One of the great things about living in Madrid is its connectivity to other cities in Spain. Nearly every train passes through Madrid Atocha train station, and I tried to take advantage of this whenever I had a free moment. While long train trips tended to run on the pricey side of things, day trips from Madrid were quite reasonably. I tried to do at least one day trip a month, and for the most part I managed to accomplish this. Here are photos from the day trips I went on.
Alcala
Alcala de Henares was the first day trip I went on. It's a town to the northeast of Madrid city center and it's a combination of a university of town and a historical landmark (birthplace of Miguel Cervantes). Many of my friends lived or worked in Alcala so I made quite a few trips there during my stay in Spain.
Segovia
Segovia was my second day trip and easily one of my top 5 favorite cities in Spain. It's a medieval town with a lot of old world charm, mixed with a modern feel. It also contains my favorite cathedral in Spain, and given Spain's history with the Catholic church, this is quite the accomplishment.
Toledo
Toledo (Not pronounced like the city in Ohio, think Tol-a-doe) is South of Madrid and is actually located in the province of Castilla-La Mancha. Even though it's outside the Community of Madrid, its proximity makes it an easy trip from Madrid. While just 1 hour by train or 1.5 hours by bus away from Madrid, the atmosphere is completely different. Toledo was an important city during Moorish times and much of this history is preserved in this city.
Aranjuez
I didn't have a chance to visit Aranjuez until a few months into my trip, but it held a special importance to me. Aranjuez was actually where I was originally supposed to work, until I switched with someone. While I have no regrets on the switch, part of me always wonders what my adventure would have been like living in this town an hour away from the center.
El Escorial
El Escorial was my last day trip before returning home. Famous for its monastery, it also has quite a quaint residential sector.
Valley of the Fallen
Just a short bus ride from the center of El Escorial is the Valley of the Fallen. This park containing a large cathedral, was designed by Spain's former dictator Francisco Franco. Inside the cathedral, which is built into the mountain, Franco's tomb lies just steps from the altar.
Alcala
Alcala de Henares was the first day trip I went on. It's a town to the northeast of Madrid city center and it's a combination of a university of town and a historical landmark (birthplace of Miguel Cervantes). Many of my friends lived or worked in Alcala so I made quite a few trips there during my stay in Spain.
Segovia
Segovia was my second day trip and easily one of my top 5 favorite cities in Spain. It's a medieval town with a lot of old world charm, mixed with a modern feel. It also contains my favorite cathedral in Spain, and given Spain's history with the Catholic church, this is quite the accomplishment.
Toledo
Toledo (Not pronounced like the city in Ohio, think Tol-a-doe) is South of Madrid and is actually located in the province of Castilla-La Mancha. Even though it's outside the Community of Madrid, its proximity makes it an easy trip from Madrid. While just 1 hour by train or 1.5 hours by bus away from Madrid, the atmosphere is completely different. Toledo was an important city during Moorish times and much of this history is preserved in this city.
Aranjuez
I didn't have a chance to visit Aranjuez until a few months into my trip, but it held a special importance to me. Aranjuez was actually where I was originally supposed to work, until I switched with someone. While I have no regrets on the switch, part of me always wonders what my adventure would have been like living in this town an hour away from the center.
El Escorial
El Escorial was my last day trip before returning home. Famous for its monastery, it also has quite a quaint residential sector.
Valley of the Fallen
Just a short bus ride from the center of El Escorial is the Valley of the Fallen. This park containing a large cathedral, was designed by Spain's former dictator Francisco Franco. Inside the cathedral, which is built into the mountain, Franco's tomb lies just steps from the altar.
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