Sierra de Guadarrama

The Sierra de Guadarrama is the most central part of the Sierra de Madrid - collective name for the various mountain ranges in the province of Madrid - and is in the north adjacent to the Sierra Norte de Madrid and in the west to the Sierra Oeste de Madrid, which are also part of the Sierra de Madrid. As such the mountain range is part of the Central System (Sistema Central). It lies at the centre of the Iberian Peninsula, primarily in the province of Madrid and partially in the province of Segovia.

The most important towns are San Lorenzo de El Escorial (with the monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial), Guadarrama, Navacerrada, Cercedilla, Manzanares el Real and Miraflores de la Sierra in the province of Madrid and Los Ángeles de San Rafael and San Ildefonso in the province of Segovia. Its highest point is the Peñalara with a peak of 2,430 m. Further to the west the mountain range turns into the Sierra de Gredos. Its vegetation is dominated by pine forests, and at lower heights by holly oaks. In summer the mountains are very dry, although rainfall here is significantly higher than in the city of Madrid.

Because of the proximity of the metropole Madrid it is a very populair hiking area and has it relatively good and well maintained trails.