Madrid is the capital of Spain and while it has some impressive sights, I just wasn’t enamored with Madrid during my visit. It was my last stop on my ten day trip through Spain, and after my first afternoon in the city, I was kind of over it. You may have a different opinion, particularly if you enjoy art museums. Or if you plan your visit to coincide with a time when the Royal Palace is open (which should be easy, but I just happened to pick the one weekend it was closed).
However, if you do find yourself bored in Madrid or are just looking for some day trip ideas, you have several great options in Toledo and Segovia. Plus, if you have more time, you could incorporate Ávila.
Here’s three of the best day trips from Madrid and what you should know.
Toledo – The Original Capital of Spain
Toledo is perhaps the most popular (and arguably best) day trip from Madrid as it’s a city full of cultural and historic importance. The top sight to see here is the Toledo Cathedral, although art lovers will appreciate the museum and chapel featuring work by El Greco.
Arrive early to beat the crowds. Nearly all of the sights don’t open until 10:00, so tour groups don’t arrive much before that. However, by getting here early, you can enjoy the square and the Cathedral (at least from the outside) in peace. As the day goes on, the area just gets more and more crowded. I arrived around 9:00 am and found a bench on the main square. It was actually very peaceful. Later in the day, there were people everywhere and that peaceful spot was long gone.
The Toledo Cathedral has stood tall in the center of this city for more than 1500 years. It’s an impressive building (although by this point in my travels around Spain, I was getting a bit cathedral-ed out) and it’s worth going inside. Your admission fee comes with an audio guide, which I used in combination with Rick Steves’ self guided tour of the cathedral. For an extra fee, you can climb to the top of the bell tower.
If you’re an art lover, you can head to Santo Tomé or the El Greco Museum. I can’t say much more than this since I did not visit either of these sights while I was here.
Take a walking tour, either with a group or utilize a self guided walking tour, to learn some of the history of this city. This city was occupied by the Romans, Moors, and Christians, which gave the city a unique history. Not only that, but up until 1561, Toledo was actually the capital of Spain.
For a different kind of sight seeing, look for mazapán, which is the famous dessert of Toledo.
Getting Here
Direct buses and trains depart regularly from both Madrid and Toledo. Buses take between an hour to an hour and a half, but trains are faster. I used the bus and bought my ticket from the bus station that morning. With trains, you may need to book ahead.
For buses schedules – check out ALSA
For train schedules – check out Renfe
How Long Do You Need
I spent a half day in Toledo, arriving at 9:00 and departing around 2:30. I did a self guided walking tour, toured the Cathedral, and spent some time wandering the streets. People who want to visit more museums should plan a full day.
Segovia – Home to an Iconic Aqueduct
Segovia, which I’d argue is the second best day trip from Madrid, has a handful of sights, but its most defining feature is its towering Roman aqueduct that runs right through the city. The other two major sights to focus on are the Segovia Cathedral and the Alcázar.
Get here early. I took a 9:00 am bus from Madrid and arrived in Segovia shortly after 10:00. This gave me some time to walk by the aqueduct and take photos without hoards of crowds. It seems everyone wants to to use the aqueduct for the backdrop of their photos. The later in the day you arrive, the busier this area will be.
The Segovia Cathedral costs 3 euros to tour, which makes this a super affordable cathedral. Most other cathedrals in Spain are much more expensive. That said, this was one of my least favorite cathedrals I toured in Spain. It was the least opulent (although the privately sponsored chapels within the cathedral were over the top). I may have hit cathedral burnout here, but for the price, I think it can still be a great cathedral to visit. For more, you can join a guided tour to the top of the cathedral for views over the area.
The Alcázar is the other major site to tour. This building served as a palace, then as a prison, and was then remodeled into what we see today after a fire in 1862. The Alcázar is nice, although I recommend having some guide (whether the audio guide or a guidebook) to help you make sense of what you’re looking at. The Alcázar is nice, but if you’ve already toured some of the other palaces in Spain (such as the Alcázar in Seville), this one just isn’t as nice.
I feel like I’m being overly harsh on Segovia and I don’t want to be. Segovia can make a fine, easy day trip from Madrid, but I think there are much grander cities in Spain. By visiting Segovia at the very end of my trip the sights felt less impressive since I had seen so many similar sights already. I think that had I visited Madrid first, and therefore day tripped from Segovia as one of the first stops on my trip, these sights would have been much more impressive. One benefit though is the sights here were cheaper than elsewhere in Spain. Since these sights aren’t as grand or impressive, I find these prices much more reasonable.
Getting Here
Direct buses regularly from both Madrid and Segovia and will take approximately an hour and a half. Trains also service the route, but you will likely need to make a connection to get close to the city (if you take the fast train) or will take longer (for a direct train). I used the bus and bought my ticket from the station that morning. With trains, you may need to book ahead.
For bus schedules – check out Avanza
For train schedules – check out Renfe
How Long Do You Need
I spent a half day in Segovia, arriving at 10:00 and departed around 2:30. I took my photos of the aqueduct, did a self guided walking tour, toured the Cathedral and the Alcazar, and spent some time wandering the streets. A half day is perfectly sufficient for a day trip here.
Ávila – An Impressively Walled City
Ávila is slightly less popular than Toledo and Segovia, but can still easily be visited as a day trip from Madrid. In fact, if I had had any more time in Madrid, this would have been my next choice.
The highlight of this city is the city walls, although from my research, walking on the walls doesn’t give you that great of a view and the walls are better viewed from the ground. Like all historic cities, there is a cathedral that can be toured.
Getting Here
Direct trains connect Ávila and Madrid in an hour and a half, but you can also take a bus.
For bus schedules – check out Jimenez Dorado
For train schedules – check out Renfe
How Long Do You Need
Although I haven’t done it myself, a half day appears to be sufficient.
General Tips to Have the Best Experience
No matter which day trip you choose, you should aim to take an early bus out of Madrid for the best experience. On my trip to Toledo, I took an 8am bus out of Madrid, while in Segovia I took a 9am bus. Yes it’s a little early, but you will have the city to yourself for a short while. In both cities, I enjoyed taking photos of some of the top sights without other people in them. By noon, both cities were packed with other day trippers.
So Which Trip Should You Do?
Obviously the choice is yours, but I think Toledo has the most to offer (and is therefore the best), so if you can only do one day trip from Madrid, I’d make it Toledo. If you have time for two day trips, visit Toledo on the first day, then visit Segovia on day 2. Since Segovia only takes a half day, you can still spend a little bit of time in Madrid in the evening.
Ambitious travelers may look to combine Segovia and Ávila into one day trip as both cities can be explored in a half day. If you don’t have your own car, you can use buses and trains to get to and from Madrid. An hour bus ride connects Segovia and Ávila.
Now, you may find yourself wondering about combining Toledo and Segovia into one day. Unless you have a car and are prepared for a long drive, I don’t think this is realistic. Toledo is north Madrid, while Segovia is south. So you’d likely be backtracking to Madrid and you’d waste a lot of time. Pick either Toledo or Segovia and do the other city the next day.
If you aren’t keen to travel by yourself, or you want to cover more ground, there are a handful of tour operators who offer day trips from Madrid that cover Toledo, Segovia, and Avila in one day. This feels incredibly ambitious and seems like it would be a long day, but it is an option for people who want to see everything in a short period of time.
Continue Your Adventure
Spain: Toledo and Segovia are great day trips from Madrid, but make sure to also check out Barcelona’s architecture, Seville’s relaxed vibe, and Granada’s stunning Alhambra. For more information, check out my Spain Travel Guide.
Itineraries: For the best itinerary in Spain, look no further than this 10 Day Itinerary.
More Like This: If you are interested in historic cities and palaces, but want to get out of the major metropolises, consider France’s Lorie Valley.