Madrid in May
 

My husband and I will end our trip of almost 4 weeks in Spain (after visiting Seville, Ronda, Granada, Cordoba and Toledo) in Madrid. We'll have 5 full days there, and I'm thinking 2 full days in Madrid and 3 day trips. One will be Segovia, and another one (maybe) Cuenca. But we are wondering which other one to pick from this list: El Escorial, Consuegra, Chinchón, the Royal Palace of Aranjuez? We will be there in May, will not have a car, and prefer trains to buses.
We will not visit the Prado museum, so I think 2 1/2 days in Madrid will be enough for us. What other day trip do you suggest? Thank you.

Hi xyz99,
I hope you have a wonderful 4 weeks in Spain!

For your third day trip option, I would eliminate Chinchón if you prefer train over bus, as the La Veloz co. Chinchón-Valdelaguna 337 bus is the only option, leaving from Conde de Casal. Ditto to Consuegra, much further afield, by bus only.

So,, for train access, I'd choose either El Escorial, taking the C3a (Cercaníás=suburban/commuter line) from Nuevos Ministerios (or start at Atocha and take the Cercanías up to Nuevos Ministerios)

Or Aranjuez (the gardens of the Royal Palace should be beautiful and it will be strawberry season---get some fresones con nata white you're there!)
For Aranjuez, it's the C3 from Atocha.

Find the schedule for all Madrid Cercanías trains here-
https://www.renfe.com/es/en/suburban...rid/timetables

Hi Maribel,
I knew I could count on you! 🤗
Thank you. Yes, I had read about the bus only option to Consuegra, and as much it pains me, I think that's not a good option for us. I'll miss the windmills, but hopefully we'll get to see some on a different trip. Or are the windmills so unique that I should take a motion sickness pill, and the bus and go to see them?
I know, El Escorial and the Royal Palace are apples and oranges...we'll get to see the Royal Palace in Madrid so I'm thinking El Escorial is more "different", so maybe a better choice? Are the 2 palaces somewhat redundant?
Without a tour, is there any way to also get to the Valley of the Fallen from El Escorial?

About the Consuegra molinos--No, I don't think so--you may be able to get a little glimpse of a La Mancha windmill around Campo de Criptana from the AVE train, if you're taking it back to Madrid from Andalucía.

About the 2 Palaces--the Aranjuez one is an elegant summer palace with gardens that will be in full bloom in May, while the rather somber looking and HUGE 16th c. Renaissance-era Monastery of El Escorial (home of Felipe II) houses it own art collection in its Museum, plus the Basilica, plus is the Royal Pantheon crypt, the burial site for royalty. It makes for a longer visit. And...it's a World Heritage Site. But it's closed on Mondays.

You don't want to go to the Valley of the Fallen, trust me! This cold and somber mausoleum gives me the chills and the exhumation of Franco happened in 2019 and he was buried elsewhere.

I meant to add the links to each Palace, and BTW, Aranjuez Palace is also closed on Mondays, as are other monuments of the Patrimonio Nacional.

So take a look-

https://www.patrimonionacional.es/en...alace-aranjuez

https://www.patrimonionacional.es/en...de-el-escorial

OK, noted:
1) The windmills are not necessarily a "must see" on this trip, I'm fine with that. If we get to see any from the train, that would be fine. If not, that's fine too.
2) No to the Valley of the Fallen - that kind of chills are not the kind I'm looking for

Then, hmmm....palace with pretty, relaxing gardens OR huge, somber monastery with an amazing library? After almost 4 weeks of palaces and monasteries, can we just play it by ear and see what we feel like? Do these places require advance tickets?

Hi xyz99,
Just play it by ear.

I would go to Aranjuez in May, but....I'm one who spent an entire month living in El Escorial, chaperoning an intensive immersion language/history experience, and I spent lots of time in the Monastery, so I'm kind of "been there, done that".

The trip to Aranjuez takes less time.

Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites, so you can't go wrong! Just don't go on Monday :)

No, they don't require advance tickets.