Europcar

Work hard in Madrid and unwind away from the city

Dancing With My Girlfriend At A Rooftop Party From Pov

You are about to leave on a business trip to beautiful Madrid. But wanting to unplug before or after an important meeting is natural. We can help. Here are six cities near Madrid you can drive to, walk around, hike, shop and mix business with pleasure in the best possible way.

You need to relax before addressing an audience of 20 poker-faced men 

If you want to stop thinking about that opening speech for the consultative meeting on Social Health Protection Mechanism Rascafría, near Collado Villalba, is all you truly need as it doesn’t remotely resemble a cityscape. Whether you want to stroll through its charming streets, or swim in the lakes, this gorgeous region, littered with farms, is snuggled right in the mountains surrounding Madrid. Whatever you choose to do, you will forget about the rewriting of the Harmonisation of Policies and Programmes

28740 Rascafria

 

Asian Girl Exploring Hedge Maze

You mumble about quarterly projections in your sleep so it is time to chill

You definitely need a change of scenery before your meeting with the board of directors. Gear up to explore El Escorial, only 20 minutes’ drive from Collado Villalba, one of the most prominent sites in Spain’s royal history. Did you know most of the Spanish kings and emperors of the last five centuries were buried in the Basilica? While marveling at the 26 marble sepulchers, business plans and cost reduction will be no more than a distant memory. 

El Escorial, Av Juan de Borbón y Battemberg, s/n, 28200 San Lorenzo de El Escorial

You are about to present your financial report, but all you want to do is brag on Instagram 

Located 19 miles (31 km) from Madrid’s craziness, Alcalá de Henares is exactly what you are looking for. It’s a small and beautiful medieval city with an amazing ancient university and even a medieval brothel (of course, not opened for business anymore). Alcalá de Henares is packed with tavern-style tapas restaurants and friendly locals. In fact, you will once and for all prove that you can work hard and play hard…

28801, Alcalá de Henares

 

Rear View Of A Woman On A Rocks Watching Sierra De Guadarrama. Madrid, Spain. Mountains At Sunset With Clouds

You need some ‘me time’ from your chatty and over-committed colleague 

Drive to Aranjuez, located only 30 minutes from Pinto, a town where the Spanish royals used to go on holiday. It is an exceptionally beautiful place with hundreds of gardens, fountains, trails, waterfalls, sculptures and buildings. This quiet and peaceful town will be an ideal place to hide away from that co-worker who relishes any opportunity of describing his stamp collection in painful details.

28300, Aranjuez

You work with millennials and you feel ancient 

Colmenar Viejo, 6 miles (10 km) from Tres Cantos, was settled in the 7th century. This ancient and gorgeous city, where time moves slowly, is the perfect antidote for your fast-paced life. You will even put your phone on “airplane mode” at the Parque Regional Cuenca Alta Del Manzanares. And nobody will make fun of you because you need a little nap after lunch. 

28770, Colmenar Viejo

 

See more articles

More from Europcar