Scenic Drive - Barcelona to Toledo

I remember some pretty ordinary scenery on the approach to Madrid from a number of different directions, so I hope someone can suggest an attractive routing. I've listed some very nice towns and cities you might be able to see along the way, depending on how much time you've allowed yourselves. Otherwise, take a look at your road map; conventionally, scenic routes are marked in green.

These are in no particular geographical order:

Cuenca: Great town (UNESCO site) with medieval district and hanging houses along a ravine. Also a couple of small but nice modern-art museums. The negative here is that Cuenca, which is east of Madrid, is extraordinarily easy to visit as a day-trip, because it's on the AVE line running between Madrid and Valencia. It might be more logical to take advantage of the car to see places that are not quite so easy to manage via public transportation. However, I vaguely recall reading about some very nice countryside in the area, which you would only be able to reach with a car.

Teruel: I loved this place. A UNESCO site, it has multiple mudejar towers scattered around a large historic district, plus some distinctive early 20th century buildings (not as funky as Barcelona's). Teruel is east of Madrid (and ENE of Cuenca) but sort of awkward to reach without a car. The ViaMichelin map shows that the N420 (not a major highway) connects Teruel to Cuenca. I'm not sure you could find two more fascinating towns in such close proximity anywhere else in Spain. And they are quite different.

Albarracin: I wanted to see this walled town, which has been declared a national monument and is mentioned in a lot of guide books, but it was one of those things that just wasn't possible without a car. It's not far from Teruel.

Zaragoza: A much larger city and not terribly far from Barcelona. Nice historic district and a restored Moorish palace (UNESCO-recognized), plus a few other mudejar buildings. You can get to Zaragoza readily by train from Barcelona, but it has the virtue of being on the most direct route between Barcelona and Madrid. I preferred Teruel but must admit that Zaragoza is livelier.

Alcala de Henares: A university town, quite close to Madrid and near the direct route proposed by ViaMichelin (the one that runs through Zaragoza). It has a rather extensive historic district (UNESCO-recognized). It can be reached by direct train from Madrid, however.

If you plan on visiting smaller towns and villages on the route, then driving is OK. But if the car is just for transportation you are much better off taking the train. I did not think this region of Spain was particularly scenic, but that was from a train and bus vantage.

I second Alan's thoughts. Driving only makes sense to me if you have a couple of days to stop in these smaller towns along the way. Otherwise, just driving on the fastest route takes 7 hours, in comparison to 4 hours by fast trains (with not particularly impressive scenery).

I see we're all in agreement on the scenery, or lack thereof! I'm always reluctant to post my negative views on the central-Spain countryside, but I don't think it's worth going out of your way to see.

I like to say that in Italy, if you see something in the distance on top of a hill, it usually turns out to be a picturesque hill town or an old church. In the area around Madrid, you've probably spotted something like a grain elevator.

98km Barcelona to Tarragona
http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/tarragona.html

174km Tarragona to Morella
http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/morella.html

133km Morella to Teruel
http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/teruel.html

148km Teruel to Cuenca
http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres/ciudades-pueblos/otros-destinos/cuenca.html

181 km Cuenca to Toledo

Walking Toledo's steep hills can be a challenge, driving there (never mind parking) could be a nightmare. I'd drop the car in Madrid (at Atocha?) and take the train to Toledo and definitely return to Barcelona by the fast, comfortable train. And next time, I'd fly open-jaw, into one end and out the other ☺