Treasures of Traveling in the Capital Region of Spain
Madrid has so much to see and do and is a great starting point on anyone’s trip to Spain, but there are so many other great day trips you can make that are close to Madrid as well. After spending a few days in Madrid you might want to escape the city for a day or two and explore a few other medieval cities around the central part of Spain. Before I discuss those day trips, I will talk briefly about Spain’s Capital city since that is probably where you will start your trip to Spain.
Madrid
Madrid is the capital city of Spain and is full of treasures to explore. It is central to the entire country and is the seat of the central government. It is filled with grand boulevards full of shopping and restaurants. There are world famous parks like El Retiro, where you can relax and watch people enjoying themselves away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Madrid has world famous museums filled with European art, like the Reina Sofía and the Prado Museum showcasing works by Goya and Velázquez, just to name a few. Last, but not least, I can’t forget about the Royal Palace and the many famous city plazas filled with art and street performers. Madrid is just bustling with activity at all times, during the day and especially at night. Madrid has something for everyone, so take a look at the top 14 places to visit in Madrid.
Segovia
Segovia is a wonderful Spanish city to visit full of culture, history and treasures of traveling. Segovia is located in north western central Spain, in the autonomous region of Castile and Leon. Segovia has many famous landmarks from the Roman Aqueduct that runs through the city, to the Segovia Cathedral and el Alcázar de Segovia; three places you can’t miss if you are visiting this Spanish city. The Roman Aqueduct and the Alcazar of Segovia have been added as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but even more interesting, is that the entire old city of Segovia was added as a UNESCO site in 1985. Segovia is one of the many cities of Spain filled with stunning treasures of traveling to see and explore while visiting this charming city. Everything in Segovia is within walking distance, which makes it easy to discover most of the city on foot. Walking tours are one of my favorite ways to discover a new city so check out these 16 places to visit on a walking tour of Segovia!
Toledo
Toledo is a wonderful Spanish city to visit full of history and culture. Toledo is located only 45 miles south west of Madrid so it makes it a wonderful day trip if you happen to be visiting the capital of Spain. Toledo is the capital of Castilla-la-Mancha and is an ancient Spanish city that is full of interesting things to discover due to its history of the co-existence of Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures within the city. Toledo is one of the many cities of Spain with stunning treasures of traveling to see and explore while visiting such a charming city. Everything in Toledo is within walking distance, which makes it easy to discover most of the city. The historic center is small and dense so you will have the best experience of the city by exploring it on foot. Check out the eight places to visit on a walking tour of Toledo.
San Lorenzo de El Escorial
Another Spanish treasure that is located just outside Madrid that makes for a great day trip is San Lorenzo de El Escorial. It is a beautiful touristic town located in the autonomous community of Madrid located a short drive from the Capital, about 60 kilometers or 37 miles away, at the base of the Guadarrama Mountain Range. San Lorenzo is a beautiful and picturesque town, which didn’t exist and wasn’t developed until after the monastery was built. Originally, it was a small agricultural and cattle farming village. Today it’s a bustling town full of energy and it’s a great place to visit if you want to escape the congestion of a large city like Madrid because you can walk throughout the town while breathing in the mountain air and relaxing in local eateries by eating some savory Spanish dishes in local cafes and tapas bars. There are a multitude of dining options serving traditional Castilian cuisine. The centerpiece of the town primarily consists of a huge monastery named El Escorial. It’s a large religious and palace complex that was the country home for Spanish royalty for hundreds of years. In 1984, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of Spain’s most visited landmarks. Read about the history of San Lorenzo de El Escorial and why this Spanish treasure is considered one of the treasures of traveling in the capital region of Spain.
Valle de los Caídos (Valley of the Fallen)
Valle de los Caídos is Spain’s Civil War Memorial located in the Guadarrama Mountain Range (Sierra de Guadarrama), just outside of Madrid. It is about 14 km north of El Escorial and 68 km north of Madrid. It is a memorial to those who died in the Spanish Civil War and it is said there are over 45,000 civil war soldiers that are buried there now. The Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, who commissioned the construction of this memorial was also buried underneath the altar of the basilica ever since his death in 1975, until October 24, 2019 when Franco’s body was exhumed and moved to Madrid. The memorial consists of a basilica, built into the mountain side, an abbey and a gigantic cross you can see from miles away. It’s a very interesting place to visit, but just be forewarned that there are many controversies surrounding this war memorial. Read more about those controversies here.
Treasures of Traveling That Surround Madrid
There are many treasures of traveling to visit around the city of Madrid! From Segovia to Toledo, these cities offer amazing locations to experience and castles to explore. These day trips offer just a few of the amazing treasures that Spain has to offer. There are also many other wonderful Spanish cities to discover in the southern Andalusian region of the country like Granada and Seville. You will just need to extend your trip and add a few extra days since these cities are located further away from Madrid.
— Luke Keeler
Check out the map below to see where these four cities are located at, in relation to Madrid!
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