best road trip from madrid

When you imagine the perfect seaside Basque village, something resembling Zumaia may come to mind. Royal Palace of Aranjuez 8. One other thing to bear in mind, if you are travelling with teenagers, Chinchn is really close to the Warner Brothers Theme Park. In conclusion, what you have to remember is that all the day trips from Madrid by car allow you to visit local and rural Spain. Honest Answers About the Spanish Capital, Northern Coast of Spain Travel Guide Best Places to Visit, Things to See & Do, 20 Coolest Stops to Make On Barcelona to Valencia Drive. There are plenty of sights to see along this highway: the walled citadel of Uruea, which promotes itself as the Villa del Libro (like an Iberian Hay-on-Wey, the city has an abundance of bookstores and literary events throughout the year); the picturesque towns of Ponferrada and El Bierzo, or Allariz, surrounded by hills covered in oaks. Next. 1. Travel Tip: Toledo is quite hilly, and its cobblestoned streets can complicate things even further. Read My Story Page Here and Take Care! She is working online and thats why has an opportunity to travel a lot and live in different countries. You can take the direct short cut but you will miss out on a whole lot of stunning scenery, ocean-facing cliffs and spectacular locations for light houses - on the shoreline, on cliffs and even on their own islands. Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. If you want to base yourself in Barcelona, instead of going on a road trip, check out our 40 day trips from Barcelona for inspiration on where you can get to! 10 Best Road Trips Near Madrid Escape to the Community of Madrid This Weekend! As with the Castille Leon trip, it's easy to start and finish in Madrid if that's where you can get easy flights to. LazyTrips is a trading name of Uncle Bob Media Ltd. The Madrid Mountains are full of traditional villages, Spains wine country is not far away, and with the high-speed trains, it may surprise you what you can fit into a day trip. A road trip from Madrid to Salamanca is the best way to explore the quaint countryside of Spain and discover some of the countrys historic landmarks. War in Ukraine forced me change my life again. Also, be sure to check out my tips on flying with wine, as youll be wanting to take some back home with you! A day trip? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. From Madrid, you'll travel south into Andalusia and arrive at Seville, a city renowned for its Gothic . Travel Tip: With endless options of things to see and do, Barcelona deserves more than just a day. In the morning you'll pick up your rental car and begin your epic road-trip. Spain Road Trip - The Ultimate 2 Week Itinerary, Andalucia road trip - Ultimate 11 day itinerary, 10 amazing European road trips for your travel bucket list, 14 amazing places to see the autumn leaves in Europe, The 14 best Christmas markets in Europe to visit this winter, Driving in Spain: Your guide to Spanish toll roads, rules and parking, Seville weekend trip - The perfect city break itinerary, Best Time to Visit Spain - Full Month by Month Guide, Spain's Mediterranean coast is perfect for a Spanish road trip, Spain's northern coast makes for an amazing road trip, The Arantza Hotela in the foothills of Pyrenees, check out our 40 day trips from Barcelona for inspiration, 3. Cuenca is perhaps best known for its gravity-defying hanging houses, which sit perilously on the edge of a steep cliff. The palace is famous for its ornate Baroque architecture and lovely fountains. Welcome! Once you've hiked amazing gorges and filled yourself with pastries, it's time to hit the road and drive on to Oviedo and La Coruna. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The Zaragoza Route is the most direct way to travel from Barcelona to Madrid, at a distance of 650 km. The city is home to one of the finest surviving Roman Aqueducts in the world, as well as an impenetrable castle and a stunning cathedral. Nevertheless, Zaragoza is among the interesting historical and cultural places in Spain. Sitting high up in the mountains, you are not allowed to drive into it, so you have to park your car and walk. There are also places to sample cava, Spains famous sparkling wine. Rich in Arab, Jewish and Christian history, the former Spanish capital is a Unesco World Heritage Site. The Cathedral of Toledo and the Church of San Tomhouse some of Spains most valuable works of art. El Escorial & The Valley of the Fallen 14. Stroll around the Gran Va, Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor A mini Catalonia tour to end the trip wraps up the route that will take at least a month to complete if you want to do things other than driving. From El Escorial, take bus 660 to Valle de los Cados o Cruce Cuelgamuros. The result is a wonderful harmony of natural falls and crafted waterways to impress the many visitors. Book the best day trips from Madrid, Spain directly on Tripadvisor and take the stress out of planning. Getting There: There is no direct public transport from Madrid to the valleyyou have to make a stop in San Lorenzo de El Escorial (see above for information on reaching the town from Madrid). The winding streets of the old Jewish Quarter, awe-inspiring cathedral, and Spain's most impressive mosque outside of Cordoba help make this fascinating city one of a kind. Although this trip is only 5 days long, you'll spend a few of these driving along small coastal roads. While Avila is a nice side trip from Madrid, if you allow a full day here, you may find yourself getting a little bored by the end, but it is certainly worth visiting. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. As with most Spanish cities, there are plenty of churches to visit, and the main cathedral is pretty spectacular. Hugging the coast for virtually the entire trip means that you are always a few minutes away from a beach - something that can provide welcome distractions on your way. Use an aggregator rather than booking directly from a rental company as it gives you protection in case something goes wrong. You won't want a car in Madrid. If you have time on your hands and feel adventurous, a road trip around the entirety of Spain can be an amazing way to delve into the culture, see all the corners of this amazing country and really get immersed. Travel Tip: Keep in mind when booking your train ticket that Cuenca has two stations: Estacin de Cuenca-Fernando Zbel, served by high speed trains, and Estacin de Cuenca for everything else. Travel Tip: Foodies won't want to miss Valencia's massive Mercado Central, Europe's largest fresh food market and a verifiable gastronomic heaven. Andalusia, Spain's southernmost region, is often what people imagine Spain to be: sultry and passionate, with a near-constant soundtrack of flamenco beats. It also boasts a convenient location right in the heart of Spain itself, which makes the city a perfect home base when it comes to exploring the rest of the country. Thanks so much for this postvery useful for people who prefer the small towns and only have a couple days. The Madrid Mountains 6. Salamanca boasts a rich academic heritageits university is one of the oldest in Europe. On this road trip from Madrid to Zaragoza, you will explore the beauty and history of central Spain. Linking Barcelona and Madrid, the two largest cities of Spain, the A-2 winds through Guadalajara, Soria, Zaragoza, and Lrida with a multitude of sights along the way. At the seaside enclave where the Urola and Narrondo rivers meet, steep streets lead down to the harbour, the centre of activity and life. Travel Tip: Due to the required stop in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, many travelers choose to combine the two into a single day trip from Madrid. Madrid is a great travel destination with a lot to do and see, but sometimes you need to get away and explore the surrounding areas. Make a quick stop there and visit two main attractions the ancient castle and the cathedral. If the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal are calling you, the A-5 highway, which crosses the region of Extremadura to the Spanish-Portuguese border, has surprises like the town of Miajadas, in the province of Cceres, not far from Trujillo (famous as the birthplace of many of the men who explored and conquered the Americas). And then if you get to the coast, use my other road trip itineraries and go on a drive between Valencia and Barcelona as well as Valencia to Malaga road trip, or simply plan one of many epic experiences in Spain! As always, this will be a bit more expensive but thats the price for a stress-free trip. Wine Country After exploring the historic and religiously important city, the route goes back towards the coast and passes Pontevedra on the way to the pretty town of Vigo. Thanks for the nice comment, its just the kind of thing I was thinking. A short trip with a lot of breathtaking views and cliffs in the north and resorts with fantastic beaches on the south can be the perfect way to unwind on a short break! I am Anya, from Ukraine but in heart, I am a citizen of the world. To explore Spains rich history and culture, a day trip to Toledo from Madrid is a must. Cuenca: a small charming ancient city, perched atop a dramatic gorge. If the illuminated shop windows along the Gran Va, and the unrelenting elegance of Paseo de la Castellana are overwhelming, retreat to Old Madrid. Avila 9. El Escorial is about 50km by car from Madrid and will take a little over an hour to get to. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. While it is Spains oldest producer of cava (the winery was founded in 1551), it is also known for its elegant Modernista buildings by Barcelona architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, a contemporary of Antoni Gaud. There are tonnes of great places to stop including Roses resort, the canals of Empuriabrava, L'Escala and Begur. The majority of the region is set on a plateau with occasional barren hills. One appealing stop is Alarcn, an enchanting village in the province of Cuenca with only 148 inhabitants and one of the best-preserved forts in Spain, originally constructed by Arab conquerors. After passing the Vixia Herbeira cliffs, you'll arrive in A Corua. Best Time to visit Madrid Madrid is a city with four lovely seasons, loveliest of which are spring and fall. Madrid Wine Tour 5. The road trip starts in the capital of Spain's Basque country - Bilbao. The towns here, however, are worth a short detour as you make your way to the seashore By Alberto Piernas Medina 17 May 2022 The Pyrenees are an amazing mountain range that is not high on many tourists' radars. The A-3 highway leads to Madrids beach, as some call Valencia, the closest city on the sea traveling from the capital. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 13. Toledo is a medieval city located just 70 km from Madrid, the former capital of the country, and one of the most distinctive cities in Spain. There are some fantastic hotels if you want to really relax and go off the grid for a few days - we have stayed at The Arantza Hotela in the foothills of Pyrenees and cannot recommend it highly enough - it is expensive but super luxurious and worth it! How to Travel From Madrid to Cordoba by Train, Bus, and Car, How to Travel from Madrid to Valladolid by Train, Bus, and Car, Madrid to Valencia by Train, Bus, Car, and Plane, The Most Popular Cities to Visit in Spain, How to Travel From Seville to Cordoba by Train, Bus, and Car, How to Travel From Porto to Madrid by Train, Bus, Car, and Plane. As mentioned above, it can also be a nice way to break up a journey between Madrid and Barcelona. Of the countrys eight autovas, its modern toll-free highways, A-1 to A-6, extend out from the capital. Siguenza: A small ancient city with unique architecture and old as ages historical monuments. Travel Compositor in some cases conditions the use of the Service to the previous completion . Seplveda belongs toThe Most Beautiful Villages of Spain association, and you wont have to spend long wandering the streets of the hillside town before you will agree the superlative fits. If Theme Parks are not your thing, just drop your kids there for the day while you explore the town. However, that was up until October 2019, when Francos body was exhumed and relocated to the understated (by Spanish standards) El Pardo-Mingorrubio cemetery. It does seem like a lot, but it is certainly a city worth visiting to really enjoy some of the southern Spanish cultures. Follow those secondary roads and you may come upon an artisans studio with rows of beautifully glazed ceramic pots, a centuries-old Romanesque chapel, or a field of sunflowers greeting you. On this blog, her main goal is to inspire others to travel to under-the-radar places and discover the world while working remotely. Login to continue Create your account Register. 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