Snapshot: Madrid & Toledo

Rick Steves Snapshot: Madrid & Toledo contains the complete chapters on both of these cities and their day trips, excerpted from Rick's complete Spain guidebook — and leaves out the chapters on other destinations. So if all you want is Madrid, Toledo, and what's nearby, this compact Snapshot guide delivers everything you'll need to know — for about half the price and half the bulk.

Inside you'll find in-depth, Rick-tested information on the best sights, activities, hotels, and restaurants for both cities, and plenty of extras:

• Madrid
  • Including self-guided Puerta del Sol to Royal Palace walk and tours of the Royal Palace, Prado Museum, Centro de Arte de Reina Sofía, the Gran Vía, and two fun bus rides, plus plenty of nightlife suggestions
• Toledo
  • Including self-guided bus ride from Santo Tomé to Plaza de Zocodover, and cathedral tour
• Northwest of Madrid
  • El Escorial (including self-guided tour of the Monasterio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial)
  • Valley of the Fallen
  • Segovia Walk
  • Ávila
• And more
  • Advice on planning your time
  • Easy-to-follow maps
  • Transportation tips for getting around by train, bus, or car
  • Sidebars on the region's history, culture, and cuisine
  • Handy Spanish survival phrases
  • Basic tips on managing money, communicating, reserving rooms, handling emergencies, and other helpful hints

Should I get this Snapshot guide in addition to Rick's complete Spain guidebook?

Nope! Our Snapshot guides are simply excerpted chapters from our full-length guidebooks. Snapshot: Madrid & Toledo covers the exact same topics as the Madrid, Northwest of Madrid, and Toledo chapters of the complete Rick Steves Spain guidebook — the same hotels, same restaurants, same sightseeing information, same everything.

Should I get this Snapshot guide in addition to Rick's Best of Spain guidebook?

Probably not — Rick Steves Best of Spain has nearly as much information on Madrid and Toledo as the Snapshot guide. The Madrid & Toledo Snapshot does provide significantly more detail on day trips northwest of Madrid — if you'd like more comprehensive coverage of El Escorial, the Valley of the Fallen, and Segovia (or info on Ávila, which isn't included in Best of Spain), the Snapshot guide is worthwhile.

Latest updates: When we learn of critical changes to the information in our guidebooks on Spain, we post them. (Of course, it's still smart to reconfirm critical transportation and sightseeing details locally.) Armed with a Rick Steves guidebook and these late-breaking updates, you're set for a great trip!

Submit feedback: Once you've used this book in Europe, we'd love to hear your feedback — good or bad — about our advice on sights, hotels, restaurants, and travel tips. We're also interested in any tips or discoveries you made while in Europe. Your comments help us improve our guidebooks for future travelers.