This was an ambitious driving vacation that we loved - starting in Madrid and then skirting the coastline down to Lisbon. Very diverse, packed with history, great food! Days 1 and 2: Madrid We hit the ground running - thankfully the city
***San Lorenzo de El Escorial (45km north-west of Madrid) makes a good day trip. It's very grand and impressive, on the world’s best libraries list. Avoid weekends if you can and allow 2-3 hours for your visit. The library is spectacular,
We’re Madrid people (not Barcelona people) - it’s a great city that feels just right when you visit. I'd recommend spending at least 3-4 days in the city, and doing one museum a day, rather than packing them all in