Besides the city of Madrid itself, in this Spanish province you will find other interesting sites and villages which will be worth the visit, here are our suggestions for where to go in Madrid.
The region of Madrid has some 8.000 km2 and is surrounded by mountains offering beautiful landscapes undiscovered by most visitors to the city. It borders with the province of Segovia to the north, with Avila to the west, Guadalajara to the east, and with Cuenca and Toledo to the south.
Among the places you should visit in the province are the towns such as Aranjuez, Alcalá de Henares or Arganda del Rey, the famous monatery “El Escorial”, the spectacular Valley of the fallen (Valle de los Caídos), or the ski resort of Navacerrada if you prefer sports to sightseeing. In these sites you will find a different face of Madrid, with a rich historical and cultural heritage and an awesome nature, an excellent excuse to get some fresh air out of the city.
Moving around in the province of Madrid shouldn’t be too difficult, since public transport reaches the main sites in the province. The best way to travel to some of these sites could be the local railway network (trenes de cercanías), but buses can be an alternative for some destinations.
The town of Alcala de Henares, is famous by its ancient university. It was the birthplace of the Spanish writer Cervantes. Don’t loose the chance to wander through the streets of the charming city centre. The town has been declared world heritage site by UNESCO.
The name of Aranjuez became famous thanks to the concert by the Spanish guitar player Joaquín Rodrigo, named after the town. Aranjuez is also a world heritage site, its Royal Palace and the beautiful gardens and parks are not to be missed.
The famous monatery “El Escorial” (or San Lorenzo del Escorial, which is its full name) is an impressive monastery and palace which was once the Royal Seat and core of the Spanish Empire. El Escorial is also mausoleum of Spanish kings. Not to be missed during your visit to Madrid.
Chinchon is a picturesque village, don’t miss to have a look to its main square, with its colonnades and balconies.
Navacerrada ski resort is one of the most famous in Spain, located some 65 kilometres from Madrid it can be quite crowded during the weekend. You can find information about their opening times and fees in their website:
www.puertonavacerrada.com