Advice please - is it possible to take a day trip by car from Madrid and visit both Segovia and El Escorial? If both places are too much to do in a single day, which one would you suggest we do? We'll be spending most of our time in Madrid at the museums with another day trip to Toledo then it's on to Cordoba, Sevilla, Granada, Barcelona and the Costa Brava.
Thanks! This site has been invaluable for our trip planning.

You can do both in a day. I would start in Segovia and plan to spend 3 to 4 hours.

Hi... does anybody know how to go from Segovia to Escorial (or vice versa), train or bus??
Thanks!!!

Do a search for the train or bus solution. Not sure about the train but I am sure a bus goes. We drove as we were staying over the mountains in Rascafria and wow it was a beautiful drive. It would be a lt more direct and easy from Madrid once you get on the motorway that runs in a circle around the city.

We just got back and although we spent 2 days in Segovia and Avila and El Escorial a day trip is doable. We didn't even have a map or speak spanish and we got back to the Madrid main train station from Segovia with no problems. The drive is so beautiful I would rent a car. The roads are wonderful and the road signs make it almost impossible to get lost.