I stayed in Madrid for four days, making three one-day trips to the cities of Toledo, Segovia and Avila.
All are located 100 km +/- from Madrid and are easy to reach, using public transport. I used the bus to get to Toledo and Segovia and the train to get to Avila.
Toledo
Toledo is a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its narrow streets, squares, and gardens. You can explore the numerous churches, synagogues, and mosques, and admire the Alcázar.
My trip to Toledo was inspired by the cyclist Federico Bahamontes. Nicknamed the Eagle of Toledo, he won the Tour de France in 1959, winning a total of 11 stages between 1954 and 1965. He also won stages in the Vuelta and Giro. He was the first cyclist to win the mountains jersey in the three Grand Tours.
Sadly, thugs had ruined my day. The monument to Spain’s most talented cyclist had been removed for repair after it had been vandalised.
Avoid the months of July and August. It gets super hot in Toledo.
I rode the Fly Toledo zipline to salvage something from the day:
Segovia
Segovia: Famous for its remarkably preserved Roman aqueduct and the historic Alcázar.
You can’t help but marvel at this feat of engineering. It dates back to the 2nd century and was used to supply Segovia with water until the mid-1970s.
Avila
Ávila: The Walls of Ávila date from the Middle Ages. They encircle the Old Town of Avila, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985. With a perimeter of 2516 m, the wall has 87 turrets, 9 gates and 2 small gates. With an average height of 12 metres and a thickness of 3 metres, there are semi-circular turrets, which stand up to 8 metres above the walls, every 20 metres.
Grab a meal at one of the cafés at the Plaza Mercado Chico before taking the train back to Madrid.