Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen Tour from Madrid
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Madrid, Spain
- 5 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
This tour is ideal for time-tight travelers interested in religious sights and historic monuments. Avoid the hassle of organizing car rental, and instead, travel between locations with ease in a luxury bus with air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, and a guide. Explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site—the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial (El Escorial)—and visit the Valley of Cuelgamuros (Valley of the Fallen) monument and Catholic basilica.
- Save time—see El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen in a day
- Avoid long entry lines—entrance tickets to each site are included
- Learn as you explore each site through guided commentary
- Travel with ease between attractions in a comfortable bus with Wi-Fi
What's Included
- Trip by luxury bus with air conditioned and Wifi
- Professional Guide
- The Valley of Fallen Admission Ticket
- Escorial Monastery Admission Ticket
- Food and drinks
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Fun and Tickets / San BernardoC. de San Bernardo, 7, Centro, 28013 Madrid, Spain
Departure Point: Departure: Calle de San Bernardo, 7, 28013 Madrid at 9.00 am - Outside the commercial gallery. Checking - 08:30 hrs.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.9:00 am
Itinerary
1
Valley of the Fallen
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infant seats available
- Not wheelchair accessible
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
- Dress code is smart casual
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Headphones available for radio guide
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 2,671 reviews
Jose_N, Apr 2026
A lot of waking up and down stairs otherwise it was a great tour. Maria was very knowledgeable. Great experience
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Jose,
That’s a very honest way to describe it!
El Escorial definitely keeps you moving with all those stairs, but it’s great to hear that the overall experience made it worthwhile.
María will be happy to know her knowledge helped make the visit even better.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Best,
The Fun and Tickets Team
Maria_s, Apr 2026
Maria is the best tour guide! Viator never disappoints when I travel to different countries, but the Madrid version was the best of them because the directions were better. On top of that I had the best tour guide from any tour. The level of details and amounts of information were incredible and she was also fun and super nice. I was traveling alone so that was an extra bonus that she made sure everyone was happy and could hear. She really enhanced the whole experience from the moment we got on board and also after we were done when she made sure people knew where they were going from there. She even had MORE suggestions for me for the location where we got off. Her name is Maria and she has a very nice even voice so there are no interruptions with the headsets. She was truly an encyclopedia! Even with dates! I will see how to get her next time I am in Madrid.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Maria,
What an incredible review, thank you so much for taking the time to share it.
It really means a lot to hear how much María impacted your experience, especially traveling on your own. The way you describe her attention to detail, her care for the group, and even the small things like making sure everyone could hear and knew what to do next, that’s exactly the kind of experience we aim to create.
“An encyclopedia” is quite the compliment, and we’re sure she’ll be smiling reading this, especially knowing she made your time in Madrid stand out among all your travels.
We’ll make sure your message reaches her.
Looking forward to welcoming you back next time, hopefully with María again.
Best,
The Fun and Tickets Team
Ellen_E, Apr 2026
Our guide David was amazing as was Beatriz who guided us through everything on the coach...great value for money and very well organised...so interesting and I would highly recommend Fun and Tickets.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Ellen,
Sounds like you had a really well-rounded day.
It’s great to hear that both David and Beatriz made such a strong impression, combining the on-site visit with explanations along the way really helps bring everything together.
Also lovely to read that you found it good value and well organized, that’s exactly what we aim for.
Thank you for the recommendation and hope to see you again soon.
Best,
The Fun and Tickets Team
Monica_S, Apr 2026
Very pleasant experience! Everything was super smooth and we had a wonderful tour guide named Beatrice. She was very knowledgeable and would highly recommend. The sites were so interesting and we learned a lot.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Monica,
Thank you very much for your kind review.
We’re delighted to hear that you had such a pleasant experience and that everything ran smoothly throughout the tour. It’s wonderful to know that Beatrice made such a positive impact with her knowledge and guidance—she will truly appreciate your kind words.
We’re also glad you found the sites interesting and that you were able to learn so much during the visit.
Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you again on another experience soon.
Best regards,
The Fun and Tickets Team
Diana_C, Apr 2026
I really liked the experience. Very organized, on time, we covered a lot of information and the places we visited are beautiful.
Bea our guide was very knowledgeable and super nice. Also she was very interested in getting better and was asking how to improve her English to be able to convey more accurately information to tourist.
Even though her English was already excellent.
Beatriz_D, Apr 2026
The Viator team put together this tour so well! Beatriz and David, the guides, were incredibly knowledgeable about the history and arts of the two sites. I’d definitely recommend this tour!
Stephen_P, Apr 2026
Good guides, guides spoke English well. Beatrice and David were both great. There are quite a few steps involved. A very interesting visit
Linda_S, Apr 2026
A great tour for people interested in Spanish history. Be prepared to climb some steps! Beatrice was out English speaking guide ans she was stellar. Greatly enjoyed the tour.
NGA_B, Apr 2026
Beatrice is knowledgeable, dedicated, funny and super energetic. She literally gave us the best history lesson within 5 hours. The tour is well designed & efficient. All destinations are awe-inspiring & make you look at Spain differently. Beatrice is hands-down the best tour guide I've met. Highly recommended!
Susan_G, Apr 2026
Our travel guide was absolutely wonderful and provided so much history. Her name was Beatrice. We did this same trip one week earlier and were disappointed in the guide we had. It’s a must see if traveling to Spain.
Gail_G, Mar 2026
David was fantastic! He had a vast knowledge of El Escorial and his interest in the monastary was evident. I have to say the differences between the sites El Escorial and what Franco built couldn't be more different; opulant to austere a matter of minutes apart.
Luisa_T, Mar 2026
Very interesting place outside Madrid. The small town was a bonus. The tour guides were very knowledgeable. Answered lot of my questions.
Alexander_W, Mar 2026
This is an unmisseable guided tour of two hugely significant historical sights not far from Madrid which are also exciting to visit. The tour guide David was excellent and friendly and gave us all the information we needed in English as well as in Spanish. The coach took us there very quickly and we had sufficient time for breaks at both places. Altogether it was a thoroughly enjoyable half day excursion which l would recommend all visitors to Madrid to go on.
Susan_E, Mar 2026
Ver interesting perspectives on different periods in Spanish history. Sergio was an excellent guide. He was very pleasant and very well informed.
Heather_D, Feb 2026
This tour was beautiful and the hidden valley is a must see while in Spain. Very spiritual and meaningful experience as you enter into the mountain. Fantastic!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hello Heather_D,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear that you found the tour so beautiful and meaningful. It’s wonderful to know that the Valley of the Fallen and El Escorial left such a strong impression on you, especially with the unique atmosphere of the valley and its spiritual character.
We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again on another tour soon.
Best regards,
Fun&Tickets Team
Dan_T, Feb 2026
The 2 sites are amazing, and our guide Sergio was incredibly helpful in getting through LOTS of information at a great speed so we could see everything. 1 tip: Avoid doing Sundays, since the basilica is still used for mass and we had to rush a bit to be out before it started.
Brian_L, Feb 2026
This was our second tour with Fun and Tickets in Madrid. We enjoyed both tours. The bus was comfortable and the tour guide was knowledgeable and interesting to listen to.
fbayard, Feb 2026
Everything was very nice, and our guide, Beatriz, was very knowledgeable and a very nice person herself.
Joe_B, Feb 2026
Beatrice was my guide and Pablo was our driver. Had a fun time on the tour. Was well-spaced and had ample time to enjoy everything without feeling rushed. My favorite was Valley of the Fallen. Absolutely breathtaking. Thank you!
Jorge_A, Feb 2026
Sergio was very knowledgeable and took the time to explain everything. Also he was super nice and made this a wonderful experience.
Shalini_G, Feb 2026
The guide was quite knowledgeable, and he did great switching between English and Spanish. Only issue was the group had both English and Spanish and the majority were Spanish. I wish had 2 guides. Would recommend to mention that in the details.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Dear Shalini,
Thanks for appreciating the knowledge of our guide, sharing it in dual language as mentioned in the description of the tour.
We make our daily tour available and easy to follow for people from different nationalities. However, we are happy to inform you that we also have private tours available at your disposal. Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to ask us.
With warm regards,
Fun and Tickets Team
MARU_L, Jan 2026
It was a very astounding experience. The tour guides were excellent, very knowledgeable, the driver was great, and the bus was very comfortable. An excellent day!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hello MARU_L.
We’re thrilled to hear that you had an astounding experience visiting the Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen! It’s wonderful that the guides impressed you with their knowledge, the driver made the journey comfortable, and the bus added to a smooth and enjoyable day.
Thank you for sharing your experience and for joining our tour.
Kind regards,
Fun&Tickets team.
James_M, Dec 2025
The guide was good and knowledgeable and friendly. The bus was very comfortable. Excellent experience!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hello James_M!
We’re thrilled to hear that you had an excellent experience on the Escorial Monastery and Valley of the Fallen tour. It’s wonderful that your guide was knowledgeable and friendly, and that the bus provided a comfortable journey.
We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you on another tour soon!
Kind regards,
The Fun & Tickets Team
Karen_H, Nov 2025
Really interesting and informative guide. Answered everyone's questions easily. Great tour. Really enjoyed the day.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Karen_H!
We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour of the Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen. It’s wonderful that your guide made the experience informative, engaging, and able to answer everyone’s questions.
We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you on another tour soon!
Kind regards,
The Fun & Tickets Team
Jean_W, Nov 2025
Our guide was very friendly, professional and knowledgeable. The timing of everything was great. It was colder there than Madrud, so dress accordingly.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hello Jean_W,
We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the Escorial Monastery and Valley of the Fallen tour. Glad the guide, timing, and overall experience met your expectations. And great tip about dressing warmly—it can definitely be chilly there!
Kind regards,
The Fun & Tickets Team
RODOLFO_C, Nov 2025
Excellent tour. Our guide Luis, was very helpful in explaining in detail the history of the places we visited. it was worth it to spend the time with them. Well organized, nice bus, and good driver.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hello Rodolfo_C!
We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the Escorial Monastery and Valley of the Fallen tour. Luis is delighted his explanations helped bring the history to life. We’re also glad the organization, bus, and driver met your expectations. Your recommendation means a lot!
Kind regards,
The Fun & Tickets Team
Richard_D, Oct 2025
Great tour, two fabulous locations. Christine was our guide and did a great job. She conducted the tour in two languages and it worked out fine. Informative and very appreciative of seeing the two highlights. Thank you Fun & Tickets and thanks Christine.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hello Richard_D,
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed visiting both the Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen. Cristina is thrilled to know that her guidance and bilingual explanations added to your enjoyment.
We appreciate your kind words and hope to see you on another tour soon!
Kind regards,
Fun & Tickets Team
PAUL_G, Oct 2025
The sites were amazing. However, the tour was very rushed. It said the tour maxed out at 24; there were 30. The tour was sold as in English and it definitely was bilingual - which is fine but the English portion was hit and miss (I speak both). The tour guide didn’t even take us through a good portion of the sites.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Dear Paul,
We are glad that you found the sites amazing.
Our groups to El Escorial are up to 30 people, and the tour is delivered in English and Spanish if required as advertised.
The same explanations are given in both languages, but as you know, we often need to use more words in Spanish to say the same thing in English.
The monastery is huge, we visit part of it, we highly recommend you to join one of our future tours where we will maybe be given access to other areas.
We are sorry for not to have met your expectations this time.
Kind regards,
Fun and Tickets Team
Michelle_H, Oct 2025
We would recommend this tour. We loved going to the Monastery and the Valley of the fallen. Beautiful scary.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hi Michelle_H,
Thank you for your lovely review! We’re delighted to hear that you and your friends enjoyed the Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen. It’s wonderful that the tour left such a memorable impression on you.
With our appreciation, the Fun&Tickets Team
Jose_D, Oct 2025
Totally amazing, Escorial monastery and Valle de los Caidos are breathtaking places, our guide Bea new all the history of each place, we recommend this tour
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Hi Jose_D,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that Bea made your Escorial Monastery and Valley of the Fallen tour so memorable with her knowledge of the history. It’s fantastic that you enjoyed these breathtaking sites and would recommend the tour.
Warmest thanks from the Fun&Tickets team
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