The high temperatures of the capital in summer, as well as the tense atmosphere they generate, invite you to travel to a natural environment in which to detoxify body and mind of the particular energy generated by the extreme heat. Luckily, to take a break from Madrid at this time of the year you don’t have to take the A3 to the beach. Less than a two-hour drive from the city is Trillo a cozy village near Brihuega the main attraction of this area is the Cifuentes River, in Guadalajara, whose main attraction is the abundant river that crosses it: the Cifuentes.
El Chorrerón de Trillo
The Cifuentes runs through the old streets of the town with bravura until it forms a 15-meter waterfall that the inhabitants of Trillo affectionately call “El Chorrerón“. It is the final dance of its waters before reaching the Tagus River. A spectacle of nature about which Camilo José Cela himself wrote in his book Journey to La Alcarria (1948).
Medieval fairytale architecture
It is worth stopping at some of the buildings around the river. One of the most eye-catching is the Prometheion Energy Interpretive Center, where a mini-hydroelectric power plant that is still in operation is on display. The Cifuentes passes underneath this museum, better known as Casa de los Molinos for its medieval past, when it was the place where the wood cut by the village crocheters used to go.
Another essential building is the church of Trillo. Its façade, decorated in Renaissance style, dates from the 16th century. Its interior was destroyed during the Civil War, but it still keeps an altarpiece of 19 original paintings in its chapel.
The spa of Carlos III
Trillo hides an ideal experience to eliminate stress: a spa of the 18th century with mineral-medicinal waters. Water jets, hydromassage necks and bubble hammocks are some of the complements included in your pool. Group and individual baths are offered here. Those who prefer a relaxing session alone can access private hot springs used three centuries ago by Charles III for his personal use.
The prices of the bathrooms are quite affordable: 37€ per adult and 21€ per child. That is if we are only going to spend the day, because this place is part of the Hotel Real Balneario Carlos III, which has discounts for guests. In some cases, accommodation includes free spa sessions.
How to get to Trillo
The drive from Madrid to Trillo is one hour and forty minutes. It can be easily reached by exiting the capital through the M-30 and then taking the A-2. The bus trip takes twice as long: two hours and twenty. From Méndez Álvaro South Station, a Samar leaves every day to the center of the town.