Camping Alpha

Head into Madrid (20 minutes’ drive) to view spectacular Old Masters at the Museo Nacional del Prado and contemporary works at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. Alternatively, picnic under the trees in Buen Retiro Park, browse the artisan stalls at El Rastro flea market and hang out in tapas bars around Plaza de España. But Madrid is not the only gorgeous city close by. Heading a bit further afield, you can visit Toledo (45 minutes) to tour the exquisite 10th-century Mezquita Cristo de la Luz and the gaily painted interior of the Gothic-era Catedral Primada. Other options include a trifecta of UNESCO-listed cities and their architectural wonders: the gardens and palaces of Aranjuez (half an hour), Segovia’s Jewish Quarter and the wraparound medieval walls of Ávila (both 90 minutes). Closer to base camp, make a beeline for Cerro de los Ángeles (half an hour’s walk), a hilltop complex regarded as the geographical centre of Spain, where you can admire the monastery and monumental statue of Jesus. If the kids are getting impatient with all this culture, the antidote is surely Parque Warner Madrid (20 minutes’ drive) with adrenaline-busting rollercoasters and gentle rides for those of a more nervous disposition.