Guides ·Day trips

Getting to Madrid and back

The high-speed AVE train departs Segovia-Guiomar station for Madrid Chamartín every hour from 6:30am to 9:30pm. The trip takes 27 minutes and costs €13 to €18 depending on the time and booking advance. Buy tickets online at Renfe.com to avoid station lines. Segovia-Guiomar is six kilometers southeast of the old town, reachable by local bus line 11 for €2 or taxi for €12. The bus departs from Plaza Mayor every 30 minutes starting at 6am.

From Madrid Chamartín, take Metro line 10 south to Tribunal or Gran Vía, about 15 minutes, €1.50 per trip or €12.20 for a 10-trip ticket. The metro is fast and frequent. Plan to leave Segovia by 8am to arrive in central Madrid by 9:30am, giving you a full day before the return train. The last train back to Segovia departs Madrid at 10:30pm, arriving at 11pm. Budget extra time for the bus or taxi back to your Segovia hotel.

Morning: Prado Museum and Retiro Park

Start at the Prado Museum on Paseo del Prado, one of the world's great art collections. Entry is €15, free after 6pm on weekdays but the evening hours are crowded. The museum opens at 10am. Focus on the Velázquez rooms, Goya's black paintings, and the Bosch triptychs if time is limited. A full visit takes three hours, but a targeted two-hour loop covers the highlights. Audio guides are €4 and worth it if you are unfamiliar with Spanish painting.

After the Prado, walk east into Retiro Park, Madrid's central green space. The park has tree-lined paths, a large boating lake, and the Palacio de Cristal, a 19th-century glass pavilion that hosts free contemporary art installations. The park is free to enter and perfect for a midday break. Stop at one of the park kiosks for a coffee, €2, or buy a bocadillo from a vendor near the lake. Spend 60 to 90 minutes walking the park, then exit on the west side toward the city center.

Midday: lunch at Mercado de San Miguel

Walk west from Retiro to Mercado de San Miguel near Plaza Mayor, a 20-minute walk or a short metro ride on line 2 to Sol. The market is a glass-and-iron structure filled with food stalls selling tapas, wine, and sweets. It is touristy but high quality. Budget €20 to €30 for a standing lunch of small plates. Try the jamón ibérico at the Ferpal counter, the croquetas at the Casa Dani stall, and the vermouth on tap at the bar in the center.

The market is packed from 1pm to 3pm, so arrive at 12:30pm if you want space to move. After eating, walk through Plaza Mayor and into the narrow streets of the Austrias neighborhood, the old Habsburg core of Madrid. The area has 17th-century buildings, small plazas, and bookshops. Stop at Chocolatería San Ginés on Pasadizo de San Ginés for churros and thick hot chocolate, €5, a Madrid ritual since 1894.

Afternoon: Royal Palace or Reina Sofía Museum

If you want another museum, head to the Reina Sofía on Calle de Santa Isabel, a 10-minute walk from Sol metro. Entry is €12, free after 7pm on weekdays. The museum holds 20th-century Spanish art, including Picasso's Guernica, Dalí, and Miró. A focused visit takes 90 minutes. The Guernica room alone justifies the trip. If you skipped the Prado or want a break from museums, visit the Royal Palace on Calle de Bailén instead.

The Royal Palace is €15 to enter, with guided tours available for €20. The state rooms are lavish and the palace has a good collection of tapestries and armor. The palace closes at 6pm in winter, 7pm in summer. After your museum or palace visit, walk to Gran Vía, Madrid's main commercial street, for shopping or people-watching. The street has department stores, cinemas, and rooftop bars with city views.

Evening: tapas in La Latina and return

Finish your day in La Latina, Madrid's best tapas neighborhood. Take the metro to La Latina stop and walk along Calle de la Cava Baja, a street lined with traditional bars. Stop at Taberna Txakolina for Basque pintxos, €4 per skewer, or Casa Lucas for Spanish tortilla, €6 for a large portion. The bars fill after 8pm, so arrive at 7:30pm for a seat. Most places are standing-room only, which is part of the experience.

Budget €20 for tapas and two drinks. Leave La Latina by 9pm to catch the metro back to Chamartín station for the 10pm or 10:30pm train to Segovia. The metro from La Latina to Chamartín takes 25 minutes with one transfer. Buy your return train ticket in advance to avoid stress at the station. You will arrive back in Segovia by 11pm, tired but satisfied with a full day in the capital.

Alternative: Toledo instead of Madrid

If you have already seen Madrid or prefer a smaller city, take a day trip to Toledo instead. The bus from Segovia to Toledo takes two hours and costs €12, with departures at 9am and return trips at 6pm. Toledo is a medieval city famous for El Greco paintings, the cathedral, and the Alcázar fortress. The old town is walkable and compact, with winding streets and viewpoints over the Tagus river.

Spend the morning at Toledo Cathedral, €12 entry, and the Church of Santo Tomé to see El Greco's Burial of the Count of Orgaz, €4. Lunch at Adolfo restaurant on Calle de la Granada offers modern Castilian dishes, mains €18 to €25. After lunch, walk the city walls and visit the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, €3. Return to Segovia by early evening. Toledo is less rushed than Madrid and gives you a different historical perspective.

Frequently asked questions

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