Whether you go by bus, by train, or by car, there are many great day trips just a short journey away from Madrid. Two of my favorites are the cities of Segovia and Toledo.
Segovia
To get to Segovia, I took the train from Chamartin on the Renfe line. There are two different ticket options for getting to Segovia. My train took about 28 minutes and my ticket cost about $20 USD one way. The cheaper train option can cost you around $5-10 USD one way, but will take almost two hours to get there.
After arriving at Segovia's train station, Segovia-Guiomar, I took a taxi to the city itself; it is about a 10 minute drive into the city center. If you don’t wish to spend money on a taxi, you could definitely walk, but it is a long trek to get up into the heart of the city. I told my taxi driver to take me to the Plaza Mayor. After some research, there is also a city bus, line 11, that drops you off under the Roman Aqueduct in about 20-30 minutes, with tickets at €2.
What To Do In Segovia:
Segovia Cathedral
Segovia Cathedral is located right off of the Plaza Mayor. It is a Roman Catholic cathedral and is constructed in the Gothic style. It is breath-taking, both inside and out. When I first saw it as I stepped out of my taxi, I gasped.
I arrived before the opening time, so make sure to check when you visit. I had to busy myself for an hour, and I ended up going to the Alcazar first. To get into the church, you have to purchase a ticket, but this goes towards the upkeep of the cathedral. A general ticket costs €3. There is a bell tower within the cathedral that you can gain access to with a separate ticket, but it was not open when I went to visit.
The inside of the church has high ceilings with stone webbing and large gold motifs. The cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and has many reliefs and statues in her honor. There are also beautiful stained glass windows all around the cathedral that shine different colors onto the stone work. There are many areas in the cathedral, each as great as the next. I spent about an hour walking around inside and out on its grounds.
The Alcazar
The Alcazar of Segovia has been around since the 12th century, and has acted as a royal castle, a fortress, a military academy, and a prison, making it rich in Spanish history. As you walk around, you really get a sense of this.
To get into the Alcazar, you have to walk across a bridge, and if you are someone who is scared of heights, don’t look down! There is an array of rooms with suits of armor, golden ceilings, and war memorials. The Alcazar has amazing views of not only the city of Segovia in front of it, but also the sweeping countryside behind.
When you walk into the Alcazar, you can go either left or right. I would recommend going to the right and walking around the museum first, and then going off to the left to climb up to the highest viewing area.
Shopping
There are lots of shops and boutiques around Segovia. In and around the Plaza Mayor and towards the Aqueduct are the touristy shops. I went into one of the bigger ones in the Plaza and got a blue Segovia spoon rest for my kitchen. One of my cookie shop recommendations in Madrid, La Cure Gourmande, has a location in Segovia. You can find it as you take the main road down to the Aqueduct. These delicious cookies come in a variety of flavors, with decorative tins to fill and customize with your choices.
The Aqueduct
The Aqueduct in the middle of Segovia is from the Roman Empire, and was built in the first century AD. It is HUGE. I didn’t get a good look at it until I turned the street corner leading up to it, and was taken aback by how big it really was. You feel so small in comparison when you stand underneath. To the left, there is a set of stairs that you can take to an overlook to see the Aqueduct at a higher angle. I sat under it on a shaded hill to read for an hour; possibly one of my favorite reading spots ever!
To get back to the train station, you can catch a taxi or the bus next to the Aqueduct. There is a large road where they both frequent. Give yourself plenty of time! I put myself into a panic when I didn’t know where to get a taxi back, so I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Luckily I was able to get back to the train station, get a ticket, and board the train in time, but I definitely cut it too close. Learn from my mistakes, and give yourself ample time for anything that might cause delays.
Toledo
Toledo is a beautiful medieval city in Spain. To get to Toledo, my family and I took the train from Atocha station. It was a little over 30 minutes and tickets cost around $30 USD. It was an easy train ride through nice countryside. The station when arriving in Toledo is very pretty, but it is about a 15 minute walk from the city center. There are lots of hills and stairs, so if you or someone you are traveling with could struggle with this, Toledo might not be for you - at least by public transport.
What To Do In Toledo:
El Greco Mural
El Greco was a Renaissance artist who created the mural The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, which can be found in the Santo Tome Church in Toledo. El Greco’s works can also be found in the Prado in Madrid.
Going in to see the mural was actually rather disappointing. We each had to pay five euros each to get in, and we weren’t told that the rest of the church was closed. We were all shepherded into this one, small room and it was very crowded, with a very rude tour guide who spent more time yelling at everyone than actually leading her tour. It honestly wasn’t worth the 15 euros we spent. If the rest of the church had been open, my opinion would probably be very different. We found it annoying that they didn’t share that key piece of information with us when we were buying our tickets. The piece itself was very beautiful though; El Greco was definitely a great artist.
Toledo Gold, Plates, and Swords
Toledo is known for its goods made within the city. Throughout Madrid, you can find Toledo shops that sell souvenirs straight from the source.
Toledo once manufactured some of the most famous and sought after swords. They were known for their strength and durability during battle. They can be found in shops and craftsmen’s workshops all over Toledo.
Toledo gold is also very famous. Artisans produce beautiful gold inlaid necklaces and earrings using a special technique with gold thread. These pieces of jewelry are great for gifts! My friends that I got Toledo jewelry for have loved them, and I of course love my own pieces as well.
When walking through the streets, your eyes with be continuously drawn to hanging plates that are sold in many different shops. There are black ones inlaid with gold and colorful ceramic plates.
Toledo Cathedral
Toledo Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church that was built for Saint Mary of Toledo. It is still in use today for services. We had to come back at a later hour to walk around inside because there was a mid-day service going on when we first arrived.
The outside has lavish carvings and stone works, and the inside is even more opulent. Beautiful frescoes and giant gold works are around every corner. In the inner courtyard, there are some of the strangest little angels in a mural that I had ever seen. They were so memorable, I had to take a picture.
The star of the cathedral is the Monstrance of Enrique de Arfe. It is made of silver and gold and is covered in jewels. It is used during the festival of Corpus Christi in Toledo. This cathedral was definitely my, as well as my mother and sister's, highlight of Toledo. If you can only come for a short period of time and see one thing, it should be this.
Marzipan
Like the shops that sell gold or swords all around Toledo, there are the bakeries that sell Toledo’s famous sweet treat, marzipan. Marzipan is a soft dessert that is made of almond paste, a mixture of sugar and ground almonds.
It was invented by nuns from the Convent of San Clemente to help feed the people of Toledo during a time of war. We got a selection to take back to our apartment and they did not disappoint! They came in all different shapes, my favorite being a fish. It is without a doubt, the best marzipan I have ever had!
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