THE SURROUNDINGS OF MADRID
Starting from Madrid, it is easy and far from strenuous to visit
the surrounding sights. Many of them lie within the province itself,
such as El Escorial, Valle de los Caídos (Valley of the Fallen),
Aranjuez, etc., and are therefore very near and easily accessible.
Others are the capitals of the provinces bordering on Madrid like
Toledo (71 Km), Guadalajara (39 Km), Ávila (115 Km.) and Segovia (81
Km), or the villages and towns of these provinces, such as La Granja
de San Ildefonso or Siguenza.
It is not necessary to underline the artistic value of cities such
as Toledo - The old Visigothic capital and Imperial city, where
Christian, Arab and Jewish cultures lived in harmony giving an example
of perfect tolerance and leaving behind admirable traces of their
existence - or Ávila - "The land of songs and saints ", which
completely hidden behind its old walls -, or Segovia - with the noble
stone of its Roman aqueduct, a two-thousand-year-old picture of
culture and beauty.
On the other hand, it appears necessary to underline the importance
of the royal residences, such as El Escorial - the idea, spirit and ex
voto of Felipe II - (50 Km away, most of it along a motorway), La
Granja de San Ildefonso - a product of the first Bourbon's longing for
France, ie, Felipe V - or Aranjuez, a delightful garden in the middle
of the Castilian Meseta. In order to visit these historic sites in the
surroundings of Madrid it is possible to use public transport - the
bus or train - or the services of the different travel agencies which
have daily programs for such visits.
EL ESCORIAL
San Lorenzo de El Escorial, 49 Km from Madrid by road and 1,000
above sea level, is one of the former royal residences which in this
case owes its universal fame to the famous Monastery which was built
there by King Felipe II, but which today has a countless number of
different attractions that will make a visit and stay there a very
pleasant experience.
The renowned Monastery of San Lorenzo el Real gives an overall
impression of grandeur and austerity that has never been equaled. Its
granite, is the work of Juan Bautista from Toledo and of Juan de
Herrera. On the façade of the Basilica, there are the statues of six
kings of Judah (Josaphat, Hezequah, David, Solomon, Josiah and
Manasseh), which were carried out by the sculptor from Toledo, Juan
Bautista Monegro, who also made the main entrance to San Lorenzo.
Not content with building the "eighth wonder of the world", the
King took over large tracts of land in its surroundings to build the
Royal Woods of San Lorenzo, in the clearings of which magnificent
buildings were constructed. Afterwards, during the reign of Carlos III,
the "Casita del Príncipe" was built, which is a marvelous casino-cum-museum,
as well as the House of the "Infante", which lies in a splendid place.
The reconstruction of the Theatre of El Coliseo of Carlos III, one of
the oldest stages in Europe, has given new life to the cultural trends
in the city.
A few kilometers from El Escorial, in a wild valley of the
Guadarrama Sierra, on top of the ridge called La Nava, we find the
monument of La Sant Cruz del VAlle de los Caídos (Holy Cross of the
Valley of the Fallen), the silhouette of which is an unmistakable
granite cross, 150m high and 46m long at the cross piece. It was built
as a mausoleum for the soldiers that fell victim to the Civil War. It
is also the burial place of General Franco. The funicular railway
which runs from the esplanade at the back to the base of the cross is
an extra attraction for tourists.
ARANJUEZ
The two most important architectural works are the Royal Palace,
the former residence of the Kings of the House of Bourbon, and the
"Casita del Labrador", a small palace with rich collections of
porcelain and clocks. Around these buildings, there are gardens with
many waterfalls, huge fountains and peaceful pools, amidst the most
varied lush vegetation.
Aranjuez is a modern, well-developed town, with typical restaurants
on the banks of the Tagus, where one should not miss the opportunity
of trying the typical asparagus and strawberries in the magic
surroundings of palace, gardens and fountains.
ALCALA DE HENARES
It lies 30km from Madrid and is an urban complex full of artistic
and historic sights. In the old part the former university is
outstanding. It used to be the most important one in Spain and was
founded by Cardinal Cisneros in 1496. In a Renaissance building, whose
beautiful façade was designed by Rodrigo Gil de Ontañón, a public
department has found its offices. Other outstanding sights include the
Auditorium and the Patio of Santo Tomás de Villanueva. Further sights
of special interest include the student residence Cisneros, the Church
Magistral, the Palace of the Archbishop and the House of Cervantes.
HUNTING AND FISHING
The most numerous private game reserves lie in the provinces of
Toledo and Guadalajara. The most important and most sought-after
species is the Red-legged Partridge, of which there are plenty.
Also very important is the Sierra of Grados, 170km from Madrid,
where the sportsman can go in search of the beautiful and difficult
trophy of the Spanish Ibex. There is the Statgerun Parador of Gredos,
which can be used as a starting point for excursions and hunting
parties.
If one wants to hunt in this Reserve, one has to have not only the
corresponding hunting permit, but also a special permission from the
department administering the Reserve.
In the surroundings of Madrid, there are many rivers where fishing
is good. The most abundant species include: Common Trout, Pike, Black
Bass, Bue Carp and other members of the Carp family. The most
important trout rivers are the Lozoya, Jarama, Manzanares, Alberche,
Tormes, J?ar, Tagus, Escabas, Cabriel, Eresma, Estena, Alto Duero and
Tera, which have many fish reserves. What is more, there are plenty of
reservoirs where it is possible to fish, among them, El Burguillo,
Entrepeñas and Buendía.
SNOW AND MOUNTAINS
Skiing is a further attraction of the winters in Madrid. Only 50km
from the capital, there is the skiing resort of Navacerrada, which is
perfectly connected by road and train. One of its runs is
international, with a length of 3,500m over a slope descending over
750m. There are many mechanical installations, ski schools and shops
with sports articles. Other such centers are the mountain pass of
Cotos and Valdesqu, which are also skiing resorts where the sport can
be practised. Cotos lies 7km from Navacerrada and has splendid natural
conditions with heights between 1,700 and 2,300m over a slope
descending for 690 m. From Cotos, it is possible to reach the Lagoon
of Peñalara, where the scenery is extremely beautiful with a view of
the Peak of Peñalara and the Ridge of Los Claveles.
About 100km from Madrid, at Riaza, there is La Pinilla, which has
magnificent natural runs as well as sports and tourist installations.
Apart from hunting and fishing, mountaineering is possible in the
Sierra of Gredos. The massif is a powerful wall between two Castilian
mesetas and reaches its highest point at the Pico de Almanzor. |
