Madrid holds a lot of hiking companies. Especially in the north area, since the distinctive mountains and paths placed there, together with fauna and flora, make this one of the most beautiful places in Madrid.

If you decide to do hiking in Madrid, you will probably be surprised because of the strong contrast between its authentic city views and its natural and diverse sceneries of great wealth that few people can imagine. Due to the central location of Madrid in the Iberian Peninsula, you will be able to move easily between spots, as Sierra de Guadarrama and Valle del Lozoya, to abandon the hustle and bustle for some hours.

We leave you here a video about a guided hiking route through the Madrid mountain range so that you can further know how it works:

Which are the best areas to do hiking in Madrid?

El Escorial-Robledo de Chavela; Circular Siete Picos, that touch both parts of Sierra de Guadarrama: the one within Madrid and the one in Segovia; the Navacerrada pass, through several tracks such as Camino Schmid, Fuenfria, Fuente la Reina and Rio Frio, where there are stages suitable for everyone; Los Molinos and other many areas where hiking companies carry out guided hiking routes and groups meetings to explain the peculiarities of paths and tracks.

There are almost one hundred hiking companies that offer guided hiking tours leaving from the city of Madrid. Doing hiking you will reach as far as the hills of Alcala, to wander about old Celtiberian and Islamic settlements. Or maybe, you want to become an authentic explorer like Bear Grylls and discover the Barranco del río Dulce Natural Park, in the town of Pelegrina. Another spot that you cannot leave behind is the surroundings of Monasterio del Escorial. This route, where you will visit Fuente del Seminario, Fuente de la Virgen de Gracia and Fuente de las Arenitas, will take you 3 hours approximately. You will make a stop in the so-called Silla de Felipe II, a special location where you will enjoy a panoramic view of the entire area.

You won’t have problems traveling along the easy paths that make up the route of Hoces del Jarama. You will love this route, especially because of the views of the meanders that shape the Lozoya riverbed and the griffon vultures that usually fly over here. On the lower reaches of the same river, it is situated the ecological track that goes from Manjiron to Presa del Villar. This one is a bit more complex and high. However, if come what may, you want to experience hiking with your little ones, children from 6 years old onwards can participate in the scheduled hiking routes through Sierra de Guadarrama.

In Talamanca del Jarama there is a beautiful hiking route based on the shootings that have taken place in the suburbs of the town. For 5 hours, approximately, you will be discovering which landscapes have been part of some Spanish blockbusters, such as Conan el Bárbaro [Conan The Barbarian] and Aguila Roja.

If you like climbing, you must go up to Cerro de San Benito, starting from Paradilla, located in the valley of Herreria. No more and no less than 500 meters of high ground where on clear days can be seen the Gredos mountains. On the border of the province with Segovia, it is located Pico de la Buitrera, in Sierra de Ayllon. Being transported from Madrid city centre, you will get to know the more than 2,000 meters of height that this peak reaches.

Leaving from other towns of the Community of Madrid, you will find the hiking route of San Martin de Valdeiglesias, close to Avila and Toledo. This is a good place from leaving to the peak of Cabrera Baja, an environmentally protected area because of birds and a landscape dominated by stone pines.

Leaving Pozuelo de Alarcon you can get to know the path of Los Campamentos, where an expert biologist will guide you and explain everything about the environment for a half day. It is in Valle de la Fuenfria, in the same place as Cercedilla. Pets are allowed here, just in case you want to come with your dog. Also, here in Cercedilla, leaving from las Rozas, there is a special route through the valley aimed at children, that includes gymkhanas and outdoor activities.

If you prefer to leave from Collado Mediano, there are also scheduled hiking routes to Embalse de la Jarosa. Even though it is the smallest one of all the Madrid mountain range, in spring its landscape becomes of unparalleled beauty because of the flowering of the trees. Another possibility is to make a reservation to do the Bola del Mundo hiking route, in Valle de la Barranca.

In the west area, located 50 kilometers away from the city of Madrid, you can attend to the deer-bellow time leaving from Navas del Rey, but you will have to consider first the estrous cycle period of these animals. The rest of the year there are several participative hiking routes to try to find stunning imperial eagles or characteristic black storks.

La Pedriza is another popular place for hill walkers, but if you are seeking something more complicated, take note of this hiking route leaving from Tres Cantos. It is a 20-kilometer route that lasts for a whole day. You will be able to see here the pinkish colors that stand out the rocks of these slopes.

At nightfall, the adventure doesn’t finish at all. We propose an astronomical hiking route. For this purpose, the town of Robledo de Chavela becomes an authentic observatory to contemplate the starry sky, away from the light pollution of the cities.

Leaving behind traditional hiking, we find Nordic walking. This sport consists of walking while coordinating arms and steps and carrying walking sticks. You will be able to try this sport in Madrid Rio. And if you prefer to try it out of the city, you can go to Lozoya del Valle, where they combine this activity with archery.

And don’t forget that traditional hiking can be done wherever! For this reason, you also can experience hiking in Miraflores de la Sierra and Manzanares el Real, leaving from Aranjuez or Becerril. Other hiking routes are to Villavieja de Lozoya leaving from San Sebastian de los Reyes or Majadahonda. And if the south of Madrid seems a more convincing area for you, there are also hiking routes in Valdemorillo and Getafe. Don’t leave behind destinations as Santa María de Alamedia, Rascafria, Chapineria, El Boalo, Alpedrete or Pinilla de Buitrago. You will easily find transport to the mountain range in Torrejon de Ardoz and Alcobendas.