Official Licensed Guide Free Cancellation 24h Secure Payment Local Office in Madrid

Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen Tour from Madrid

4.9 / 5 3,012 reviews

5 hours

EN, ES

Easy

Guided Half-Day Trip

On this excursion we will visit the Royal Monastery of El Escorial, an architectural heritage site of the Humanity, and the Basilica of the Valle de los Caídos, a monument that stands out for its gigantic size.

5 hour direct tour to the Valle de los Caídos with its basilica excavated in the Sierra de Madrid and discover the grandeur of the Royal Monastery of El Escorial, a World Heritage Site and symbol of Spanish supremacy of the sixteenth century.

Day Trips from Madrid UNESCO World Heritage Site

Tour Itinerary

The Valley of the Fallen

The construction of the Basilica of the Valley of the Fallen took place between 1940 and 1958 by decision of the Head of State himself, Francisco Franco.
In the construction works, mainly free workers and prisoners participated, albeit to a lesser extent, between the years 1942 and 1950, under a system of sentence reduction through labor. The presence of these individuals was due to the organization of the Spanish penitentiary system, which included the “Work of Sentence Redemption through Labor”, under the direction of a Central Board that collected voluntary requests from prisoners who wished to reduce their sentence time through this means, in addition to receiving a salary equal to that of free workers in the sector.

The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial

It was built in the 16th century under the mandate of the powerful King Felipe II, and conceived as a residence, monastery and pantheon of the Royal House, becoming a symbol of the greatness of the Spanish empire. – It has been declared a historical artistic ensemble, and World Heritage Site in 1984.

Included

Trip by luxury bus with air conditioned and Wifi
Professional Guide
The Valley of Fallen Admission Ticket
Escorial Monastery Admission Ticket

Not Included

Food and drinks

Cancellation Policy

Free! Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts. If you cancel under this time or do not show up, you will not be refunded.

Essentials to Bring

Comfortable shoes
Sun hat
Sunscreen
Water

Please Note

Stroller or pram accessible
Public transportation nearby
May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
Dress code is smart casual
Not suitable for pets
Infants must not sit on laps
Headphones available for radio guide

When to Book?

Until 1h before the tour

Security & Logistics

Infrastructure designed for a seamless operational experience.

Private Fleet

Our own buses and in-house professional drivers — no subcontractors.

Official Certified Guides

Madrid Community official license, historians and licensed professionals.

Direct Booking System

Real-time availability, secure payments, immediate confirmation.

Meeting Point

Fun & Tickets Meeting Point

Calle de San Bernardo, 7 - 28013 Madrid - Spain

Outside the commercial gallery

Get directions

Calle de San Bernardo, 7 - 28013 Madrid - Spain

Frequently Asked Questions

The tour departs from our office at Calle Coloreros, 2 - just off Calle Mayor 20, Madrid, with check-in from 08:15h. There's a second pickup point at Calle de San Bernardo, 7, around 08:30-08:40h if that's closer to your hotel.

The monument was officially renamed Valle de Cuelgamuros in 2023, though most travelers still know it as the Valley of the Fallen — both names refer to the same site. It remains fully open to visitors on this tour, including the basilica carved into the mountainside.

Not at the moment. The funicular that used to take visitors up to the 150-metre cross has been closed indefinitely for safety reasons, so the visit focuses on the basilica and the esplanade, which still offers sweeping views of the Sierra de Madrid.

Yes. Our guides present the historical and political context of the Valle de Cuelgamuros with neutrality and rigor — how and why it was built during Franco's regime and the debates surrounding it today — so you leave with the facts and can form your own view.

Plan for around 300 steps combined across both sites, plus some uneven ground in El Escorial's courtyards. Comfortable, flat shoes are essential, and we recommend letting us know in advance if you need any extra assistance.

The price covers round-trip transport in an air-conditioned bus with WiFi, entrance tickets to both the El Escorial Monastery and the Valle de Cuelgamuros, and a professional English/Spanish-speaking guide. Food and drinks are not included.

Partly. El Escorial itself is manageable, but the Valle de Cuelgamuros currently has no accessible route for wheelchairs or reduced mobility, on top of the roughly 300 steps and the closed funicular. Get in touch with us before booking so we can advise on what to expect.