Best Day Trips from Madrid

Madrid's central position in the Iberian Peninsula and Spain's excellent AVE high-speed rail network make it one of Europe's best bases for day trips. Toledo — the medieval city of three cultures (Christian, Muslim, and Jewish) just 30 minutes south by high-speed train — is perhaps Europe's most rewarding half-day excursion. Segovia, with its remarkable Roman aqueduct and fairy-tale Alcázar castle, is 45 minutes by train. The royal palace complex of El Escorial and the Valle de los Caídos are within an hour by cercanías commuter train. Barcelona is technically reachable in 2.5 hours by AVE for a long day trip, while Seville's 2.5-hour journey on the AVE makes Andalusia's capital accessible for the most ambitious day trippers.