5 h

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About this activity

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Av Juan de Borbon y Battemberg, 28200 San Lorenzo de El Escorial Spain

The first stop will be the Monastery which was built in the sixteenth century under the reign of the powerful king Felipe II and conceived as a royal residence, a monastery, and a pantheon for the royal family. It became a symbol of the greatness of the Spanish Empire, and has been declared a Historical Heritage Monument. You will be visiting the following areas: the monastery, the Royal Palace, the Royal Pantheon, the Basilica, the Cloister of the Four Evangelists and the Chapter Houses.

Duration: 50 minutes

Stop At: Valley of the Fallen, Carretere de Guadarrama, 28209 San Lorenzo de El Escorial Spain

The Valley of the Fallen erected in the beautiful Cuelgamuros Valley in the Guadarrama Sierra.

It is an impressive monument erected in memory of those who died during the Spanish Civil War of 1936.

This colossal work consists of the basilica and the crypt excavated in the rock of the mountain crowned by an impressive cross of over 150 meters.

Once you have visited the interior of the landmark, make your way back to the departure point in Madrid.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Casco Historico de Toledo, Toledo Spain

Optional. Upgrade your experience and after the morning tour in San Lorenzo del Escorial, make your way to the city of Toledo 70 Km. south of Madrid. Stroll through its streets with your guide and discover the rich history and culture behind its walls.

Duration: 5 hours

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Included

Professional guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Lunch (if option is selected)
Toledo tour (if option is selected)
Entry/Admission - Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial
Entry/Admission - Valley of the Fallen

Not included

Food and drinks, unless specified
Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Entry/Admission - Casco Historico de Toledo

Additional

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Comfortable shoes recommended
This tour ends in Debod temple near Plaza de España
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level

Features

Tourism

95%

Cultural

75%

Reviews

3.8

20

C

CarolC1742

3 | 2019-09-30

The tour lasts all day, but you cover a great deal. My only issue was the guide gave the tour in both English and Spanish. He ran both languages together so following along with what he was saying was difficult. Also be aware that this tour involves a great deal of walking and climbing stairs, especially in Toledo.

P

Peter G

2 | 2019-02-01

If you are only in Madrid for a short time and you do not already know Spanish history, do not take this trip.El Escorial is where Spanish kings are buried. The complex is huge, imposing, somber. The interior is lavish, convoluted and torturous to walk in.Valley of the Fallen is monolithic and has spectacular views of the surrounding countryside, but is otherwise mundane.Each of these places has its own fantastic history worthy of study and review, but taking a half day trip from Madrid to see them both on the same day is a waste of time and money.We missed our scheduled tour day and the company generously allowed us to take the tour on the following day with no charges. There were only 6 people on the tour, 3 Spanish speakers and 3 English speakers. Our guide's English was good but not perfect, "kins an der cowr" = "kings and their court". And understandably she appeared to spend more time during the tour talking to the Spanish group than the English group. The 45 minute drive to El Escorial was a "waste of time" because the guide only introduced herself, asked for names and talked generally for about 10 minutes then sat back and enjoyed the ride. She could have used the time to talk about the history of the sites or at least spend time talking to all the tourists.

M

Matthew R

4 | 2016-09-29

Enjoyable trip. A good way to see things if you are shot of time.

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