landmark
El Escorial
A vast granite royal monastery and palace at the foot of the Guadarrama mountains, burial place of Spanish kings.
19 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeSpainMadrid
Torrelodones
Madrid, Spain · Europe
About Torrelodones
Torrelodones works well as a base: 5 minutes from Las Matas, 23km from Sierra de Guadarrama National Park.
Torrelodones is in Madrid, Spain, with about 22,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Las Matas, about 4 km away.
Torrelodones is a municipality in the northwest of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, Spain. It is situated 29 kilometers northwest from the city of Madrid. Because of its location between the Sierra de Guadarrama and the metropolitan area of the capital, it is linked to two districts in Madrid: the agricultural areaRead more
of Guadarrama and the metropolitan area of Madrid.
It lies at an average altitude of 845 meters. According to the 2022 census, 24,775 people live in the municipality, distributed among seven towns.
The people of Torrelodones earn among the highest per capita incomes of the Community of Madrid. Services, hotels, and construction are the main economic activities. In 2012 it had about 22,680 inhabitants. With over three colleges and four developments, Torrelodones is usually divided into two parts: Torrelodones town, where there is the Town Hall, and the Torrelodones colony, where there are schools, homes and small businesses.
The town has an interesting artistic and natural heritage and is part of two tourist routes in the Community of Madrid. One of them is the Imperial Route, which partially follows the historic route used in the 16th century by King Philip II in his travels from the city of Madrid to the Royal Site of El Escorial. The other is the Route through the Castles, Fortresses and Watchtowers, to which it is linked by the Watchtower of Torrelodones.
Torrelodones is bordered to the north by Hoyo de Manzanares, to the south by Las Rozas de Madrid, to the west by Galapagar, and to the east by Madrid (through El Monte de El Pardo).
Historically the municipality was named Torrelodones (Lodones' Tower). That name led to the current name of the town of Torrelodones. One source for the name comes from that of the Muslim watchtower that Muslims used during the Al-andalus era to guard the city from the attacks of Christian people during the Iberian peninsula's reconquest. Another namesake, lodon (hack berry), is a type of tree that was abundant in the area, whose scientific name is Celtis australis.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Torrelodones?
Within an hour or so of Torrelodones: El Escorial (19 km), Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (23 km), Royal Palace of Madrid (25 km), Plaza Mayor (26 km).
Are there any good drives near Torrelodones?
The nearest famous roads are Puerto del Pico.
Where is Torrelodones?
Torrelodones is in Madrid, Spain, about 4 km from Las Matas.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 21,781
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Madrid
- Timezone
- Europe/Madrid
- Coordinates
- 40.5765, -3.9266
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 Torrelodones
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.
25 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Plaza Mayor
Grand 17th-century rectangular plaza in central Madrid surrounded by three-storey residential buildings with 237 balconies.
26 km · about 30 min drive
museum
Museo Reina Sofía
Spain's national museum of 20th-century art, home to Picasso's monumental anti-war painting Guernica.
27 km · about 30 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.
27 km · about 30 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.
29 km · about 35 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.
44 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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