Half day excursion from Madrid to the Monastery and Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Coach tour from Madrid to discover with an English-speaking guide the former political centre of the empire of Philip II, A place where he built his palace, library, pantheon, a great basilica and founded a monastery. The architectural complex is located at the feet of Sierra de Guadarrama Mountains, and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984. We continue the route, visiting Valle de los Caidos “valley of the fallen“, a monumental complex in memory of the victims of the 1936 Spanish Civil War.

A half-day excursion accompanied by official tourist guides who explain the history of the town, the monuments, the characteristics and traditions, travelling by modern, fully air-conditioned coach. Departure from our terminal with destination the Monastery of El Escorial. For many years, it was considered the Eighth Wonder of the World, conceived by King Philip II as a monastery and royal pantheon, becoming a symbol of the greatness of the Spanish Empire.

Accompanied by our expert guide, we will take a guided tour of the Royal Monastery. During the visit, we will explore the Palace of the Austrias, which includes the austere private rooms of Philip II, decorated with sobriety but with great historical value. We will also visit the impressive Basilica, with its grand dome and religious art, as well as the famous Library, with its beautiful ceiling frescoes and an important collection of ancient books. We will continue the tour with the Royal Pantheon, where the remains of many Spanish kings and queens rest in a majestic setting of marble and bronze. The tour also includes the Cloisters, the Chapter Rooms decorated with paintings by masters like Bosch and Titian, and the Garden of the Friars, from where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the surrounding area.

Next, we will continue our journey to the Valley of the Fallen, a monumental complex known for its massive size, built to honour the Spaniards who died during the Spanish Civil War. A guided tour of this site offers an impactful experience, both for its imposing architecture and its symbolic value. Its main attraction is the Basilica of the Holy Cross of the Valley of the Fallen, a monumental structure carved into the mountain, measuring more than 260 meters in length. Inside, we will find a solemn atmosphere, with sculptures of great artistic value, works by sculptor Juan de Avalos, and an impressive main altar beneath a huge dome. The basilica contains the remains of thousands of people who fought on both sides of the Civil War. For years, it also housed the remains of dictator Franco, which were exhumed in 2019 following a decision by the Spanish government. In front of the basilica stretches a large plaza that leads to the Benedictine Monastery, founded in 1958, where a religious community still resides. Daily masses and liturgical events are held here. At the top of the mountain stands a 150-meter-high cross, one of the tallest crosses in the world, flanked by four sculptures of the evangelists, visible from many kilometres around.

After the visit, we will have a bit of free time to take in the magnificent views, take photos, and engage in a historical reflection, especially regarding memory, reconciliation, and Spain’s recent past. Afterward, we will return to Madrid and conclude our services.

– Travelers insurance
– Round trip transportation by modern bus from Madrid with official guide
– Entrance and guided visit to the Monastery of El Escorial
– Entrance to the Basilica of the Valley of the Fallen
– Accompanying guide throughout the trip

Monastery and Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial

El Escorial was the political centre of the Empire of Philip II, where he built his palace, his library, his pantheon, the one of his parents (Charles V and Elizabeth of Portugal) and of the members of his family and his successors as well as a great basilica and where he founded a monastery. The architectural complex (which was finished in 1562) is situated at about 50 kilometres from the capital, in the Sierra de Guadarrama, and was declared World Heritage in 1984.

Philip II governed the Empire where the sun never set from this little place in the mountains. Affected by the death of his father Charles V in 1558 and with the purpose to affirm the House of Austria in Spain, he ordered the construction of the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial to guarantee the everlasting memory of his family, and he founded a dynastic Pantheon, and  to compensate the destruction of a church dedicated to San Lorenzo during the battle of San Quintin, in France.

The complex, oriented towards Abantos and with a facade of 207 meters long, is situated within a rectangle of 33.000 square meters, its base having the structure of a reversed grid. The main facade receives the visitor with its imposing construction, giving way to the Patio of the Kings, which receives its name because of the statues of the Kings of Juda that adorn the facade of the Basilica.  This is exactly one of the parts within the architectural complex that must be visited. The Basilica is of a square base and crowned by a cupula which is inspired by the Saint Peter of the Vatican, and has a total of 43 altars and chapels.

The Royal Pantheons are situated underneath the Royal Chapel of the Basilica; 26 tombs of black marble which contain the rests of the kings of the Houses of Austria and Bourbon, and the Pantheon of the Infants with the tombs of the queens who died without coronated offspring, princes and infants.

The Museum of Architecture is situated in the Vaulted Floor in the basement of the Monastery, with reproductions of the plans used for its construction, tools which were used and the cost of the construction; also, the Gallery with works of El Greco, Zurbaran, Ribera, Tintoretto, Tiziano, Rubens or Verones.

Benedictine Abbey of the Holy Cross of the Valley of the Fallen (Abadia Benedictina de la Santa Cruz del Valle de los Caidos)

The Benedictine Abbey of the Holy Cross of the Valley of the Fallen is situated in the Sierra de Guadarrama at only 8 kilometres from El Escorial. This colossal construction formed by the Abbey and other buildings like the library or the hospederia is situated on an esplanade of 30.600 square meters, together with the crypt excavated into the mountain and an immense cross of 150 meters high, which can be reached by a hidden funicular. Inside the crypt, the tombs of Francisco Franco and Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera can be found and hidden from the public, the tombs of 40.000 soldiers fallen during the Civil War.