Hayedo de Montejo: the most sought-after fairy-tale forest in autumn, an hour from Madrid

Its three guided routes — the River Trail, the Hillside Trail and the Viewpoint Trail — allow visitors to enter an environment that seems to have come out of a fairy tale. The most popular is the river route, easy and perfect for families, with a journey of around an hour and a half that reveals the magic of centuries-old beech trees, the wildlife and the damp atmosphere that characterises this unique enclave. For precisely its ecological value, access is limited and getting a ticket in autumn is not easy. Passes are released every two weeks on the website: on the 1st of each month for the second half of that month, and on the 16th for the first half of the following month. Once the reservation has been made online, visitors must collect their pass at the Biosphere Reserve Information Centre, at 64 Calle Real in Montejo de la Sierra, around eight kilometres from the beech forest.

Those who cannot get a place online can try in person: every morning, from 9:30 onwards, some passes are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with a maximum of five per person, although they usually run out within minutes. It is important to bear in mind that reservations are made in a specific name and are non-refundable, and that access is only possible with an authorised guide. The Montejo Beech Forest is closed on non-public-holiday Mondays and on notable dates such as 24, 25 and 31 December, as well as 1 and 6 January. During the rest of the year, it remains one of Madrid’s most magical corners, where nature and silence invite visitors to experience a true journey into the heart of autumn.