A day trip from Madrid offers the perfect excuse to step back in time, and few places capture Spain’s medieval legacy quite like Ávila and Salamanca, both proudly listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Your adventure begins in Ávila, a walled city that appears lifted straight from the pages of a history book. Its imposing stone ramparts, punctuated by 88 defensive towers, encircle a beautifully preserved old town. Step inside and you’ll find Romanesque gems such as the Ávila Cathedral, part fortress and part place of worship, as well as the Basilica of San Vicente, famed for its architecture and colourful stonework. Ávila sits just over 100 kilometres from Madrid, and you can easily reach it by train or coach, both options run frequently throughout the day. From Ávila, continue west to the golden-hued city of Salamanca, home to one of Europe’s oldest universities. Its nickname, La Dorada, The Golden City, comes from the glow of its sandstone buildings, especially beautiful at sunset. Wander across the Plaza Mayor, often hailed as Spain’s finest square, then lose yourself among the cloisters, libraries and carvings of the historic university quarter. While Salamanca is delightful by day, it truly comes alive at night, its tapas bars and buzzing student energy make it tempting to extend your stay beyond a day trip.

The Anheuser-Busch Brewery offers complimentary tours to visitors of all ages for an in-depth look at how some of their beers are crafted. Since its founding in 1852 in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch has been perfecting this process one batch at a time. Those who are 21 and older will have the opportunity to taste some of their products in the Hospitality Room at the conclusion of the tour. The tour includes a stop to see and learn about the World Famous Budweiser Clydesdales. Their size and strength will amaze you, and their historic stables make for a great photo opportunity.

Tropea is a small town located on the east coast of Calabria, 64 km from Lamezia. It’s known for its white beaches which run right up to Capo Vaticano, its clifftop historic centre, and prized red onions. The town itself is quite picturesque and romantic with winding streets and beautiful small piazzas. Noteworthy is the 12th-century Tropea Cathedral, which was built in distinctive yellow lava rock by the Normans during the 12th century and houses an interesting black crucifix, two unexploded World War II bombs, and a painting of the dark-skinned Madonna of Romania. Due to a number of wonders, the citizens of Tropea have proclaimed the Virgin Mary of Romania the patron of the village.