landmark
El Escorial
A vast granite royal monastery and palace at the foot of the Guadarrama mountains, burial place of Spanish kings.
12 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeSpainMadrid
Galapagar
Madrid, Spain · Europe
About Galapagar
Galapagar is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Navalquejigo, 23km from Sierra de Guadarrama National Park.
Galapagar is in Madrid, Spain, with about 32,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Navalquejigo, about 5 km away.
Galapagar is a town and municipality northwest of Madrid, Spain, situated in the autonomous community of the Community of Madrid. Of all the towns in the area, it has experienced the most growth, mostly because of immigration and the development of old livestock fields.
Galapagar borders Collado Villalba, Colmenarejo,Read more
Torrelodones, Las Rozas de Madrid, El Escorial, San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Villanueva del Pardillo, Hoyo de Manzanares, Moralzarzal and Guadarrama.
The name Galapagar comes from the Spanish galápago, meaning turtle, as the town centre was sited near a lake full of turtles.
The town first appears as a village in the eleventh century, its importance due to the frequent hunting expeditions by the Spanish royalty, and being a main stop on the road from the capital to the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Sights in the town include the church of The Asunción (Assumption).
Galapagar is served by lines C-3, C-8 and C-10 of the Cercanías Madrid commuter rail service at its Galapagar-La Navata train station; and by 9 lines of the Interurban Bus Service linking it to the Moncloa district of Madrid.
Jacinto Benavente, one of the foremost Spanish dramatists of the 20th century and 1922 laurate of the Nobel Prize in Literature, is buried here.
Bullfighting, stock-breeding, pasturing and beef production are the main activities in Galapagar.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Galapagar?
Within an hour or so of Galapagar: El Escorial (12 km), Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (23 km), Royal Palace of Madrid (30 km), Plaza Mayor (31 km).
Are there any good drives near Galapagar?
The nearest famous roads are Puerto del Pico.
Where is Galapagar?
Galapagar is in Madrid, Spain, about 5 km from Navalquejigo.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 31,820
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Madrid
- Timezone
- Europe/Madrid
- Coordinates
- 40.5783, -4.0043
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Spain
Guardia Civil (traffic police): 062. Two warning triangles required in vehicles.
Full driving guide for SpainTags
Worth the detour from Galapagar
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
national park
Sierra de Guadarrama National Park
Granite peaks and pine forests north of Madrid, with the Puerto de Navacerrada pass beloved by drivers and skiers.
23 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Royal Palace of Madrid
Largest functioning royal palace in Europe with over 3,400 rooms, the official residence of the Spanish royal family.
30 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Plaza Mayor
Grand 17th-century rectangular plaza in central Madrid surrounded by three-storey residential buildings with 237 balconies.
31 km · about 35 min drive
museum
Museo Reina Sofía
Spain's national museum of 20th-century art, home to Picasso's monumental anti-war painting Guernica.
32 km · about 35 min drive
museum
Museo del Prado
Spain's premier art museum with an unrivaled collection of European art, including masterworks by Velázquez, Goya, and El Greco.
32 km · about 35 min drive
racetrack
Circuito del Jarama
A tight, twisting 3.4km circuit north of Madrid designed by John Hugenholtz that hosted nine Spanish Grands Prix. Still active for club racing and track days, largely unchanged since the 1970s.
36 km · about 40 min drive
ancient ruins
Aqueduct of Segovia
A stupendous Roman aqueduct with 167 arches of unmortared granite blocks, standing perfectly after nearly 2,000 years.
42 km · about 50 min drive
Driving in Spain
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.55/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€4.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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