Weekend trips and day trips from your Spanish city

Key rules

• Closest from Madrid: Segovia and Toledo are the quickest day trips by train, around 30 to 35 minutes.
• Overnight trips: Treat anything over two hours each way as a weekend trip, not a day trip.
• Barcelona without a car: Sitges, Montserrat and Girona are easy by train; Vic and Cardona are easier with a car.
• Timetables: Times given are approximate, so check the current timetable and book high-speed trains ahead.

Start with the trips closest to your city

Most big Spanish cities have several good trips within about two hours. Times below are approximate and for public transport. Check the exact schedule before you go, and book high-speed trains ahead on busy weekends.

From Madrid

Madrid is the easiest hub for day trips.

• Segovia: high-speed train about 30 minutes, bus about 1h30.
• Toledo: train about 35 minutes, bus about 1h.
• Alcalá de Henares: Cercanías (local commuter train) about 40 minutes.
• Aranjuez: Cercanías about 45 minutes.
• El Escorial: train or bus about 1h.
• Chinchón: bus about 1h.
• Ávila: train or bus about 1 to 1.5 hours.
• Cuenca: AVE (high-speed train) about 1h.
• Salamanca: train or bus about 1h30 to 2h30. It works as a long day, but a night there is more relaxed.

From Barcelona

• Sitges: Rodalies (Catalan commuter train) line R2, about 40 minutes.
• Montserrat: R5 train plus rack railway or cable car, about 1h to 1h15.
• Girona: high-speed or regional train, about 40 to 90 minutes.
• Tarragona: train about 1h to 1h30.
• Figueres: train about 1h to 1h45.
• Costa Brava towns such as Tossa de Mar and Cadaqués: bus about 1h30 to 2h30. These are better as a weekend.
• Vic or Cardona: bus or car. A car makes these easier.

From Valencia

Closest: the Albufera wetlands, Sagunto and Xàtiva. For a longer day or a weekend, go to Alicante, Peñíscola or Cuenca.

From Sevilla

Córdoba, Cádiz, Jerez and Carmona suit a day. Itálica (Roman ruins) is close too. Ronda, Granada and the Doñana area suit a weekend.

From Málaga

Nerja, Marbella, Mijas, Antequera and Ronda are the usual day trips. Caminito del Rey, a cliffside walkway, is also popular. Granada, Córdoba and Sevilla are better for a weekend.

From Bilbao

Guernica, Bermeo and Gaztelugatxe are close. San Sebastián, Vitoria, Santander and Logroño, with the La Rioja wineries, suit a long day or a weekend.

Day trip or weekend?

Go for the day if the trip takes under about 1h30 each way. Stay a night if it takes over two hours, or if you want evenings in the town. For the longer trips, see the questions below for common examples.

Frequently asked questions

Which day trip from Madrid is quickest by train?

Segovia by high-speed train takes about 30 minutes, and Toledo by train takes about 35 minutes. Alcalá de Henares is about 40 minutes and Aranjuez about 45 minutes, both on the Cercanías commuter train. These four suit a short day out.

Can I visit Salamanca or Cuenca from Madrid in one day?

Yes, Cuenca by AVE takes about 1 hour, and Salamanca takes about 1h30 to 2h30 by train or bus, so both work as a day trip. Salamanca is the longer ride, so leave early or stay one night.

How long does it take to reach Montserrat from Barcelona without a car?

Reaching Montserrat from Barcelona takes about 1 hour to 1h15. You take the R5 train, then a rack railway or cable car up the mountain.

Which cities can I visit from Sevilla or Málaga for a weekend?

From Sevilla, Córdoba, Cádiz, Ronda and Granada make good weekend trips. From Málaga, Granada, Ronda, Nerja and Antequera work well, and Caminito del Rey is also popular. Granada and Córdoba are reachable from both cities.