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Camping: Where to pitch
Want to escape from the city, but your budget won’t extend to a casa rural? Patricia Dawn Severenuk digs out her inflatable mattress to find five open-air alternatives within an hour’s drive of the capital

Nights under the stars, falling asleep to the sound of leaves dancing in the breeze, the camaraderie of meeting fellow campers . . . there are some experiences that you can’t duplicate when staying in a hotel.
True to Spaniards’ love of socialising and being close, Spanish campsites are mostly located close to large cities (environmental laws discourage entrepreneurs from opening campsites in protected spaces). Plots can be a lot smaller than their British or American counterparts, too. But what you lose in green space, you gain in convenience and company.

Camping among history: Aranjuez
While most campsites offer some kind of greenery and shade, Camping International Aranjuez may be the only one that requires permission from the Royal Family to conduct landscaping work.
The campsite sits within the grounds of the Real Cortijo de San Isidro, on the banks of the Tagus River, surrounding campers with amazing views of the Royal Gardens, especially from the riverbank restaurant/bar. It’s managed by a young, dynamic Belgian guy who can arrange all kinds of activities, from kayaking through the gardens to skydiving. Best of all, it’s only 75 minutes from Madrid — including the walk from the train station. Camping-Bungalows Internacional Aranjuez, Antigua Carretera N-IV, Km46.8, Aranjuez, tel: 91 891 13 95 (Aranjuez RENFE, Cercanías Line C3). Small plot (big enough for 1-2 small tents): €8, adults €4.

The gateway to the city: Camping Osuna
Hotel rooms near any major international airport can be expensive. But who would’ve thought that tucked into a small triangle of land near Barajas, just beside the Alameda de Osuna park, is a good alternative if you’ve got a tent and an early morning flight, as it lies less than a kilometre from the airport.
It’s not cheap (adults and tents run a steep €7 each). That said, when was the last time you got the opportunity to sleep next door to a palace filled with frescoes by Francisco de Goya, before catching a flight?
Camping Osuna, Avda de Logroño s/n, tel: 91 741 05 10 (Metro: Alameda de Osuna). Bus 115 from Avenida de América station.

The great green escape: Cantalojas
Located just east of the meeting points for Madrid, Guadalajara and Segovia, the Tejera Negra Nature Park is one of those nature reserves that everyone seems to know about but few have ever visited. Its proximity to the city makes it a good weekend away if you’re dying for some fresh air.
What the campsite lacks in facilities (no pool) it more than makes up for in green tourism options such as hiking, fishing and mountain biking — good thing, since the closest town, Cantalojas, is short on nightlife (with only 300 inhabitants and no regular bus service). Camping Los Bonales, Paraje Los Bonales, Cantalojas (Guadalajara), tel: 94 982 80 43. The town can be reached by car by taking the A1 to Cereza de Abajo, direction Riaza, and the CM110 south the turnoff to Villacadmia. Tents: €4.50, adults €3.80.

The easy weekend away: Segovia
Segovia’s Camping El Acueducto is perfectly situated to enjoy the best of both worlds: To the west, Segovia’s historic city centre is less than a half-hour’s walk away; to the east, you’ve got the Royal Palaces of San Ildefonso and Valsaín. Campsites don’t get much more shade than this — the location is easily recognisable by the large stand of trembling poplars that protect the site. Camping El Acueducto is located on the Segovia-San Ildefonso road (Avenida de Don Juan de Borbón, 49, Segovia) tel: 92 142 50 00. Tents: €5.40, adults €5.40, children under 10 years old €4.40. See www.campingacueducto.com for more information.

The party on the move: El Escorial
To be fair, Camping El Escorial isn’t a party all the time, though it may not seem that way when you see the quantity of dreadlocks and hula-hoops coming back into the city on the 661 bus every Sunday night. When school’s out, though, the atmosphere changes; Camping El Escorial is a perennial favourite with young families (who appreciate the relatively cheap prices) and hikers, who take advantage of the campsite’s proximity to the Sierra de Guadarrama to go climbing and walking. And with nearly 1,400 camping spaces spread over 40 hectares of land, it’s easy enough to get away from the wild ones, especially if you get away midweek. Camping El Escorial is located on regional road M600, Km3.5, tel: 91 890 24 12. If you’re taking public transit, you need bus 661 from platform 3 in Moncloa. Tents: €6.25, adults €6.25, children €6.15. See www.campingelescorial.com for more information.

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art&culture entertainment virtual mag forum back issues services advertise classifieds multimedia mailinglist Click here to subscribe to the monthly InMadrid Newsletter!	cover story Camping: Where to pitch Want to escape from the city, but your budget won’t extend to a casa rural? Patricia Dawn Severenuk digs out her inflatable mattress to find five open-air alternatives within an hour’s drive of the capital Nights under the stars, falling asleep to the sound of leaves dancing in the breeze, the camaraderie of meeting fellow campers . . . there are some experiences that you can’t duplicate when staying in a hotel. True to Spaniards’ love of socialising and being close, Spanish campsites are mostly located close to large cities (environmental laws discourage entrepreneurs from opening campsites in protected spaces). Plots can be a lot smaller than their British or American counterparts, too. But what you lose in green space, you gain in convenience and company. Camping among history: Aranjuez While most campsites offer some kind of greenery and shade, Camping International Aranjuez may be the only one that requires permission from the Royal Family to conduct landscaping work. The campsite sits within the grounds of the Real Cortijo de San Isidro, on the banks of the Tagus River, surrounding campers with amazing views of the Royal Gardens, especially from the riverbank restaurant/bar. It’s managed by a young, dynamic Belgian guy who can arrange all kinds of activities, from kayaking through the gardens to skydiving. Best of all, it’s only 75 minutes from Madrid — including the walk from the train station. Camping-Bungalows Internacional Aranjuez, Antigua Carretera N-IV, Km46.8, Aranjuez, tel: 91 891 13 95 (Aranjuez RENFE, Cercanías Line C3). Small plot (big enough for 1-2 small tents): €8, adults €4. The gateway to the city: Camping Osuna Hotel rooms near any major international airport can be expensive. But who would’ve thought that tucked into a small triangle of land near Barajas, just beside the Alameda de Osuna park, is a good alternative if you’ve got a tent and an early morning flight, as it lies less than a kilometre from the airport. It’s not cheap (adults and tents run a steep €7 each). That said, when was the last time you got the opportunity to sleep next door to a palace filled with frescoes by Francisco de Goya, before catching a flight? Camping Osuna, Avda de Logroño s/n, tel: 91 741 05 10 (Metro: Alameda de Osuna). Bus 115 from Avenida de América station. The great green escape: Cantalojas Located just east of the meeting points for Madrid, Guadalajara and Segovia, the Tejera Negra Nature Park is one of those nature reserves that everyone seems to know about but few have ever visited. Its proximity to the city makes it a good weekend away if you’re dying for some fresh air. What the campsite lacks in facilities (no pool) it more than makes up for in green tourism options such as hiking, fishing and mountain biking — good thing, since the closest town, Cantalojas, is short on nightlife (with only 300 inhabitants and no regular bus service). Camping Los Bonales, Paraje Los Bonales, Cantalojas (Guadalajara), tel: 94 982 80 43. The town can be reached by car by taking the A1 to Cereza de Abajo, direction Riaza, and the CM110 south the turnoff to Villacadmia. Tents: €4.50, adults €3.80. The easy weekend away: Segovia Segovia’s Camping El Acueducto is perfectly situated to enjoy the best of both worlds: To the west, Segovia’s historic city centre is less than a half-hour’s walk away; to the east, you’ve got the Royal Palaces of San Ildefonso and Valsaín. Campsites don’t get much more shade than this — the location is easily recognisable by the large stand of trembling poplars that protect the site. Camping El Acueducto is located on the Segovia-San Ildefonso road (Avenida de Don Juan de Borbón, 49, Segovia) tel: 92 142 50 00. Tents: €5.40, adults €5.40, children under 10 years old €4.40. See www.campingacueducto.com for more information. The party on the move: El Escorial To be fair, Camping El Escorial isn’t a party all the time, though it may not seem that way when you see the quantity of dreadlocks and hula-hoops coming back into the city on the 661 bus every Sunday night. When school’s out, though, the atmosphere changes; Camping El Escorial is a perennial favourite with young families (who appreciate the relatively cheap prices) and hikers, who take advantage of the campsite’s proximity to the Sierra de Guadarrama to go climbing and walking. And with nearly 1,400 camping spaces spread over 40 hectares of land, it’s easy enough to get away from the wild ones, especially if you get away midweek. Camping El Escorial is located on regional road M600, Km3.5, tel: 91 890 24 12. If you’re taking public transit, you need bus 661 from platform 3 in Moncloa. Tents: €6.25, adults €6.25, children €6.15. See www.campingelescorial.com for more information. home