El Escorial and Valley of the Fallen Day Trip from Madrid

Join this excursion to two of the most emblematic places in the community of Madrid. For around 5 hours, you will have the opportunity to visit San Lorenzo de El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen, both important mausoleums of Spanish history.

Accompanied by an expert guide, you will learn about the history and significance of these two colossal monuments, erected by two of Spain's most controversial rulers . You'll travel in a comfortable, air-conditioned bus with wifi, which will take you on a round trip from Madrid to both destinations.

You will visit the famous Valley of the Fallen, built by the Franco regime between 1940 and 1958 to commemorate the fallen of the national side during the Spanish Civil War. The Valley, located in the town of Guadarrama, stands out for its underground Catholic basilica, its abbey, and its monumental 150-metre-high cross, perched on top of the cliff.

A large part of the monument was built by Republican political prisoners who participated as forced labourers. On 24 October 2019, the mortal remains of Francisco Franco were exhumed from the Valley, 44 years after his death.

The visit will continue to the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, where the monastery of the same name is located. The monastery was built by order of Philip II, King of Spain, between 1563 and 1584, and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984.

The monastery, now run by the Order of Saint Augustine, was built to commemorate the victory over the French at the Battle of Saint Quentin in 1557, on Saint Lawrence's Day. The building occupies an area of 33,327 square metres, and is considered a museum in its own right. This is due to the enormous amount of paintings, sculptures and artistic works of all kinds that are kept inside.