Just an hour away from Madrid is the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, dominated by the vast palace-monastery built by Philip II. The town is only an hour northwest of Madrid, easily accessible by the Cercanías train from Madrid's Atocha station. Toledo is only a 33-minute ride on the high-speed AVE train from Madrid’s Puerta de Atocha station. The high-speed AVE train takes 50 minutes from Madrid’s Atocha station to Cuenca. Alcalá de Henares is 40 minutes from Madrid’s Atocha station on the Cercanías train.

Source: The Local February 21, 2019 12:11 UTC