Around Madrid
The lack of historic monuments in Madrid is more than
compensated for by the region around the capital. Within a radius
of 100km - and within an hour's travel by bus or train - are some
of the greatest cities of Spain. Above all, there is Toledo
, which preceded Madrid as the Spanish capital. Immortalized by El
Greco, who lived and worked there for most of his later career, the
city is a living museum to the many cultures - Visigothic, Moorish,
Jewish and Christian - which have shaped the destiny of Spain. If
you have time for just one trip from Madrid, there is really no
other choice.
That said, Segovia , with its stunning Roman aqueduct and
irresistible, Disney-prototype castle, puts up strong competition,
while Felipe II's vast palace-mausoleum of El Escorial is a
monument to out-monument all others. And there are smaller places,
too, less known to foreign tourists: Aranjuez , an oasis in
the parched Castilian plain, famed for its asparagus, strawberries
and lavish Baroque palace; the beautiful walled city of
Ávila , birthplace of St Teresa; and Cervantes's home town,
Alcalá de Henares , with its sixteenth-century university.
For walkers, too, trails amid the sierras of Gredos and
Guadarrama provide enticing escapes from the midsummer
heat.
All of the towns in this region can be visited as an easy
day-trip from Madrid, but they also offer interesting jumping-off
points into Castile and beyond; details of onward travel follow
each main entry. Wherever you're going, it's a good idea to pick up
leaflets in advance from one of the tourist offices in Madrid
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