Last Updated on August 12, 2025 by Kristin
Heading to Madrid? The Spanish capital boasts some of the best dining, nightlife, shopping and arts events in Europe. And you’re on the doorstep of some of Spain’s historically rich small towns and scenic landscapes. Madrid is a great base for several easy excursions by car. You can explore these destinations and be back in time for your dinner reservation in the city. Here are the best day trips from Madrid.
Fabulous Day Trips from Madrid
Aranjuez
49 km / 31 miles / 42 mins.
For a day trip with a royal touch, head an hour south of Madrid to Aranjuez. Start your journey by exploring the Royal Palace of Aranjuez, one of the Spanish royal family’s residences and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Escape into the French-inspired palace’s grand spaces. Don’t miss the room fully covered in mirrors or the space filled with porcelain and Rococo decorations. Head to the picturesque palace gardens, which feature pavilions and fountains nestled among well-manicured greens. End the day exploring Aranjuez’s old quarter, which includes a spacious plaza to admire the palace from another angle.
San Lorenzo de El Escorial
58 km / 36 miles / 46 mins.
Take a step back in time with a day trip to San Lorenzo de El Escorial. This town northwest of Madrid is best known for its sprawling palace and monastery. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, El Escorial is a time capsule that invites visitors to delve into spectacular Renaissance paintings and architecture. This nearly 360,000 square-foot building features a monastery, library, palace and museum covered in frescoes, marble statues and other surprises dating back to one of Spain’s most important periods.
Toledo
72 km / 45 miles / 52 mins.
The walled city of Toledo is one of Spain’s most important cultural centers. This UNESCO World Heritage site offers an array of museums, historic buildings and narrow cobblestone streets lined with charming shops. Start your journey in the historic Zocodover Plaza, a traditional square full of restaurants serving traditional Spanish cuisine and shops offering artisanal treats such as marzipan. Explore some of the city’s key cultural attractions: the Toledo Cathedral, the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca and the Mosque of Cristo de la Luz. Toledo is also home to a museum dedicated to the storied Renaissance painter El Greco and a church housing his masterpiece “The Burial of the Count of Orgaz.”
Segovia
91 km / 57 miles / 1 hr. 5 mins.
Get a glimpse at how the Romans lived in Segovia, a city known for its impressive aqueduct. Built sometime around the first century AD, this 93-foot-tall structure carried water to the city in ancient times and continues to be a focal point of this charming city. Pay a visit to Segovia’s Gothic cathedral, and wander the streets of the city’s Jewish Quarter. For more history, visit the Alcázar of Segovia, a medieval castle that inspired the one in the famous Disney movie “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Segovia is also home to several standout museums including the La Real Casa de Moneda, a former royal mint.
Avila
109 km / 68 miles / 1 hr. 12 mins.
Just more than an hour northwest of Madrid is Ávila, a fortified city enclosed by stately walls built to defend the city during the Middle Ages. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Ávila invites visitors to walk around this walled perimeter to fully appreciate the turrets and gates that make up this well-preserved structure and take in sweeping views of the city. Round out your historical explorations with trips to the Royal Monastery of Santo Tomás, the Museum of Ávila and several convents and churches dotted around the city.
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