Overview
A seven day, self-guided walking holiday in Spain’s Sierra de Guadarrama, a region made famous by Ernest Hemingway, in his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Just 60km north-west of Madrid, a tapas of trekking trails awaits in these mountains, including Guadarrama ridge, the Seven Picos of Cercedilla and the impressive granite peaks near Navacerrada and Cotos Pass, rising well above 2,000m. Starting in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a town famous for its Renaissance monastery of the same name, at the foot of Mount Abantos, your hiking days take you into Las Machotas hills and on ascents of Mounts Peñalara and Abantos. Your trip comes to a close in Segovia, a World Heritage City.
- San Lorenzo de El Escorial
- Sierra de Guadarrama National Park
- Fuenfría Valley
- Las Machotas Hills
- Cercedilla
- Peñalara Natural Park
- Valsain Valley
- Segovia
Itinerary
Day 1: San Lorenzo del Escorial
Depending on arrival time, spend the afternoon discovering the town, with fantastic views of the Machotas Hills and Mount Abantos. We highly recommend a walk to the Real Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial, considered the most important architectural monument of the Spanish Renaissance.
- Accommodation: Hotel Posada Don Jaime or similar in San Lorenzo del Escorial
Day 2: The Machotas Hills loop | 13-15km
Walk to King Felipe’s seat, the vantage point where it’s said that King Felipe would sit and observe progress being made on building the Monastery. Next, climb the Machotas HIlls (1,410 and 1,466m) to take in views out over the countryside as far as the Madrid skyline. For an easier day, skip the ascent of Machota Baja.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 5h ↑↓750m, or 13km, 4h ↑↓600m
- Accommodation: Hotel Posada Don Jaime or similar in San Lorenzo del Escorial
Day 3: Escorial – Cercedilla | 12-19km
Today’s walk has four options depending on the desired length and level of challenge. Start the day with an ascent of Mount Abantos (1,753m) and then along the ridge, with views of the 150m-high cross of Valle de los Caídos monument. Continue on to El León Pass, where there is a bar and restaurant, or descend to Guadarrama Reservoir to meet your taxi transfer to Cercedilla. Alternatively, a challenging circular walk up to Abantos is also available, or even a short walk in Collado Mediano for a more relaxed day.
- Walking for the day (option 1): 19km, 7h ↑1,050m ↓60m (end at El León pass)
- Walking for the day (option 2): 16 m, 6h ↑850m (end at Guadarrama reservoir)
- Walking for the day (option 3): 12km, 4h ↑210m ↓550m (El León pass to Cercedilla)
- Walking for the day (option 4): 12km, 4-5h ↑ 750m (walk to Abantos)
- Accommodation: Casa Peña Pintada or similar in Cercedilla
Day 4: Fuenfría Valley | 10-16km
The Fuenfría Valley offers multiple options for today. For an easier route there is a scenic 10km circular, as well as a more challenging walk along the remains of a roman road that climbs up to a 1,792m high pass, or a more challenging route that tackles 2,100m high peaks.
- Walking for the day: 10km ↑↓450m / 12km ↑↓650m / 16km ↑↓850m
- Accommodation: Casa Peña Pintada or similar in Cercedilla
Day 5: Cercedilla – La Granja | 15-20km
Take the mountain train from Cercedilla to Cotos Pass (payable locally). Head on up to Mount Peñalara, with views across Rascafría Valley and several lakes and glacier formations. From Nevero Pass (2,096m) descend to La Granja, known as the Spanish Versailles due to its impressive royal palace. For a longer walk, continue along the ridge for another 5km. In the event of bad weather, descend to Valsain Valley for a gentle walk along the stream.
- Walking for the day: 19.5km, 6-7h, ↑550m ↓1,200m / 14.7km 5-6h, ↑400m ↓1,050m
- Accommodation: Hotel Roma or similar in La Granja de San Ildefonso
- Optional upgrade: Parador de La Granja or similar in La Granja de San Ildefonso
Day 6: La Granja – Segovia | 13km
Today’s walk heads through Valsain Valley, where we recommend a visit to the 18th-century Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso, famous for its gardens, sculptures and fountains. Continue along the stream, before heading up to Cerro del Puerco, where you can visit the Spanish Civil War fortress and trenches and take in views of the Valsain Valley. Finally, you take our transfer to nearby Segovia, a World Heritage City famous for its Roman aqueduct and medieval castle.
- Walking for the day: 13km, ↑4h, ↓350m.
- Accommodation: Hab Urban Hostel or similar in Segovia
Day 7: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes mostly family-run guesthouses, pensions and small hotels. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to natural adventures. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Posada Don Jaime (San Lorenzo del Escorial)
- Hotel de Martin (San Lorenzo del Escorial)
- Casa Peña Pintada (Cercedilla)
- Hotel Roma (La Granja de San Ildefonso)
- Hab Urban Hostel (Segovia)
- Hotel Don Felipe (Segovia)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Click to view upgraded hotel
- Parador de La Granja (La Granja de San Ildefonso)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Three breakfasts are included on days three to five, as well as two picnic lunches. On days that breakfast is not included, there are many cafés around. When no restaurant location is available on route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either from the restaurant in your accommodation or restaurants in the village near your hotel.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated moderate with daily distances between 10-20km. The tour is suitable for seasoned walkers with a good level of fitness and the option on some days to extend for a more strenuous walk (read more about difficulty grades). If you choose the strenuous walks, you will walk on average 17.5km/6-7h per day. Some of the optional walks are demanding and are appropriate for very experienced walkers, used to uneven terrain.
We provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available in April to June, and September and October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, meaning you can start your trip on any date during the season. If you wish to travel on other dates please enquire with us.
We don’t offer holidays in the peak tourism months of July and August, as it’s often too hot for hiking. See our blog post Best times to go to Spain for more information on when to visit.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this holiday is Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD).
By train or bus
- Arrival in San Lorenzo del Escorial: From Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport, take the bus to the city centre (bus number 200,101 or 203) and then bus 661 to the bus station in San Lorenzo del Escorial. For more information use the Omio planner above.
- Departure from Segovia: From Segovia Guiomar Station, you can take an AVANT train to Madrid Chamartin train station and then the Metro to the airport. For more information use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights accommodation
- 3 breakfasts
- 2 picnic lunches in Cercedilla
- Digital and printed tour materials including GPS tracks, route notes, maps and important telephone numbers
- Welcome briefing with local host
- Luggage transfers between accommodations on all walking days (one piece of luggage per person, as well as one small backpack or bag)
- Taxi day three – El Escorial to Cercedilla
- Taxi day six – La Granja to Segovia
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Flights and airport transfers
- Train tickets from Cercedilla to Cotos (€8-10 per person)
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses such as refreshments, phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Entrance fees for attractions and museums
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights in Segovia at the end of the tour
- Extra night in Madrid
Spain’s legal requirement for personal information
Please note: in December 2024, the Spanish government introduced a new law making it a legal obligation for all visitors to Spain to share personal details with their accommodations and car rental companies. Consequently, as we book your accommodation for you, we are obliged to pass these on to our local partners on the ground. After booking your holiday, we will send you a form to complete requesting all the legally-required information, including: name, nationality, gender, passport number, DOB, address, phone numbers and email address. This applies to all travellers aged 14 and over. If you are travelling with people under 14 years old, you need to declare your relationship to them. We apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, see here.
