What to see:

El Escorial is famous for its beautiful Monasterio which was built between 1563 and 1584. We recommend going inside the monastery, even though the entrance fee costs €10.

Once you’ve visited the monument, it’s absolutely necessary to take a walk around the charming little town. Grab a seat at a terraza and enjoy the pure air of the city’s mountains, known as la sierra de Madrid.

How to get there:

• By cercanías train (map)

Depart from: Sol, take Cercanías Line C3
Schedule:
Departure (Horario Sol-El Escorial)
Return (Horario El Escorial-Sol)
Duration:  approx. 1 hour
Price: 5,40€ (round trip 10,80€). Buy tickets from machines inside Sol’s train station.

*Note: you will have to walk 15 min or take another bus to get to the center.

• By bus

Depart from: Moncloa, take bus line 661
Schedule:
Bus line 661  (every 10-15 min)
Bus line 664  (every 10-15 min)
Duration: approx. 1 hour
Price: 4,20€ (round trip 8,40€). Buy tickets on the bus.

Where to find it on a map:

What to see:

In this thousand-year-old city, you’ll find one of the most famous Roman aqueducts in the world, el acueducto de Segovia, as well as the magnificent castle, Alcazar, which really resembles a castle from Disney World.

More importantly, while you’re in Segovia you must try their star dish – cochinillo asado – roasted suckling pig which is cooked so tender that it’s tradition for the waiters to slice it in front of you with the side of a plate.

Although I haven’t succeeded in finding Segovia’s best cochinillo, I highly recommend going to the restaurant Candido which is easy to find as it’s situated in the Aqueduct’s plaza and its ambiance is very special.

How to get there:

• By high speed train (AVE)

Depart from: Chamartín train station
Schedule:
Departure (Madrid-Segovia horarios y precios (RENFE))
Return (Segovia-Madrid horarios y precios (RENFE))
Duration: approx. 30 min
Price: 12,70€ (round trip approx. 25€).

*Note. Sometimes you can find special offers on the website.

• By bus

Depart from: Príncipe Pío bus station
Schedule:
Departure (Madrid-Segovia horarios y precios (La Sepulvedana))
Return (Segovia-Madrid horarios y precios (La Sepulvedana))
Duration: approx. 1 hour 15 min
Price: 8,09€ (round trip 16€)

Where to find it on a map:

Image from wikipedia