Few questions….I'm going to Madrid and plan on visiting Segovia, Toledo, and El Escorial/Valley of the Fallen, one day each.
1. It seems like in all 3 of these places most attractions are closed on Mondays. As I need to go to one of these on a Monday, I am looking for advise as to which one I should visit, and not miss out on anything important.
2. As stated in Steve’s books, train station names do not always correspond with the actual place one would want to visit. I wanted to confirm that on the renfe.es website Segovia AV is the actual Segovia that I want to see.
Thank you
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Go to Segovia. The Alcazar and the monstrous Cathedral are both open on Mondays.
The Segovia AV station is the new station just outside the city serving the new high-speed trains. It's connected to the downtown by city buses coordinated with the trains' arrivals....less than 1 Euro fare and about a 20 minute run. It drops you off, and will pick you up, right in the shadow of the acqueduct. Be aware that the high-speed AVE trains leave for Segovia from Madrid's Chamartin station.
Posted by
Manchester, CT, USA
69 posts
Segovia is a good day trip. From Chamartin Renfe train station (not just Chamartin) you can buy tickets same day (but start early in the morning). It arrives at Segovia Guia in about a 30 min ride. Grab the first bus into town (station is about 15 mins from town center) because it is only an hourly bus and walking in a kind of desolate looking landscape into town is not recommended; it is .86E. Bus drop is near Aqueduct and you can start your city tour from there. Across the street from where your arrival bus is the bus stop back to the train station. If you love a suckling pig don't forget to try their cuchinillo. The Cathedral and Alcazar are must sees also aside from the aqueduct.
Posted by
Manchester, CT, USA
69 posts
We also did Toledo as a day trip last year. Buy your tickets way in advance (not on the same day of travel) because it is not only a popular route but a local commuter as well so gets sold out easily. Took Avant from the Atocha Renfe station. When you get out of the Toledo station, turn right and you will find the local bus stop there. We got off Plaza de Zocober and across it is the tourist info office that gives out free maps of the city and used that for our DIY tour using the Plaza as our point of reference. By the same plaza is the bus stop that brings you back to the train station for Madrid. Must buys are damascene "damasquinado" jewelry (much more affordable than the ones sold in the US, if you can find them at all) and marzipans.