Bucket list experience:
This vast royal palace and monastery, 40km outside of Madrid in the Sierra de Guadarrama mountains, was commissioned as a royal residence by King Philip II during the 16th century.
A rich collection of art includes works by Titian, El Greco, Velazquez and Bosch; the library is 55m long and contains more than 40,000 books and documents, while the octagonal pantheon contains the tombs of nearly every Spanish monarch.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984, for many the highlight of this vast complex is the lavish library, with ceiling frescoes by Pellegrino Tibaldi, Michelangelo’s disciple. Its collection of ancient and rare books includes the famous ‘Golden Gospel’, the Codex Aureus.
Stop by the Valley of the Fallen, the Catholic basilica built by General Franco to commemorate those who died in the Civil War.
It’s fairly easy to get to the site independently: take train C-8 from Atocha or Chamartín stations, or bus 661 or 664 from Moncloa station. By car, take the A-6, then M-600.
There are also plenty of organised tours that go to the palace, and usually include a visit to the Valley of the Fallen. Tours have the advantage of expert-led guides that give you more insights and stories that bring the sites to life, plus they arrange all logistics.
The Madrid tourist office can supply more information and book tours. In warm weather, pack a picnic to eat while exploring the palace’s extensive gardens. In colder weather, pack an extra layer – it’s quite a bit colder up here than in central Madrid.
El Escorial is usually open all year round, Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Monday. It’s usually quietest at lunchtime, around 2pm-4pm. In the winter months, it can feel dark and oppressive – so spring and early summer are best.
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Madrid
€59 | Rating 4.74 / 5 [684 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Madrid
€62 | Rating 4.25 / 5 [28 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Madrid
€79 | Rating 4.28 / 5 [14 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Madrid
€100 | Rating 5 / 5 [15 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
