See it All on Day Trips from Madrid

Spain, and Madrid in particular, is known today as a busy, cosmopolitan part of Europe. But it hasn’t always been so. Day trips from Madrid can take you back in time to a Spain very different from the one we see today.

Toledo, the former capital of Spain, still feels very much like a medieval city, with all its original charm in tact.

In El Escorial, you will not only see the mausoleum of the royal family at The Palace of San Lorenzo, but visitors will also be able to view the statues of the Spanish kings -- most of which are buried here from the last 400 years. In nearby Valle de Los Caidos, there is a monument to those who lost their lives in the Spanish civil war. This is also the burial ground of former dictator General Franco. It is here that you’ll see an amazing stone cross and basilica which was built by Franco’s prisoners of war.

Spain produces excellent wine and the area surrounding Madrid has some of the best. A wine tour will allow you to taste and buy Rioja, as well as the lesser known Manchego wine, which is made alongside the more famous Manchego cheese.