I'm headed to Spain for a month in late September. A mini-sabbatical from my life and job in the US. I want to stay in a small town outside of Madrid, that is quaint, charming, and accessible to the trains for day or weekend trips. Would love someone's opinion on which town to use as my jumping off point- El Escorial, Alcala, Aranjuez... HELP! Oh, and if you know of any fabulous, modest places to stay in those places, for a month, even better!

Quaint & charming? Alcalá de Henares should fit that bill very nicely. I see that you are in Santa Barbara. If you have visited Guadalajara (Jalisco), the 16th Century architecture of the old square there is very similar to that around the University and Plaza Cervantes in Alcalá de Henares. My wife's cousin lives there and commutes to/from Madrid on the Cercanias.
There are newer residential buildings in Alcalá de Henares but they don't infringe on the historical area (complete with Storks)

El Escorial is a pleasant bedroom community. It has easy access to Madrid by frequent trains. I'm reasonably confident you could rent a piso there.

[ 04-29-2001: Message edited by: cantabene ]