We're planning to return to Madrid next summer and trying to think if we want to stay a full week there or not. We will also go to Salamanca for a few days and probably visit Avila from there.
We would like to do El Escorial as a day trip from Madrid and maybe include Valley of the Fallen.
We've been to and stayed in Segovia and Toledo, and not interested in returning this time.
We're mainly looking for really interesting towns or places to visit for a day -- NO CAR -- so by train or bus. Prefer places that are less than 2 hours each way. Any great ideas?
And on a related topic. Any ideas for an interesting place to stay our final night before flying out? We'll have been in Madrid before Salamanca, but that's quite a problem for getting to Madrid airport for a mid to late morning flight. Of course, we could return to Madrid for a final night, but is there another option that would allow EASY airport transportation within an hour or so from Madrid Airport? I thought of the Parador at Chinchon, but it looks like it's pretty problematic getting to the airport from there without a car.

Seville is about 2 hours (or less)away using the high speed AVE. The trains are very frequent and extremely comfortable. Seville is a great city and you would see most of the sights in a day as it is not very big.

Bringing this to the top again. We've actually been to Seville a couple of times and we're looking for places that are "different" from the main and usual ones which we've done.
Any other suggestions?

Actually, according to the schedule, AVE takes 2.5 hours Sevilla Santa Justa to Madrid's Puerta de Atocha.

Further Northeast from Barajas airport, Alcala de Henares is nice: a 16th Century University that looks for all the world just like one in Guadalajara, Jalisco (Mexico). I don't know how you would get from there to Barajas for a morning flight out - traffic is HEAVY!

You could do worse than Barajas (Pueblo)! Toribio's Churreria on the Plaza caters to aircrews: it opens at 05:00 and makes its own churros (and porras), chocolate and cafe. You can see the Gauderrama mountains from the Barajas Metro station and there are plenty of hotels in and around Barajas.

For daytrips go to C/ San Bernardo and you will find several tour operators: el Escorial and Valle de los Caidos is a popular one as is Segovia & la Granja.

Sorry, I can't remember the name of any specific Tour Operator. There are several.

How about Pedraza in the province of Segovia. I went when I was younger and remember loving it, so it is in our plans for our trip at the beginning of June. The websites seem lovely, it's close to Avila. I tried to find bus info, but I'm not too familiar with the websites for trains and buses in Spain. I have to figure out how to get myself from Santander to Madrid on a train, preferably so I have to learn.

How about Aranjuez, home of the summer palace of the Borbons.

Hi,
Pedraza is located near the road leading from the AP1 (the motorway to Burgos and the Basque Country) and Segovia. It is not an easy place to do without a car, as Patrick wants.

I keep thinking, and I only come out with car routes :
- the castles in Segovia. Pedraza, Turegano and the likes. You need a car.
http://www.pedraza.info/
http://turegano.iespana.es/turegano/

- the black villages in Guadalajara province. You need a car.

- the palace of La Granja. It can be done by public transportation, but I suppose you have already been there. It is better done from Segovia.
http://www.patrimonionacional.es/granja/granja.htm

- You mentioned that you wanted to do Avila from Salamanca. I am thinking that maybe doing it from Madrid will be better, because there are lots of trains there every day (around 16, leaving from Chamartin station). It takes only 1 hour and a half.

- If you are interested in the nature, maybe taking a train to Cercedilla, and then the train to Cotos (better done during weekends, there are more trains). It is the green lung of Madrid, and it has some lovely views.

- I think that the best options for you are Alcala de Henares, Chinchón and Aranjuez. All of them easily feasible by public transport.

Rgds, Cova

Re: Pedraza -- we spent a night there a few years ago. We were there mid-week and it was quite deserted. A number of restaurants and cute looking little shops were, alas, closed. (Sort of like our "Monday in Barcelona" learning experience last year ) I understand it can get busy if not a bit crowded on the weekends. It was a popular spot for our friends living in Madrid to take visitors on the weekend. If you should decide to rent a car and go, keep this in mind.