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
2,517 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
This tour was beautiful...
Heather D,,Feb 24, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This tour was beautiful and the hidden valley is a must see while in Spain. Very spiritual and meaningful experience as you enter into the mountain. Fantastic!
Personal
danielebU3425HP,,Feb 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Nice guide , nice weather , great monastery , impressive valley of the Fallen . I recommend the tour to todos Las personas estudiosas
Valley of the hangwall and monastery tour
keironr951,,Feb 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour guide was excellent, extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic and accommodating (switching from Spanish to English with every detail explained). A tip would be, wear comfy shoes, and take your own water as there are no places to purchase any - so should the tour run long, you might get a bit thirsty.
Excellent TOUR!
mieszkanieb,,Feb 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An excellent tour. The guide was very knowledgeable, describing everything we saw in detail. He has extensive knowledge of the places we visited. Even though we were stuck in traffic, he didn't rush the group, but continued the story at his own pace. 5/5 for me.
Very interesting tour, to be recommended.
Q5158XAchristinew,,Feb 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We did the tour with Beatriz, it was very interesting and very well organised. Beatriz was a great tour guide who presented a lot of information and facts on both sites that we visited. It was well worth visiting those two places, we learnt a lot about Spanish history.
An Outstanding Visit to El Escorial – Thanks to Beatrice!
tryan5,,Feb 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The trip to El Escorial was truly one of the highlights of our time in Spain, and a huge part of that was thanks to our wonderful guide, Beatrice. From start to finish, the experience was both highly informative and genuinely entertaining. Beatrice has an exceptional talent for bringing history to life. Her deep knowledge of El Escorial’s history, architecture, and significance was impressive, but what really set her apart was the way she presented it—with warmth, humor, and contagious enthusiasm. She explained complex historical details in a clear and engaging way, making the visit fascinating rather than overwhelming. She was also incredibly attentive to the group, pacing the tour perfectly and making sure everyone felt included and comfortable. Her passion for the site was obvious, and it made us appreciate El Escorial on a much deeper level than we ever could have on our own.
Excellent guide, excellent excursion
Road27023759736,,Feb 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Oscar was a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide who was not only fantastic at providing us with information about the background of El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen, but also guiding us around the sites. The excursion was as prompt as advertised, having began a few minutes after 9:00 and ending around 14:00. I would recommend anyone interested in visiting these sites who do not have access to a car to book their excursion through Fun And Tickets Madrid. P.S. Our driver Manual did a good job safely navigating our group through Madrid traffic.
Great trip, full of history and well organised
yenday1,,Feb 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great trip, Oscar was very knowledgable especially doing the tour in both English and Spanish. The two places we visited were also fascinating and having a guide we learnt so much more. Would definitely recommend this trip.
Nice walk
ronaldol712,,Feb 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Punctual, comfortable and with extensive knowledge of the place and history. Clean and comfortable bus with good driver. It's worth it
Nice trip to El Escorial and the Valley of The Fallen
J732TJrafaell,,Feb 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very nice trip, guide Oscar was informative and quick, everything went according to schedule and the sites were truly espetacular. Would do again.
From €62.00
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