I have a few days in Madrid and am wondering if I should try to visit Segovia, Avila and Salamanca as day trips, or spend 2-3 days with overnights. I will be traveling by using public transport and I'm not sure what works out better. There seem to be plenty of transportation options to all three places. I was thinking of traveling to Segovia in the morning, spending the day in Segovia, and the next day traveling to Avila on the way to Salamanca. That's the part that seems tricky to accomplish... any ideas? Also, how far is Cuidad Rodrigo from Salamanca? Has anyone been there and is it a worthwhile sidetrip on limited time?
Thanks for the help!

Hi sjk,

Segovia and Avila are great options for day trips out of Madrid. For both them I recommend the train. To Segovia now you have the fast train that takes only half hour! Salamanca, although theoretically you could do it as a day trip, it takes around 2.5 hrs one way. Plus , it is one of those cities that is worth seeing at night as well. To go to Salamanca the espress bus is your best option . I believe the company is called Auto-Res

When you say that "I was thinking of traveling to Segovia in the morning, spending the day in Segovia, and the next day traveling to Avila on the way to Salamanca", do you mean sleeping in Segovia? I am not aware of driect public transport between Segovia and Avila, but maybe that has changed.

Between Avila and Salamanca there is train or bus. I think the bus service is more frequent. Again, the company is Auto-res.

Hopefully Maribel will chime in, she might know of another way to do it.

I agree that Salamanca is worth at least an overnight stay. The train between Madrid and Salamanca stops in Avila, and the station is close to the walls. We found the train trips from Salamanca to Madrid and the return trip from Madrid to Segovia very pleasant.

Segovia is easy as a day trip. A bus takes you from the train station in Segovia to the Roman aqueduct, and it is an easy uphill walk to the other attractions. [The new fast train may take you in closer??

We passed Cuidad Rodrigo as we travelled by coach between Porto and Salamanca and it looked small and beautiful. Our daughter attended a weekend conference there and loved it. It's roughly fifty miles from Salamanca, about the same distance as Avila is from Salamanca. The landscape is flatter.

Unless things have changed there's no direct train or bus from Salamanca to Segovia.

segovia to avila by bus



Horario de Autobuses


SEGOVIA - ÁVILA
LUNES A VIERNES LABORABLES 7,35 10,30 14,00 16,00 19,00



SABADOS DOMINGOS Y FESTIVOS 09,00 18,00



<<Transportes Trenes Carreteras Arriba
ÁVILA - SEGOVIA
LUNES A VIERNES LABORABLES 6,30 9,00 12,45 15,00 20,15



SABADOS DOMINGOS Y FESTIVOS 10,00 19,00



El paso por Villacastín será 30 minutos después de cada salida.
Estos horarios están vigentes durante el curso lectivo 2003 - 04

<<Transportes

Hi, sjk1976 -

I agree with the others: Segovia, Avila, and Salamanca are all worth seeing, and you should definitely plan an overnight stay in Salamanca if at all possible.

Enjoy!

SEGOVIA is an easy and wonderful day trip from Madrid.
I really enjoyed it, & think you will to.

It is a charming town to visit and I thought the acquaduct was amazing. I was there on a bight sunny day & all my photos from Segovia came out fantastic.

There are also a few great places to have lunch there.
I did not visit Avila, however I think you may even be able to see Avila & Segovia in the same day, but not sure about the transportation from 1 city to the other.
Enjoy your trip.

If pressed by time, do Segovia and Avila in one day, Salamanca is an overnight, loop back to Madrid. Train is your best bet. I don't even think renting a car for three days is a better choice as parking in Salamanca, Segovia, and Avila is horendous. For a great overnight in Salamanca, stay at NH Palacio de los Castellanos. I first recommended this hotel about 10-11 years ago in THIS forum and I have never gotten a bad word back.

We stopped in Avila on our way to Segovia. This was before the fast train days! We spent 2 nights and 1 and half days there. I had heard Salmanca deserved more then a day trip. While you are North of Madrid you should stop at El Escorial also.

Do you have to "do"the three cities ?
Regarding Avila and Segovia, I do not see the purpose to do a half a day visit in either citiy....
Instead choose one and stay there for a full day minimum !!
and then Salamanca is a jewel. It is a lovely university
town, its Plaza Mayor is ranked no. 1 in all Spain.It is not only a question to look at it, sit in a cafe table inside the Plaza , relax have a drink and join the locals in the early evening when they come to the plaza. Everybody seems to be there.

Salamanca has
not one but two Cathedrals and the Old one has several Capillas each one worth a visit, like Capilla Santa Barbara where the students used to spend the night before taking the examination for
the Doctorate' s Degree....visit the University , you will see the Lecture Hall of Fray Luis de Leon perfectly perserved since the last day he lecture there in 1573
.....

If I were you I would leave CiudadRodrigo for a next trip ,....and I might also leave Avila or Segovia for the next trip ...

I agree with Graziella: if you choose one make it Salamanca! It's magic, beautiful and fun!

Thank you for all your comments! I think I have the time to spend a whole day in Salamanca (including a night!). And I have a whole day and night to spend in Segovia. Avila may have to wait for antoher trip it sounds like... I'll just have to wing this one or maybe "stop" there on the way back from Salamanca to Madrid. Thanks again for the info.

licasanova - where did you find the bus schedules? I've looked at Renfe for trains, but haven't had too much success with the bus scheduls on alsa - the only english languae bus site i found.
Thanks again!

Buses to Salamanca:
http://www.avanzabus.com/web/?lang=en
The name of the carrier is Auto-Res. The buses leave from the Estacion Sur de Autobuses (metro stop: Mendez Alvaro).

If you catch a train between Salamanca and Madrid you'll get a good view of the walls around Avila, and that's one of the sights there. I would use your time in Salamanca rather than attempting to fit Avila in.

i just googled "autobus segovia avila". but many sites are not in english.

www.gospain.com has some info also

sjk,

Graciela has given you great advice.But if you feel you want to see at least one more, go for Segovia as da day trip from Madrid.

After many years of visiting Spain I finally went to Avila a couple of years ago. A perfectly fine place, but IMO does not compare to Salamanca and it would be a distant secod when compared to Segovia.

I did all three and agree that Avila is the least interesting. The walls are amazing but that's the main thing. You could do a half day there and see it. I spent 3 full days and nights in each of Salamanca and Segovia and am very glad I did but you could certainly enjoy them with only one or two days each. (I did Avila as a day trip from Segovia, but the bus from Salamanca to Segovia stops there so you could do it en route). My photos of the three cities are at: http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/spai...lamanca_toledo

Isabel-- your Spain pictures are OUTSTANDING! very lovely shots!!

A quick note that Picture 274 did raise the hair on the back of my neck, though....something is spooky about that picture...!

Hey, thanks for sharing; very nice.

i loved your PICTURES , Isabel.Great shots.

Hi all,
I am doing the same trip in 2009,what about Toledo as a day trip from Madrid?

Thanks

Toledo is a great place to visit and can be visited as a day trip from Madrid, but it is even more magical after day-trippers have left, so you might consider spending a night or even two there.

Enjoy!