My Top 6 Excursions in Spain

By Ainsley T.

During my Au Pair Spain program I lived with a host family in the town Aranjuez, about 50 minutes south of Madrid. Aranjuez is a beautiful historic municipality with amazing restaurants and its own public transport system. This made it easy to explore my host community—a typical ride was €1.30.

It was also easy and inexpensive to get into Madrid via Cercanías trains—local commuter trains that serve major cities in Spain. I’d take them by myself on my day off on Sundays or when traveling with fellow au pairs. A roundtrip ticket from Aranjuez to Madrid cost €8.10.

I traveled a lot while on my Au Pair Spain program and experienced authentic Spanish culture and history I would have missed had I been traveling as a tourist. To all future Au Pair Spain participants, ask your host family about interesting things to do in the area and you’ll find some treasures that you would not have otherwise!

Here are my top excursions in Spain:

1. Royal Palace of Aranjuez

Image courtesy of Ainsley T. Standing in front of the Royal Palace of Aranjuez

1. Royal Palace of Aranjuez

My first weekend in Spain my host family showed me around Aranjuez, including the Royal Palace, which was used by the royal family in the summer. We had a great time exploring the ornately decorated rooms before lunching at a nice restaurant (a tradition of my host family’s). It was a great introduction to the culture of Spain.

2. Royal Gardens Walking Tour & Riverboat Cruise in Aranjuez

Image courtesy of Ainsley T. Playing captain during the riverboat cruise in Aranjuez!

2. Royal Gardens Walking Tour & Riverboat Cruise in Aranjuez

I enjoyed the Royal Palace so much, I returned with the 10-year-old girl I cared for to tour the royal gardens and take a river boat cruise. This was a great way to bond and learn interesting things about the town, the Spanish royal family, and classical sculpture.

3. Horseback Riding in the Aranjuez Countryside

Image courtesy of Ainsley T. Horseback riding in the Aranjuez countryside

3. Horseback Riding in the Aranjuez Countryside

Besides just doing the average tourist sights, I went horseback riding with my host mom and the girl I cared for—something I hadn’t done since I was a child. I got to see a little more of the countryside and fields surrounding Aranjuez.

4. Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid

Image courtesy of Ainsley T. Outside Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid with fellow au pairs

4. Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid

While my host community had a lot to offer, I also wanted to explore other parts of Spain on my day off. I went to Madrid with two other au pairs (Kerstin and Marlene) I met on the program to see the Santiago Bernabéu stadium where the professional football club Real Madrid plays.

5. Toledo

Image courtesy of Ainsley T. Toldeo was beautiful!

5. Toledo

I also found that in order to get a good feel for the culture and history of Spain, it was helpful to travel outside of Madrid. Toledo, a rather small city in the central part of the country, is steeped in so much history that you need several days to see everything it has to offer. Despite the heat, this was my favorite place in Spain because it’s filled with so much history and beauty!

6. Segovia

Image courtesy of Ainsley T. Standing in front of the Aqueduct of Segovia

6. Segovia

The historic city of Segovia, in northwestern Spain’s Castile and León region, is worth a visit too. Another au pair and I spent a day exploring the roman aqueducts, Alcázar of Segovia (a medieval fortress), and enjoying the perfect temperature. I found Segovia particularly interesting given its location in the autonomous region of Castile and León.