Best Madrid Day Trips & Things to Do

Segovia-Toledo

After you've explored the city with a Madrid tour, take a day trip to two great destinations right outside of Madrid: Segovia and Toledo. These two medieval towns are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites and make great day trips from Madrid.

Segovia is smaller but it is filled with pretty sights. Its incredible Roman aqueduct, the Alcazar, and the Catedral de Segovia are standards. There are Romanesque churches aplenty so you definitely won’t miss out, but try to pass by Casa de los Picos and the Juderia for a change of architectural pace.

Toledo is bigger. It, too, has an Alcazar (castle), cathedral, and a Jewish Quarter; and they, too, are standard on the must-see stops. The cathedral by itself has many wonders to offer, if not for believers, then for art lovers: from its Gothic architecture to its famous El Transparente and the Capilla Mayor’s elaborate altar. Toledo also has more of the Mudejar influence in its architecture as can be seen in the Puente de Alcantara, and the Iglesia de Santo Tome.

Barcelona-Andalucia

Due to Madrid’s central location, it makes for a popular launching point for visiting other cities. In Spain, tours packages often begin and end in Madrid, and often include Madrid tours alongside day trips or overnights in the rest of the country's great cities.. The most popular of these tours is the Barcelona vacation package. Because Barcelona is one of the most famous destinations in Spain, many visitors to the Madrid frequently make it a point to go to the capital city of the Catalonian region as well. Take a tour for Barcelona and spend time walking through the city filled with Gaudi’s beautifully fanciful creations.

Head down toward the Mediterranean and enjoy Andalucia’s gems: Seville, Costa del Sol, and Granada. Take an alluring Seville tour and fall for her Parque de Maria Luisa and Plaza de España. Costa del Sol lives up to her name with all that warmth and sunshine. The many cities—like Malaga and Marbella—that dot its coast have name recall for a reason. Then, let Granada wow you with the Alhambra, known all over the world as one of the masterpieces of Moorish architecture. Discover Granada’s Gypsy Quarter and then get lost in her Arab Spice Market.

Spain tours are not limited to the country. The many tour packages from Madrid or any of Spain’s major cities can conveniently take you to other countries as well. A three-country tour including Spain, Portugal, and Morocco heads west and south. And a northeastern tour of Spain, France, and Switzerland are popular among those who want to see beyond the Spanish borders.