A clearly defined hiking trail, a festival date on May 1 and a district with a railway history give Las Matas different things to explore during a stay. The Camino Viejo is a measured route in the regional park; the Fiestas de San José Obrero bring together sports and children’s activities. The district, museum and station each tell a different part of the railway heritage story. This makes it possible to plan a visit around your travel dates and interests, whether you’re looking for outdoor activity, a festival or history.

The Camino Viejo in the regional park

The Camino Viejo de Las Matas is located within the Parque Regional del curso medio del río Guadarrama. A municipal notice from December 2023 lists the trail as part of Spain’s Senderos Azules network. It also gives the route length as 2.076 kilometres and the approximate hiking time as 25 minutes. These figures answer different planning questions: the distance gives the trail length, while the walking time provides a rough estimate. If you want to fit a short hike into your stay, you can use these figures as a limited block of time; the walking time remains an estimate.

Fiestas de San José Obrero on May 1

The Fiestas de San José Obrero are celebrated in Las Matas on May 1. The programme includes sporting activities and the Día del Niño, with a large children’s park. The festival therefore has a set date and offers both sports and a specifically named activity for children. If you’d like to visit Las Matas for the Fiestas, plan around May 1; checking the current programme will help you get a clearer idea of the festival day.

Railway heritage: from the district to the steam locomotive

The Barrio ferroviario de Las Matas was established in 1922 as housing for railway employees. The Museo del Ferrocarril Pablo Rubio adds to this historical perspective with its collection, which includes historic railway tools, signalling equipment, travel cases, identification plates from railway carriages and numerous photographs. The museum complex also includes the Mikado 141 F 2240 steam locomotive. The district represents the residential aspect of the railway workers’ lives; the collection offers a different perspective on railway heritage, through objects and images connected with the railways. Las Matas station is also a living testament to the district’s railway heritage.

Cultural programme and visitor planning

Another cultural highlight is the Biblioteca Municipal Marga Gil Roësset. It hosts temporary exhibitions, workshops, reading sessions and activities for all age groups. Its programme differs from the railway themes of the district and museum: here, exhibitions and events take centre stage. As the programme may change, check the latest dates in advance if you have a particular event in mind.

For planning your schedule, there are three different points of reference: the approximate hiking time for the Camino, the fixed date of the Fiestas on May 1, and the library’s changing schedule. This lets you shape your stay around the things that interest you most, without combining the trail, festival and cultural programme into a single day plan.

For an overview of the wider trip: Las Rozas De Madrid.