day trip and if you you have time to cram it into your busy schedule of your visit to Madrid, you should.

You can explore the small city on foot. You walk about 15 min from the train station (a high-speed train will take you there in 30 min) and cross the river into the historic center. Since it basically built on a hill count on doing a lot of steps during your visit.

There is so much to see and visit in this tiny city I barely know where to begin. We stayed two days and still only saw probably half. Major sites are the Alcazar (now the Army Museum), the central square and the many small churches littered with artwork from all periods of Spanish history. Culture lovers will have their eyes wide open and art lovers will have their jaw drop.

The most spectacular sight however is undoubtedly the huge Cathedral of Toledo. You can spend several hours exploring this magnificent building and the artwork it has. You will have to wade through hordes of Chinese and Japanese tourist but it is well worth the trouble. The way they light it up at night is also a magnificent sight.

Toledo is also a student city (not like Salamanca) and thus has a good offer of nightly activities. Loads of cozy bars and restaurants with delicious food. You will not regret putting this ex-capital of Spain on your bucket list. Trust me!