On a budget, Toledo Day-Trip still earns its price.
Train ~€25 return; sights extra
Arguably the best day-trip from Madrid: a hilltop maze of Gothic cathedral, El Greco, synagogues and mosques, with a jaw-dropping panorama from across the river. The catch is the steep cobbled lanes are tough on the knees, the centre clogs with tour groups midday, and a half-day isn't really enough.