Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen Tour from Madrid
Description
On this excursion we will visit the Royal Monastery of El Escorial, an architectural heritage site of the Humanity, and the Basilica of the Valle de los Caídos, a monument that stands out for its gigantic size. 5 hour direct tour to the Valle de los Caídos with its basilica excavated in the Sierra de Madrid and discover the grandeur of the Royal Monastery of El Escorial, a World Heritage Site and symbol of Spanish supremacy of the sixteenth century.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Valley of the Fallen is a Francoist regime monument, Catholic basilica and a monumental memorial in the municipality of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, erected at Cuelgamuros Valley in the Sierra de Guadarrama, near Madrid. Franco claimed that the monument was meant to be a "national act of atonement" and reconciliation. The construction works mainly involved free workers and a smaller, albeit significant, percentage of prisoners, these between 1942 and 1950, under the regime of redemption of sentences.
San Lorenzo de El Escorial, also known as El Escorial de Arriba is a town and municipality in the Community of Madrid, Spain, located to the northwest of the region in the southeastern side of the Sierra de Guadarrama, at the foot of Mount Abantos and Las Machotas, 47 kilometres (29 mi) from Madrid. It is head of the same name judicial party. The settlement is popularly called El Escorial de Arriba, to differentiate it from the neighbouring village of El Escorial, also known as El Escorial de Abajo. Felipe II ordered the construction of this Monastery in recognition of the victory of San Quintín, which took place on the day of San Lorenzo in 1557 and is from the King, to erect a mausoleum in memory of his parents and himself, placed under the invocation of Saint Lawrence.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
- Dress code is smart casual
- Headphones available for radio guide
Reviews(2,976)
Terrific tour, Rafa the guide was really great and knew his history of the sites. Well organised and well worth it.
Escorlial is an amazing experience. Ana, our guide, was very informative. If we had gone on our own we would not have had any of the context for what we were seeing. The trip to the Valley of the Fallen was interesting and creepy... Knowing that the remains of thousands of combatants in the Spanish Civil War were buried in the walls of the haunting church built right into the stone was enough to send chills.
Dear Adam, Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re delighted that you found El Escorial so impressive and that Ana’s explanations provided the historical context needed to better understand everything you were seeing. We’ll be very happy to share your kind words with her. We also appreciate your reflections on the Valley of the Fallen. It is a place with a complex and deeply significant connection to the Spanish Civil War, and we understand how its history and monumental setting can leave a powerful impression. Thank you for choosing us to discover these important historical sites. We hope to welcome you again on another tour. Kind regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Very good excursion to learn about part of our history. It is clear that Rodrigo, our guide, knows all the aspects related to the visit in depth. His explanations were clear and entertaining, and he also resolved the doubts and questions that we asked him. Totally recommended.
Estimado viajero, Muchas gracias por compartir su experiencia y por recomendarnos. Nos alegra saber que disfrutó de la excursión a El Escorial y el Valle de los Caídos, así como de la comodidad del transporte. Es especialmente gratificante saber que Rodrigo consiguió acercarles esta parte de nuestra historia con explicaciones claras, amenas y bien documentadas, atendiendo además todas las preguntas del grupo. Estaremos encantados de transmitirle sus palabras a Rodrigo. Gracias por elegir Fun and Tickets y esperamos volver a acompañarle en otra experiencia muy pronto. Un cordial saludo, Equipo de Fun and Tickets
I liked it a lot, our guide Rodrigo was kind, polite, and above all, he told the history as it happened, respecting both sides. I think a guide should be like that, thank you and also to our driver Fernando, a good team.
Estimada viajera, Muchas gracias por compartir su experiencia. Nos alegra saber que disfrutó tanto de la excursión y, especialmente, de la labor de Rodrigo. Agradecemos que destaque su amabilidad, educación y la forma equilibrada y respetuosa de explicar el contexto histórico de los lugares visitados, un aspecto especialmente importante en una visita como esta. Gracias también por mencionar a Fernando y su trabajo al volante. Estaremos encantados de transmitir sus palabras a ambos; sin duda, forman un gran equipo. Gracias por elegir Fun and Tickets. Esperamos volver a acompañarla en otra experiencia muy pronto. Un cordial saludo, Equipo de Fun and Tickets
We booked this tour of the Escorial and Valley of Cuelgamuros through Viator and the it was fantastic! Our tour guides Beatriz and Nacho were excellent and very knowledgeable answering all our questions and giving us great insights - I know more about Spanish history and the Royal family that I ever thought possible 😀! The coach driver Jair (best in the world, apparently!) was also very good and the whole day out was memorable. Thank you Fun and Tickets, and to those reading this review this trip is highly recommended if you are ever in Madrid.
Dear traveler, Thank you so much for such a wonderful and enthusiastic review! We’re delighted that your visit to El Escorial and the Valley of Cuelgamuros became such a memorable day. It’s fantastic to hear how Beatriz and Nacho’s knowledge, insights, and willingness to answer your questions helped you discover so much about Spanish history and the Royal Family. And of course, we can’t forget Jair — “best in the world” is quite a compliment! 😀 We’ll make sure your lovely words reach all three of them. Thank you for choosing Fun and Tickets and for recommending the experience so highly. We hope to welcome you back for another great day out on your next visit to Madrid! Kind regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Came to this trip on August 11th. Trip starts bright and early at 9am (this is early for Madrid). We took a very comfortable and air conditioned bus to the Escorial. We had two tour guides Beatriz and nacho. Beatriz gave us an excellent and concise overview of history of Spain which is very relevant to seeing both places. The Escorial is a beautiful basilica, palace, pantheon, monastery. This is the “older” palace so therefore it has a very different feel from the palace in Madrid. The basilica is impressive. Beatriz was able to give us excellent explanations of the history, artwork and details of the kings of Spain. This activity takes the majority of the tour time. Next we went to visit the impressive but also controversial valley of the fallen. Prior to going in we were given a fair overview of the history behind the palace while at the same time being presented with both sides of the coin. It is important to experience it and then make your own mind about it. I can understand how its existence will be a source of debate for many years to come. Over all fantastic experiences and thanks to fun and Madrid and to Nacho/Beatriz.
Dear traveler, Thank you very much for taking the time to share such a detailed account of your experience. We’re delighted that you enjoyed both El Escorial and the Valley of Cuelgamuros, and that Beatriz and Nacho helped provide the historical context needed to better understand two such significant and very different sites. We especially appreciate your recognition of the clear and balanced way the more complex aspects of the visit were presented, allowing each guest to reflect and form their own perspective. It’s also wonderful to hear that you appreciated Beatriz’s explanations of the history, art, and Spanish monarchy at El Escorial, as well as the comfort of the journey. We’ll be very happy to share your kind words with Beatriz and Nacho. Thank you for choosing Fun and Tickets and for making us part of your time in Madrid! Kind regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Great Tour to discover something outside of Madrid without loosing a whole day. The tour is good structured and the tours guides are easy to understand. Ontop the two locations are awesome to watch with historical background of the old and newer spain.
Dear traveler, Thank you very much for sharing your experience! We’re delighted that you found the tour a great way to discover some fascinating places outside Madrid while still having plenty of the day left to enjoy the city. It’s wonderful to hear that you appreciated the organization of the itinerary and the clear explanations from our guides. El Escorial and the Valley of Cuelgamuros offer two very different perspectives on Spanish history, and we’re glad the historical context helped make both visits even more interesting. Thank you for choosing Fun and Tickets. We hope to welcome you back on another tour soon! Kind regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Everything was correct and the explanations were very interesting
Estimada viajera, Muchas gracias por compartir su experiencia con nosotros. Nos alegra saber que disfrutó de la excursión a El Escorial y el Valle de Cuelgamuros y que las explicaciones le resultaron interesantes. Conocer el contexto histórico de ambos lugares hace que la visita sea aún más enriquecedora. Gracias por elegir Fun and Tickets. Esperamos volver a acompañarla en otra experiencia muy pronto. Un cordial saludo, Equipo de Fun and Tickets
It was a wonderful guided tour through both monuments. Easier and simpler than doing it yourself and includes tickets. Or guides were Jose and David who gave an excellent experience. Be aware that it is a fair amount of walking and a fair amount of stairs. In addition the locations are at a higher altitude than Madrid which is already higher than sea level so it can be a fair amount of exercise.
Dear Eric, Thank you so much for sharing your experience with our El Escorial and Valley of the Fallen tour. We’re delighted that you enjoyed visiting both monuments and found the organized transportation and included tickets made the day easier and more comfortable. A special thank you for mentioning José and David. We’ll be very happy to pass your compliments on to them and let them know they helped make your experience an excellent one. We also appreciate your helpful note about the amount of walking, stairs, and the altitude, which can be very useful for future travelers when preparing for the excursion. Thank you for choosing Fun and Tickets. We hope to welcome you back for another memorable experience in Spain! Kind regards, Fun and Tickets Team
One of the most beautiful places in the world, everything perfect … the calm guide explained everything in detail, very nice
Estimada Jimena María, Muchas gracias por compartir su experiencia con nuestra excursión a El Escorial y el Valle de los Caídos. Nos alegra muchísimo saber que disfrutó de estos impresionantes lugares y que todo resultó perfecto durante la visita. Es especialmente gratificante conocer que valoró la tranquilidad y dedicación de nuestro guía, así como sus explicaciones detalladas, que ayudan a comprender mejor la historia y el significado de cada lugar. Gracias por elegir Fun and Tickets. Esperamos tener el placer de acompañarla nuevamente en otra experiencia inolvidable por España. Un cordial saludo, Equipo de Fun and Tickets
