Weekend trips by train
Trains change the arithmetic of a weekend: no car, no parking and no ninety minutes of airport. Two days stretch further than you'd think.
From Madrid
Segovia and Toledo are under 35 minutes on high-speed rail, which turns a Saturday into a complete trip without staying over. Valencia is under two hours, Córdoba under two, Zaragoza an hour and a quarter, Seville two and a half. Any of them is a comfortable two-night weekend.
From Barcelona
Girona in 40 minutes, Tarragona in just over half an hour, Zaragoza in an hour and a quarter, Valencia in about three. Girona also gives quick bus access to the Costa Brava.
What two days really covers
A mid-sized city (Segovia, Girona, Tarragona) is comfortable in two days. A large one (Seville, Valencia) needs three to avoid rushing. The classic mistake is fitting two cities into one weekend: you end up seeing stations.
Making tickets cheaper
High-speed tickets are far cheaper booked ahead, and the lowest fares tend to appear as soon as sales open. Low-cost operators on some main routes drag prices down, so compare operators before buying.
Weekend budget
With a ticket booked ahead, simple accommodation and eating well but without excess, a two-night weekend in a Spanish city runs 150 to 250 euros per person. That's a figure that makes doing it several times a year realistic.
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