Here’s the thing: everyone plans on a crazy countrywide exploration of Spain until they research Madrid and find 1,220 reasons to stay in Spain’s capital.
Madrid is such an immersive city that leaving is harder than saying goodbye to your friends at summer camp. You’ll want as much time in Madrid as possible, which means anytime you leave the city must be worthwhile.
Well, do we have some good news for you.
Check into a hotel for your entire stay, download the Trainline app, and let us hook you up with cheap train tickets for the best day trips from Madrid.
Turn the trains in Spain into your own traveling tapas bar with these easy trips from Madrid Atocha train station, including Seville, Barcelona, and Toledo.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Jeremy Walker. Image Location: Alcázar de Segovia, Segovia, Spain
Segovia
Arrival train station: Segovia Guiomar
Journey time: about 25 minutes
Don’t get us wrong: we love the La Sagrada Familia, but if you can’t get down to Barcelona, the Catedral de Segovia will delight you all the same. Segovia is just up the road from Madrid and will make you wonder why this wasn’t your first stop in Spain. The Alcázar de Segovia is a medieval castle that rivals the Disney-like palaces in France and Germany — and the ancient Roman aqueduct will convince you to dig deeper into Segovia’s Roman legacy.
Alcalá de Henares
Arrival train station: Alcalá De Henares
Journey time: about 30 minutes
A half-hour journey time from Madrid to Alcalá De Henares is both a blessing and a curse, for you’ll only have mere minutes to thumb through Don Quixote before arriving at the author’s (Miguel de Cervantes) birthplace. Visit the aptly named Cervantes Birthplace Museum and the square dedicated to him or venture just outside of town to see the Moorish ruins, Castle of Alcalá la Vieja.
Toledo
Arrival train station: Toledo
Journey time: about 35 minutes
Toledo's Old Town is one of the best day trips from Madrid that you will probably turn into an overnight adventure. Slim medieval streets snake you around the walled UNESCO World Heritage Site, leading you to monuments built for the many cultures and religions that called this former Spanish capital home.
Aranjuez
Arrival train station: Estación de tren Aranjuez
Journey time: about 35 minutes
Take one look at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez and you’ll forget that you’re in Spain. Designed with Baroque and Renaissance architectural styles in the 16th-century as a hunting lodge, this residence of the Spanish royal family is one of the best sights to see in Aranjuez. You won’t need to eat at the palace to experience fine dining; Aranjuez’s fertile fields offer up a bounty of game, strawberries, and artichokes that will satiate any appetite.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Thomas Faull. Image Location: Chinchón, Spain
Chinchón
Arrival train station: Chinchón (bus stop)
Journey time: about 1 hour (by bus)
We’re not going to ignore Chinchón just because it lacks castles, ruins, and a train station. A quick bus ride from Madrid will take you to this small Spanish town that’s ideal for a lazy day spent eating and drinking. Restaurant hop around Plaza Mayor de Chinchón and you’ll leave with a full stomach and no regrets.
El Escorial
Arrival train station: El Escorial
Journey time: about 1 hour
El Escorial, not to be confused with San Lorenzo de El Escorial right next door, holds the main train station for the area. Before you continue onto San Lorenzo or the Valley of the Fallen, you can maximize your day trip from Madrid with a little light sightseeing at the Casita del Príncipe royal residence or the Church of San Bernabé Apósto, built by the same architect who designed the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
San Lorenzo de El Escorial
Arrival train station: El Escorial
Journey time: about 1 hour + bus/cab to San Lorenzo
The sheer size of the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial complex is just as impressive as the views from atop Mount Abantos. Whether you’re here for a hike through El Bosque de la Herrería’s forest or to wander the streets in search of exceptional chorizo, this quick day trip from Madrid is well worth a pause from your city break.
El Escorial and Valley of the Fallen
Arrival train station: El Escorial
Journey time: about 1 hour + bus or cab to Cuelgamuros Valley
Cuelgamuros Valley, or the Valley of the Fallen, is a monument to the lives lost in the Spanish Civil War. A towering cross rises from a basilica built into the mountain with thousands of people laid to rest here, making it a wondrous yet controversial sight. For history buffs, this half-day visit is a great activity to pair with a visit to the Royal Monastery.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Sergio Formoso. Image Location: Cuenca, Spain
Cuenca
Arrival train station: Cuenca
Journey time: about 1 hour
The historic walled town of Cuenca is nothing short of “wow”. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was built by the Moors then conquered by the Castilians in the 12th century. They were kind enough to build Spain’s first Gothic cathedral and establish the astounding hanging houses that are suspended over the cliffside. And that’s just one thing to see in Cuenca — so make sure you get an early start.
Ávila
Arrival train station: Ávila
Journey time: about 2 hours
Ávila is astounding. Its medieval city walls give it a dub even over places like Dubrovnik. It chalks another “W” in the column as the birthplace of Saint Teresa of Jesus. Add in a visit to the Royal Monastery of Santo Tomás then the city museum and you can call this day trip from Madrid a win.
Valencia
Arrival train station: Valencia Joaquín Sorolla
Journey time: about 2 hours
Keeping with Spain’s historical trend, Valencia is another city showcasing the Visigoths, Romans, and Moors’ time in the region. You could also buff out these history-buff-highlights from your itinerary, trading the past for plates upon plates of Spanish paella. Barcelona does have some amazing paella — but there’s no better place to try it than in Valencia, the city that created this iconic dish.
Barcelona
Arrival train station: Barcelona Sants
Journey time: about 2.5 hours
Madrid and Barcelona are field-trip buddies for most travelers in Spain, not only because they’re two of the greatest cities in the country, but also because traveling between Madrid and Barcelona by train is so darn easy. The Sagrada Familia, the Picasso Museum, the Mercado de La Boqueria: the best of Barcelona can be explored in a single day without having to check out from your Madrid hotel.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Joe Regan. Image Location: Plaza de España, Seville, Andalusia, Spain
Seville
Arrival train station: Sevilla Santa Justa
Journey time: about 3 hours
Seville is a hot spot for those seeking a sun soaked day trip from Madrid by train. To get from Madrid to Seville by train is easy and It’s a very walkable city with loads of riverside bliss that will give you a tan as a souvenir. Architecture admirers should totally train their cameras towards the Plaza de España, the Royal Alcázar complex, and the Seville Cathedral for Gothic, Renaissance and Moorish-styled structures.
Alhambra
Arrival train station: Granada
Journey time: about 3.5
Getting to Granada might seem like a lengthy day trip from Madrid if you’re unfamiliar with the Alhambra. This complex was a self-contained city, palace, and fortress at one point in history, so it’s not a shock that it’s one of Spain’s most popular attractions today. You could spend days wandering the gardens and learning about its history since its 9th-century origins…or one long day trip packing in as much as possible before returning to Madrid.
What is the easiest day trip from Madrid?
What’s the easiest day trip from Madrid? That’s like asking which tapas bar in Madrid is the tastiest. A trip to Toledo is the opposite of time-consuming and ideal for short Spanish getaways.
Visiting Valencia, Barcelona, or the Alhambra in Granada are equally good options that, along with being beautiful train rides, allow you to trade a little more time for access to one of Spain’s other amazing cities.
What’s the best site to buy train tickets in Spain? Trainline.
If you download the Trainline app, you can buy the cheapest Spanish train tickets available right now, saving you from wasting time, energy, and money when you get to Madrid Atocha.
Get your Spanish adventure booked today, with Trainline.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, SeanPavonePhoto. Image Location: Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain