We are traveling to Madrid the first week of April with two kids (6 and 10) and are trying to decide where to base ourselves for a 7 day stay. We are planing on renting a car.

I really want to try the paradors around western Madrid. I am pretty set on staying the first part of our week at Segovia and using that as a base. Maybe we will try to see Avila and El Escorial from there?

Then I am not sure where to stay to base our second part of the trip. We want to see Toledo and perhaps the Palacio Real in Anranjuez. Our choices for Paradors appear to be Toledo, Oropaesa, Chinchon or Almagro. I want someplace that is historical, yet one from which we can drive to see other things easily. We don't want the kids to spend the whole trip in the car.

Also, we are thinking about spending our last night in Madrid so that it will be easier to get to the airport the last day. We need a place to stay near the bus lines so we can get into Madrid to see a little of it that last night and yet where we can park the car easily.

Any suggestions on where to base ourselves? Any experiences with the paradors in Chinchon and Toledo with children?

Am I missing any sites that the kids would really like to see (we don't want to do amusement parks, but do like outdoor activities.

Thanks!!

I would not have imagined people taking children to a parador & wasn't sure they are allowed so i checked the officail website, which just seems to say this - "Information if you are travelling with children: at most Paradores it is possible to put only one extra bed in a room.". Have you checked each of the paaradors you are considering for this, or are you planning to booking 2 rooms anyway ?

Have you considered a villa ? People with children generally seem to find a villa more convenient.

I have checked and they can accomodate us depending on the room availabiliy - of course by the time I get this all figured out I may be too late!

The idea of a villa is nice in theory, but finding the right one is daunting and to be honest, it isn't much of a vaction for me if I end up worrying about where and what we are eating each day - meals for four get pricey with the Euro exchange rates being what they are. Fixing some meals ourselves is OK, but then again, not much of a vacation for the cook! With the paradors 2 night program you get 1/2 board with the price of the room and from what I have read the food is generally good.

7 days is not that long.
You might want to reduce the number of cities.

Are your kids boys or girls?
Just wondering.

A train would be fun for kids (unless they do alot of trains at home.) I read about the stawberry train out of Madrid on Maribels's guides, that might be fun too.

Segovia has alot of history, the aqueduct would be fun for the kids and they could do a little study on aqueducts beforehand to make it more fun to se a real one. Also in Segovia is the Alcazar, supposedly where Columbus asked for the financing for the big "trip".
Again a pretty easy lesson so to speak.

I find a little homework before hand for anyone (including adults) makes the sights so much more interesting.

Segovia proper is very easy to walk around as it is very compact.
Easy to return to your room and rest for a while if needed. We liked the Hotel Infanta Isabel.
I understand the Parador there is not that close to the center.

Within very easy driving distance of Segovia is another castle, La Granja de San Idelfonso. We also liked that alot.

As a kid I was not crazy about too much driving around, ir made me a bit carsick.

Many many more good ideas and vital information are available on the Maribels's guides mentioned so often. You must be sure to read that first before making final
http://www.maribelsguides.com/

My youngest is a girl and the oldest is a boy. I have read Maribels guides and they are certainly helpful, but I am still debating where we should base ourselves.

I have looked at villas and that holds some appeal, but most appear to be further out from the larger towns and I am not sure about the driving conditions on the smaller roads south of Avilla and Segovia. Has anyone based themselves in these areas and then driven to see some of the larger towns?

I also note that many of them are "in the mountains" or seem to be catering to hikers or people from Madrid who summer out of the city. Does anyone know if it will be nice enough the first week of April to do much hiking? Most of the guidebooks talk about "winter" and "summer" and don't say much about spring weather or even when "winter" ends. We like to hike and look at gardens and are hoping to eat some of those strawberries! I appreciate all the help!

I think Segovia is a good base. However, the Parador is out from town a bit. Infanta Isabel is a good alternative. I had snow flurries in Segovia on March 11 one year. [I remember because it is my birthday]. Avila and El Escorial as wll as La Granjera are very doable.

The parador in Toledo is also not in the most convenient place for seeing Toledo. It is however convenient for driving in and out of town. An alternative is the Cardenal, one of my favorites. It has parking.