# November long weekend from Madrid: getaways for All Saints and La Almudena Three getaways with a night away and four day trips from Madrid for All Saints and La Almudena, chosen for autumn: red beeches, chestnuts, oak woods with water and Alcalá's Don Juan Tenorio. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/community-of-madrid/madrid/getaways/november-long-weekend · Revisado: 2026-11-13 Origen: Madrid - [A weekend in La Alberca and the Sierra de Francia, an hour from Salamanca](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/la-alberca/itineraries/la-alberca-sierra-de-francia-weekend.md) (2 nights, La Alberca and the Sierra de Francia): In early November the chestnut groves of the Sierra de Francia are in colour and the chestnuts freshly gathered; around All Saints, neighbouring villages such as Nava de Francia roast calbotes in the square. The Casa del Parque in La Alberca is open Friday to Sunday: call in on the first day. - [A weekend in the Sierra Norte: Patones, the Hayedo de Montejo and Buitrago](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/community-of-madrid/sierra-norte/itineraries/sierra-norte-patones-beech-forest-buitrago.md) (1 night, Madrid's Sierra Norte: Patones, Buitrago and the Montejo Beech Forest): November is the month of the Montejo Beech Wood: the beeches turn ochre and reddish and passes are in greatest demand, by online draw on the 1st and 16th or in person in the morning in Montejo. The Beech Wood is closed on Mondays: if the long weekend ends on a Monday, go on the first day. - [A weekend in Aranjuez and Chinchón: gardens, river and square](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/community-of-madrid/aranjuez/itineraries/aranjuez-chinchon-weekend.md) (1 night, Aranjuez): In November the Príncipe and Isla gardens have yellow trees and far fewer people than in spring. The Casa del Labrador is open Friday to Sunday and in small groups: buy the ticket before the hotel. In Chinchón, the inns are already lighting their wood-fired ovens. - [El Escorial: the chestnut groves of La Herrería](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/community-of-madrid/san-lorenzo-de-el-escorial/itineraries/autumn-in-la-herreria-and-el-castanar.md) (Day itinerary, San Lorenzo de El Escorial): The La Herrería woods have their moment in October and November, with yellow ash and chestnut trees and the path covered in leaves up to the Silla de Felipe II. In November it gets dark around six: the 1768 inn at midday and the Jardín de los Frailes before five. - [Rascafría: oaks and waterfall](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/community-of-madrid/lozoya-valley/itineraries/oak-woods-and-purgatorio-waterfall.md) (Day itinerary, Lozoya Valley: Rascafría, El Paular and Peñalara): With the first autumn rains the Aguilón stream recovers the water it loses in summer and the Purgatorio waterfall sounds again, among yellow oaks and Ávila cattle. It is about ten kilometres there and back: set off early, as November days are short. - [Alcalá: university, Cervantes and Romans](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/community-of-madrid/alcala-de-henares/itineraries/university-cervantes-and-complutum-from-madrid.md) (Day itinerary, Alcalá de Henares: university, Cervantes and Complutum): Around All Saints, Alcalá stages Don Juan Tenorio in the Huerta del Obispo, next to the Archbishop's Palace, with free entry until capacity is reached; the dates are announced each autumn. See the university and Complutum by day and stay for the evening performance. - [La Pedriza: El Tolmo and the castle](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/community-of-madrid/la-pedriza/itineraries/el-tolmo-and-manzanares-castle.md) (Day itinerary, Manzanares el Real and La Pedriza): From October the Canto Cochino barrier closes from 10:30 to 16:00 at weekends and on public holidays, so on the long weekend you go in early or you do not go in by car. November suits La Pedriza: cold granite, streams with water and the Manzanares castle in low light. ## Two holidays in the same month November brings two holidays in the city of Madrid and one in the rest of the region. All Saints, on 1 November, is a holiday across Spain. La Almudena, on 9 November, is a local holiday in the city of Madrid: someone who lives or works in another municipality of the Community does not get it. Depending on how they fall, you get one or two long weekends. For the longer break, when there is one, the getaways with a night away: La Alberca, three hours away, deserves two; the Sierra Norte and Aranjuez, one. For a single day, everything is an hour away or less: La Herrería, El Purgatorio, La Pedriza or Alcalá. ## Where is autumn at this time of year? Between the end of October and mid-November, in the deciduous woods an hour or two from Madrid. The Montejo beeches, the chestnuts of La Herrería and the Sierra de Francia, the oaks of the Lozoya valley and the plane trees of Aranjuez change colour almost at once, and the All Saints long weekend usually catches the best moment. How long it lasts depends on the weather: a strong wind or an early frost leaves the beech wood bare within days. In the Sierra de Francia, 1 November also coincides with the end of the chestnut harvest, and the villages celebrate it by roasting them on bonfires. ## What needs booking weeks ahead? The Montejo Beech Wood, before anything else. It is free, but only with a pass, and in autumn it is in greatest demand. The online draw opens on the 1st and 16th of each month at 9:30, and if you are not picked there is the same-day in-person pass in Montejo de la Sierra, which sells out early. Then the beds in La Alberca, which fill up on the long weekend, and the Casa del Labrador in Aranjuez, with very small groups. The Tenorio in Alcalá is not booked: entry is free until capacity is reached and the queue starts before the doors open. The dates of the performances are announced by the council each autumn. ## Short days and first frosts November is the month when the real cold arrives. In the sierra there are frosts at dawn and, some years, the first snow on the Guadarrama peaks; lower down it rains on and off. Since the clocks change at the end of October it gets dark around six: any mountain walk has to finish before then. ## And for those who stay in Madrid on La Almudena? On 9 November there is an open-air Mass at 11:00 on the esplanade of La Almudena cathedral and then a procession with the Virgin through the streets of the centre. On that day and the day before, the flower offering is made beside the cathedral. There are traffic closures around Bailén and Calle Mayor, so if you are leaving the city, go another way. In November, too, Madrid's pastry shops have huesos de santo and buñuelos, which are for All Saints and disappear quickly. ## Autumn walks sized for children For children, the best are short walks with a reward: La Pedriza to El Tolmo, the walk in Aranjuez, all flat, or the Montejo Beech Wood trail, which goes with a guide and counts children on the pass, except babies in carriers. El Purgatorio is longer and suits those who can already walk ten kilometres. The Tenorio is outdoors and at dusk: with children, bring blankets and coats. ## What closes and what jams In the sierra, some village restaurants close midweek out of season: if the long weekend falls midweek, call first. The Montejo Beech Wood is closed on Mondays and so is the monastery of El Escorial. On the morning of 1 November there is heavy traffic towards the cemeteries, in Madrid and in the villages, and the day before, people leave to return to their home villages for All Saints: the A-1 and A-6 get heavy the afternoon before. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### Is La Almudena a holiday across the whole Community of Madrid? No. 9 November is a local holiday in the city of Madrid. The other municipalities set their own local holidays. ### When is the Montejo Beech Wood at its best? Between the end of October and mid-November, depending on the year. It is free, but you need a pass, through the online draw or in person on the day. ### When is the Tenorio in Alcalá de Henares? Around All Saints, in the Huerta del Obispo. Entry is free until capacity is reached and the council announces the dates each autumn. ### What do I do if it rains? Aranjuez and Alcalá have a palace, museum and university under cover. Mountain walks in heavy rain are better left for another day.