Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen Tour from Madrid

Overview

Available languages

English

Spanish

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‘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

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.

1 hour • Admission Included

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.

2 hours • Admission Included

Options

Half Day Tour Escorial y Valle de los Caidos con Tickets Included from Madrid

Reviews

4.78

2,379 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

2014

266

Excellent tour, great experience
Brandon L,
Nov 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The tour was excellent! Christina was fantastic—very informative and kept things moving nicely. The length of the tour and the price were both fair.
Escorial Monastery and Valley of the Fallen
fishdawgz,
Nov 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Great tour! Christina was an excellent guide and Antonio and his shiny bus got us to and from the tour destinations safely.
The valley of the fallen cathedral a must see
alfonsoh434,
Nov 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Cristina was great, she made the imposible to let us enter the cathedral despite the inking wedding.! The whole trip was properly planned and executed on time.
Fantastic
F1299MTjong,
Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The tour of El Escorial was fantastic. Made by our guide Oscar who was so clear ( in Spanish and English) and very knowledgeable. Many thanks
Great tour! Highly recommended!
eduardot592,
Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Excellent tour! It was very informative and lots of details provided by the tour guide! I highly recommend the tour. Great way to learn of the history of Spain
Musical irreverent, different and highly recommended.
RoaldAdmusen,
Nov 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Third season of the play The Book of Mormon, now at the Rialto Theatre, on Gran Via Street in Madrid: and I really liked it. It is a very fun and different musical, certainly not for prudes or people easily offended in matters of religion, but that will make you go out with a smile on your face and good vibes to the street. They do not indoctrinate or judge anything, the Elders, deep down they are adorable. We were repeating after seeing him last year at the Calderon Theater. The play has lost virtually nothing in the transfer and the work, quality and attitude of the cast remains at a very, very, high level. Special mention for the actor who plays Elder Cuningham, who is certainly the soul of the play. The plot development is dynamic and has no downfall, the 2 hours 20 minutes passed me very quickly. It's funny, irreverent and surprising. The songs are not burdensome or pretentious and are well performed. The very bright choreography accompanies and enhances the dialogues. The actors are involved with a great attitude in giving the audience a good time. There are constantly great little details, both in the text, the interpretation or in the set, that can sometimes go unnoticed, but that put the icing, or the spiciness that makes the stew insurmountable. I was left wanting to come back. And in short, if you don’t have very thin skin and an open mind, it is highly recommended.
Don’t miss a great tour
Jean W,
Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Our guide was very friendly, professional and knowledgeable. The timing of everything was great. It was colder there than Madrud, so dress accordingly.
Wonderful Time & Tour
aaronsG971EZ,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Beatrice was fantastic and very knowledgeable about the tour topic. The whole time was great easy tour. Thanks Manuel 2
Great!
281krishaa,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Very informative tour by Beatrice! I think i learned more history in this trip. Enjoyed both the monastery and the basilica. :)
Very interesting tour of the Monastery and Valley of the Fallen
X7832RIdavek,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Beatrice was a great tour guide who knows a lot about all of the spots. It was obvious that she took time to learn beyond just the basics. Manuel was an excellent driver.