Community of Madrid, Royal Sites and sierra an hour away.

The Community of Madrid fits within an hour's drive of the Puerta del Sol in almost any direction. Within that radius there are two World Heritage Royal Sites, El Escorial and Aranjuez; towns with arcaded squares such as Chinchón; and the Sierra de Guadarrama, with its national park, to the north. For people who live in Madrid it is the way to get out on a Sunday without spending the morning on the road; for those coming from elsewhere, the complement to a few days in the capital.

Which part should I choose?

It depends on what you are looking for and how you travel.

• Monastery and sierra: San Lorenzo de El Escorial. To the west, about 50 minutes away. Philip II's monastery, the La Herrería woodland with the Silla de Felipe II and Mount Abantos behind. It is the most complete plan: culture in the morning, mountain in the afternoon. It is easy to reach by bus from Moncloa.
• Palace, gardens and river: Aranjuez. To the south, about 45 minutes away. The Royal Palace, huge free gardens beside the Tagus, a tourist boat and, in spring and autumn, the Strawberry Train. It is the best family day, and the Cercanías C-3 drops you there from Atocha.
• Square and table: Chinchón. To the south-east, about 45 minutes away. The Plaza Mayor with its 234 balconies, the Goya in the church, wine cellars and wood-fired roasts. Half a day in the town and a long lunch. Bus 337 arrives from Conde de Casal.
• Mountain and monastery: Lozoya Valley. To the north, an hour and a quarter away. Rascafría, the El Paular charterhouse, the Purgatorio waterfall and, higher up, the Laguna Grande de Peñalara, in the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park. It is the nature plan: start early, because Peñalara has a daily quota and the car park at Cotos fills up.
• Snow: Navacerrada Pass and Cercedilla. To the north-west, an hour away. Skiing at Valdesquí and in the lower area of the pass resort, guided snowshoeing and, below, Cercedilla and the Roman road of La Fuenfría. You get there on the Cercanías C-8 or on bus 691 from Moncloa.
• University and Cervantes: Alcalá de Henares. To the east, 35 minutes by Cercanías. Cisneros's university, Calle Mayor, Cervantes's birthplace and the Roman city of Complutum, almost all of it free.
• Granite and river: La Pedriza. To the north, 50 minutes away. Routes from Canto Cochino along the River Manzanares and up to El Tolmo, and Manzanares el Real castle. Watch out for the barrier, which has a quota and opening hours.
• Slate and beeches: Sierra Norte. An hour along the A-1. Patones de Arriba, the wall of Buitrago and the Montejo Beech Forest, which is visited with a pass.

Aranjuez and Chinchón are half an hour from each other and combine well in a weekend. El Escorial is at the other end, closer to Segovia and Ávila than to Aranjuez, and the Lozoya valley combines well with Segovia over the Navacerrada pass.

Car or public transport?

Madrid is one of the few regions where you can do without a car for a Sunday outing. The Cercanías reaches Aranjuez and the El Escorial station; intercity buses leave from the Moncloa (El Escorial), Conde de Casal (Chinchón) and Estación Sur (Aranjuez) interchanges. Before leaving, check the Sunday timetables with the Regional Transport Consortium, which are more spread out than on weekdays. With a car, the advantage is combining: El Escorial with a walk up Abantos, Chinchón with the Laguna de San Juan or with Aranjuez. Arrive early: on sunny Sundays the car parks fill up before midday.

When to go?

In spring and autumn. In April and May, the gardens of Aranjuez bloom and the asparagus and strawberries arrive; in October and November, La Herrería and the Isla turn yellow and the roast season begins in Chinchón. In summer, El Escorial and the sierra are cooler than the capital, and in the south it is best to set out early. In winter the palaces have few people; watch for snow on the mountain passes.

What should you know about the Royal Sites?

The palaces and monasteries are managed by Patrimonio Nacional. They close on Mondays and some public holidays, and have free periods: Wednesday and Sunday afternoons, for citizens of the EU and Latin America and residents, with tickets only at the ticket office. Guided visits and small spaces, such as the Casa del Labrador or the Casita del Príncipe, sell out: buy in advance at their official ticket office.

How many days?

Each of these places can be seen in a day from Madrid. For a weekend away, combine Aranjuez and Chinchón, sleeping in one of the two, or sleep in El Escorial to have the monastery first thing and a morning in the mountains.