Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen Tour from Madrid
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
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.
Additional Info
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
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Valley of the Fallen
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.
Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial
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.
What‘s Included
The Valley of Fallen Admission Ticket
Professional Guide
Trip by luxury bus with air conditioned and Wifi
Escorial Monastery Admission Ticket
Food and drinks
Options
Half Day Tour Escorial y Valle de los Caidos con Tickets Included from Madrid
Reviews
2,467 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Excellent experience
X4271NGjorgeb,,Jan 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful experience!! Beatriz a total genius, great knowledge and very funny!! And Pablo our chauffeur Super too and good disck jockey!!
Unforgettable experience.
P9236HCnataliag,,Jan 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent tour with guide Isabel and driver Pablo. Wonderful everything we saw, the explanations and everything we could see and learn. 100% recommended.
Perfect day in slag and valley hangings
katysA4739PV,,Jan 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful tour. Beatrice’s explanations were incredible and precise, time flew by. The tour is impressive. 100% recommended. Paul our driver made the idyllic journey. It is one of the tours I liked the most of all my trips.
I highly recommend the El Escorial and Valley of the Fallen tour.
G4012SNpatriciac,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An incredible tour, very good explanation from the guide Oscar and grateful to Pedro our driver who took us and brought us well. I highly recommend this tour.
Shocking
433marlennem,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The visit to El Escorial is an impressive experience both for its historical value and for the magnitude of its architecture. Each space conveys history and a cultural richness difficult to match. The tour of the Valley of the Fallen perfectly complements the visit, standing out for its imposing presence and, above all, for its spectacular views, which offer a unique landscape. Overall, it is a tour that impacts and leaves a deep visual and cultural impression. Our guide and driver Pedro and Oscar 10/10
Oscar the historian
jordane932,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Oscar and Pedro the driver were great. Specifically, the amount is historical information he guided us through, and he answered with great detail
Nice experience
dar 0gaelj,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I quite like the experience of visiting the Valley of the Fallen, especially how Oscar and Pedro helped me
Excellent service!
mbarriaparedes,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent experience with Oscar and Pedro! Everything proved fantastic and also very punctual. Additionally we had the fortune that touched a wonderful day
Worth visiting!
lucyherreracuellar,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I really liked the tour, Oscar explained wonderfully and looked for a way for us to enter the churches, since when there is mass they do not let go.... Very kind! I recommend them
A great half-day introduction to two important sites
S5439YGrachelb,,Jan 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I would definitely recommend this easy day trip from Madrid. Both sites were almost comically large and absolutely worth seeing - very interesting history, and even without that the architecture is impressive on its own. Oscar provided a wonderful overview throughout our tour. We got back to the city around 14:45 with plenty of time in the afternoon/evening to do more sightseeing. Even though we went over the tour’s estimated duration, I still felt like we were rushing through El Escorial. We saw all the “high points” and didn’t go into the gardens (weather related, I assume), but I wish we had more time to really appreciate all we were seeing. However, it was a great introduction and if you want to come back for a longer visit, El Escorial is an easy Cercanias ride from Madrid. Heads up: Definitely expect a temperature drop as you’re going up in the mountains, as well as corresponding changes to the weather. It was a chilly, rainy morning when we left Madrid, but we had snow flurries at El Escorial and a couple inches on the ground at the Valley of the Fallen. For winter travelers, wear comfortable (water resistant if necessary) shoes and dress in layers, as there’s a fair amount of walking both outside and indoors and neither site is temperature controlled.
From €59.00
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