Monastery of El Escorial Tickets and Tours

If you have already visited all that the city of Madrid has to offer, there is no better option than to take one of the excursions to the surrounding areas that you have at your disposal. Among them stands out the monastery of El Escorial, located just over 50 kilometers from the capital of Spain.

This monumental complex houses some buildings considered the best exponent of the Spanish Renaissance. Built in the 16th century to commemorate the victory in the battle of San Quintín and to serve as a mausoleum for the Spanish kings, inside you can see a fantastic basilica, the magnificent palace of the Habsburgs and the pantheon of the Kings, among other attractions.

The best option

San Lorenzo de El Escorial Tickets

Access to the Monastery of El Escorial with your direct entrance with audio guide option

Visit this monument declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the most visited in Madrid and with a high historical value...

From $19 at Hellotickets

About 50 km from the city of Madrid, at the foot of the mountains of the Sierra de Guadarrama, is this monumental Renaissance complex, a must if you visit the capital of Spain to soak up its culture and history. With your tickets to San Lorenzo de El Escorial you can visit the Basilica and the Pantheon of the Kings as well as the Palace of the Habsburgs and the Royal Library.

In short, a complete tour through the reign of Philip II, who ordered the construction of this building. Thanks to the downloadable audio guide or digital guide, which you can include with your general admission to the Monastery of El Escorial, you can learn more about this architectural wonder of the Community of Madrid.

Recommended if... You don't want to miss El Escorial Monastery in Madrid without having to wait in line at the ticket office to get in.

The general entrance to the Monastery of El Escorial costs about 15 € and entitles you to visit all the buildings in which the complex is divided.

On the other hand, there is a reduced entrance fee of 6 € for children between 5 and 16 years old (must be identified with the ID card or passport for those over 14 years old); and for adults over 65 years old and for students under 25 years old who present the national or international student card the price is 7 €.

In addition to getting your ticket to visit El Escorial Monastery you will have to find out how to get there. For this reason, many excursions are organized from the capital that provide you with easy transfers and also include tickets and a guided tour in which a local guide will tell you the context and historical details of this monumental complex.

On the other hand, due to its proximity to the Valley of the Fallen, many of these excursions include a visit to this other place of great historical importance in Spain and are considered one of the best day trips from Madrid.

Yes, there is the possibility to enter free of charge for some types of visitors and on some specific days of the year. In these cases, it will be mandatory to go to the ticket office before entering, as these passes cannot be purchased online.

Those who can access for free are:

• Children under 5 years old.
• Members of large families recognized by the current law.
• Members of ICOM (International Council of Museums) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
• Teaching staff who can provide accreditation.
• Disabled persons with accreditation and an accompanying person.
• Unemployed persons with an employment card or equivalent document.

On the other hand, admission will be free for almost everyone during the following days:

• From October to March, free admission on Wednesdays and Sundays between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (only for EU citizens, Latin Americans or residence card holders).
• From April to September, Wednesdays and Sundays from 15:00 to 19:00 in the same cases as described above.
• May 18 and October 12

The Monastery of El Escorial offers the possibility of hiring a guided tour in Spanish by the staff of Patrimonio Nacional. If you have chosen this option, it is necessary to arrive at the ticket office 10 minutes before the time indicated at the entrance.

This type of visit must be booked online when purchasing the ticket. The prices are as follows:

• Basic ticket with guide: 16 €.
• Reduced ticket with guide: 10 €.
• Free guided entrance: 4 €.

Deciding whether this type of guided tour is worth it depends a lot on the previous knowledge you have. So, if you already know the history surrounding the monument you may not need the guide, but this is highly recommended for those who know less about El Escorial and want to make the most of the occasion.

There are currently two ways to buy individual tickets to the monastery complex. The first is online, on the official website of Hellotickets. When doing so, you must indicate the day and time you wish to visit. Normally, you can enter every 15 minutes.

The second way to purchase tickets is at the ticket office located in the complex itself, but note that lately are only being offered by this way those who have not been sold online. In case you are going to go in high season I recommend you to buy them online or be quite early at the door of the monastery.

Although you can go deeper into this question by reading the article on how to get from El Escorial to Madrid, here is a brief summary of the different options:

• Organized tour: from Madrid you have several organized tours that also include entrance fees and visits to other nearby places.
• Train: C3 commuter line from Atocha, Chamartin or Puerta del Sol stations.
• Bus: lines 661 and 664 from Moncloa
• Car: leave Madrid on the A6 and turn off at exit 47 to join the M-600.
• Historical locomotive: the Tren de Felipe II leaves every morning from Príncipe Pío station. With this option you can also hire a guided tour of the complex.

You may be spending a few days in Madrid and, for convenience or any other reason, you may prefer to visit the Monastery of El Escorial with a tour from the capital. Luckily for you, you will be able to choose from several tours that also include other interesting destinations:

• Half day in El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen: in a modern bus and with the presence of a guide you will be able to visit both the monastery complex itself and the controversial Valley of the Fallen.
• Full day in El Escorial and Toledo: without a doubt, this complete option is perfect for those who want to take advantage of a day to visit the monastery and one of the most beautiful cities in the country.
• Full day in El Escorial, Valley of the Fallen and Segovia: by including Segovia you will be able to visit the many attractions of this Castilian city, including its famous aqueduct.

The monastery of El Escorial is composed of a series of halls, rooms, palaces and gardens, in addition to the basilica that houses its religious function. The most important points of the visit are the following:

• The Patio de los Reyes and the basilica. Inside the basilica, do not miss the sacristy and the main altarpiece.
• The crypt: it houses a small chapel that was to receive the mortal remains of the monarchs.
• The cloister staircase: it is really spectacular, especially the frescoes that adorn it.
• The Hall of Battles.
• The Chapter Rooms: as if you were visiting the Prado, here you will find valuable paintings by artists such as El Greco or Velázquez.
• The Library: one of the most beautiful rooms of the entire complex.
• Palaces of the Habsburgs and the Bourbons.

By having a guide you will be able to receive information about all these areas during the visit. However, I advise you to gather some information before you go. If you wish, here I will go deeper into what you can see in El Escorial, including some interesting places outside the monastery complex that you may want to visit.

If you are going on your own, it is very likely that you will stay in town for lunch. Luckily, you will find a large number of restaurants to choose from.

The gastronomic offer covers all kinds of styles and tastes. If you are looking for something as traditional as a stew, you may well opt for the Charolés, while if you prefer grilled meat you will find none better than the Asador del Rey.

For those who want to take advantage of a unique gastronomic experience, El Escorial is home to a Michelin-starred restaurant, the Montia. Finally, if you want to try burgers with style and unparalleled flavor, I recommend Al Punto Hambgourmet.

Those who go to El Escorial with tickets purchased with a guided tour will not have to worry about knowing the schedules, as everything will be organized so that there are no problems.

However, if you go on your own you must take into account the opening and closing times of the complex:

• Between October and March it opens from 10:00 to 18:00, although the admission of new visitors is cut off one hour earlier.
• From April to September the opening time is maintained and the closing time is extended until 20:00.

Both hours are from Tuesday to Sunday, as the monument is closed to the public every Monday.

There will always be differences between how long it takes everyone to tour the entire complex, as it depends a lot on how much time you spend on each part.

However, whether on a guided tour or on your own, it is normal for the tour to take a little over 2 hours.

The geographical location of Madrid and its good communications mean that from the capital depart from various excursions to nearby towns that can be really interesting.

Among the best, from my point of view, are the excursions to the city of Toledo, which can also be reached in other ways.

Equally interesting are the excursions to Segovia, the city of the aqueduct and can be combined with Avila.