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
Escorial Monastery Admission Ticket
Trip by luxury bus with air conditioned and Wifi
Food and drinks
Options
Half Day Tour Escorial y Valle de los Caidos con Tickets Included from Madrid
Reviews
2,735 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
History
Carlos R,May 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00A must, both of the Escorial and of the Monument of the Fallen. Great way to understand Spain history.
Great places to visit
George G,May 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great places to visit. A lot of history at the escorial. Our guide gave us a great explanation of the art, architecture and history of the monastery. If you don't like history don't go. Valley of the Fallen was also great. Less history than the monastery. Beautiful place and view
Historic
Sightsee45799303270,May 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent guide, great history, awesome sights
Tour is Bi-lingual
Ruth B,May 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00This tour is conducted in both English and Spanish. While our guide was clearly knowledgeable, his English was difficult to understand and it seems he spoke more frequently in Spanish than English. For that reason, I would not recommend this particular tour. But, the visit to the two sites was worthwhile and I do recommend the tour in that respect.
Great historical site visit
Jini R,May 19, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Beatrice was a fantastic tour guide. She gave us a great explanation of the history of Spain on our way to the monastery so when we arrived there the significance of the things we saw made a lot of sense. The Escorial is about an hour outside of Madrid and the tour is the perfect length to see an amazing site and still have time to enjoy Madrid in the afternoon. See how they carved things into the mountainside is absolutely worth it! I highly recommend this tour.
Good half day tour from Madrid
Ben11181,May 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This is a very well organised tour by Fun and Tickets. I went on Sunday 17 May 2026. Our tour guide Beatriz was very organised and got us through both sites with ease. She managed to get us into the basilicas on both sites just before religious services started on Sunday. Her English is good and the explanations were clear. We saw a lot in the half day. The driver Paco drove smoothly and everything was on time. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Great day trip from Madrid
B E,May 18, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This tour was very well organised. I went on Sunday and our guide Beatriz was very efficient in getting us into both the basilica in El Escorial and the Valley of the fallen. She got us in before the mass service started and we had a very comprehensive tour of both locations. Her English is good and the explanations were clear. The driver Paco drove very smoothly and the trip went really well. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Impressive construction and artwork
Genie576,May 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very educational tour with Beatrice (and our bus driver Paco). We did the trip on a Sunday but we got very lucky and were able to enter both the basilicas between services. So something to think about when planning this excursion. The frescoes, tapestries and carvings are very impressive and help you learn about Spain’s history. It’s about an hour away from Madrid but you travel on an air conditioned bus and there are pitstops for bathroom breaks and snacks.
Beatrice Rules
MikeG800,May 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Beatrice & Paco delivered a very memorable experience…outstanding service!
The Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen.
mmangual21,May 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent tour. Thanks to Paco, the driver, and to Beatriz, our guide. Excellent knowledge from Beatriz, mastery of the information, and control of the group.
From €62.00
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Operated by Fun and Tickets