At the point where the Rivers Tagus and Jarama converge lies the Palacio Real de Aranjuez, residence of the King of Spain. It is a beautiful palace with spectacular grounds, which also houses a smaller palace called the Casa del Labrador. The palace gardens incorporate the River Tagus and the Ria Canal and a man-made island called the Jardin de la Isla lies between the two. The on-site Museo de la Vida en Palacio houses impressive historical collections as well as some amazing art. The museum also details the daily lives of previous Spanish monarchs. Another museum, the Museo de las Falúas Reales, contains an extraordinary collection of royal pleasure barges.

A short drive from Madrid, you will find San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a town located in the hills of the Sierra de Guadarrama. This town is home to the renowned Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is surrounded by dramatic countryside and the Valle de los Caidos. The monastery was built in 1584 to house the body of Charles V and contains a beautiful Basilica-church as well as the royal household and a library. Some royal figures were interned here including Phillip II, Charles V and the Empress Isabel of Portugal. Inside the church there are two huge cenotaphs each side of the altar, one pays tribute to the monastery’s founder, King Philip II and the other to Charles V. Beneath the altar you can see the Pantheon of Kings. The Gallery of Battles is also worth mentioning, it depicts scenes celebrating Phillip’s battles.

The aqueduct in ancient town of Segovia is another World Heritage Site and is situated around 80 kilometres from Madrid. You can take a bus there from the centre. The aqueduct was built in the 1st Century AD by the Romans. Its purpose was to supply water to the Roman fort on a nearby hillside. The best vantage point to see the aqueduct in all its glory is Azoguejo Square. Segovia has many other noteworthy sites including the walled Old Town and Alcázar, an 11th-Century palace, which was once home to an impressive list of Royals. Other places of interest are the Gothic Cathedral, the Casa de los Picos or 'The House of the Points' and the Museo de Segovia, which houses exhibits related to the city’s life and culture.

Toledo is another town worth visiting as it too has a quaint Old Quarter called el Casco. It is enveloped by the River Tagus and contains a network of tiny cobbled streets. You can take a guided tram tour of the city or you can get around on foot. It’s worth crossing the river and climbing the neighbouring hills to get a good view of the city. On a hilltop overlooking the city stands the Cathedral, which houses many gold reliefs, enormous oil paintings and some historic portraits of Toledo’s Cardinals. Masterpieces by Rubens, Raphael, Rubens, Titian and Goya are also displayed here. Also worth seeing are the big, square building known as The Alcazar, which looks out onto Franco’s old barracks, another stunning church called the San Juan de Los Reyes and the Jesuits Church in the Jewish Quarter. From the top of the huge spires you can get a fantastic view of the city.