Things to do in Cercedilla

Located 56 kilometres from Madrid, Cercedilla is a mountain town in the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range. Cercedilla is also the gateway to many excursions in the Sierra de Guadarrama Natural Park. Its proximity to Madrid, unique setting and great gastronomy, make this place a favourite among the people of Madrid. Discover the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park as well as the charming village of Cercedilla.

Organise your travel itinerary with Passporter, completely free to use, easy and practical. Get inspired by the experiences of other travellers and choose the places that interest you most by adding them to your route map.

Things to see in Cercedilla Madrid

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Roman road and bridges

Located in the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, there are stretches where the Roman road is still visible for about 2.25 km.

In the Fuenfría Valley you can admire three of the four existing Roman bridges: Puente de la Venta, Puente del Descalzo, and Puente de En medio. There is also the Molino or Reajo bridge located near the RENFE train station.

Joaquín Sorolla Centre

This old building is an example of mountain architecture that has practically disappeared. The building is notable for the Segovian sgraffito on its façade, a technique that is no longer in use. It has recently been restored and is currently a Music School and Youth Information Centre.

Railway station

It was built between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century by the Compañía de Ferrocarriles del Norte (Northern Railway Company) as a communications hub between Madrid and Segovia. This is a symbolic building of the civil constructions of the period. It was inaugurated in 1923, together with the Cercedilla-Puerto de Navacerrada section.

The so-called Nature Train runs along its tracks from Cercedilla to Puerto de los Cotos. This attraction aims to awaken interest and respect for the natural resources of the Sierra de Guadarrama.

Light Factory

On the Las Dehesas road is the old hydroelectric power station that supplied electricity to the streets and houses of Cercedilla for more than 50 years. A jewel of industrial heritage that still has the original structure and machinery of the time. It has the added peculiarity that all the electromagnetic equipment is entirely national.

Inaugurated in 1925, the Fábrica de la Luz has now been converted into a water power information centre with educational material, experiences and models. During the tour you can discover the history of the power station, as well as the water circuit: the channelling and storage of water, its operation and structure.

Sierra de Guadarrama National Park

The natural area of the Sierra de Guadarrama has a great ecological and cultural richness. It stands out for its conservation efforts, declared of ‘general interest’. It is also commended for its protection regime, having been declared a National Park.

The National Park occupies 33,960 hectares of the Sierra de Guadarrama in the Central System. Cercedilla also occupies more than 1,000 hectares of the National Park, and over 2,000 hectares in the Peripheral Protection Zone.

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Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.

Things to do in Cercedilla Madrid

The Sierra de Guadarrama offers a multitude of different activities for you to enjoy this exceptional environment in the best way.

The Nature Train

You can reach Cercedilla by train. The station is a meeting point for hikers and young people who come to explore the Sierra de Guadarrama. During the summer months, an activity called the Nature Train is organised, which starts in an old electric train carriage fitted out as a projection room at Cercedilla station.

Once you have discovered to the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, take the forty-minute journey, passing through Navacerrada and Los Cotos on a narrow-gauge train with a tour guide. Upon arrival at Cotos, you can do a guided hiking route to see some species of fauna and flora.

Route through the Fuenfría valley

The Fuenfría Valley, which starts to the north of the town of Cercedilla, is one of the most beautiful spots in the Madrid mountains. Surrounded by Scots pine, it is a path that runs through several points of interest along its 6.600 km. You will find two recreational areas, natural pools, as well as the old Roman road and bridges. This route also passes through a forest track that leads to the Ducha de los Alemanes, the Miradores de los Poetas and the Camilo José Cela Clock. 

Where to eat in Cercedilla Madrid?

Cercedilla has a wide range of local restaurants that will make your visit an amazing experience. Check out these top 5 restaurants in Cercedilla and choose your favourites!

• Restaurante Yeyu
• Terraza Jardín Felipe
• Restaurante Casa Ochoa
• Helio
• Restaurante El Portillón

How to organise your trip to Cercedilla Madrid?

• Get inspiration from the experiences of other travellers.
• Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
• Add the spots you are most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
• Organise your itinerary by days and according to their location (you can take inspiration from the routes presented in the post).
• Check the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
• Make the necessary modifications and you are ready for your trip.
• Finally, share your experience. Upload photos of each of the places you have visited to the app so you can inspire other users.

If you have any doubts about how to plan your itinerary, you can read our post: How to create your travel itinerary with Passporter.

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