EL ESCORIAL
Private El Escorial Trip from Madrid
What's included?
€599 per group · 1–3 people · approx. 5 hrs
Included:
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Private car with driver, pickup and return at your accommodation in Madrid
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Your private guide from departure
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Entry to the Monastery of El Escorial with guided visit
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Entry to the Valley of Cuelgamuros
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Walk around the monastery to the Plaza Mayor and a short coffee break
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Fuel, tolls and parking
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Free child seat on request (please give the child's weight and height)
Not included:
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Food and drinks
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Lunch at the Asador del Rey (bookable as an add-on)
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Other entries outside the agreed itinerary
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Services not explicitly mentioned
Send us your preferred date – we'll confirm availability and send you all the details.
Price: €599 per group of up to 3 people, VAT included.
How your day in El Escorial works
Approximate itinerary – we confirm opening hours and closing days for your date.
01
Pickup in Madrid
We pick you up in the morning at your accommodation in Madrid. By private car it is 45 minutes to just over an hour to El Escorial depending on traffic – your guide is with you from the start.
02
The monastery with your guide
The basilica, the Pantheon of the Kings beneath the high altar, the library with its frescoed vault and the small rooms where Philip II lived and died. About two hours, entry included.
03
Around the monastery
The granite terraces, the service courtyards and the streets of San Lorenzo that grew up to serve the king's summer court – down to the arcaded Plaza Mayor.
04
Coffee break
A short break sitting down, for a coffee or an aperitif. Not lunch – that is available as an add-on at the Asador del Rey.
05
Valley of Cuelgamuros
Formerly the Valle de los Caídos: a basilica cut into the rock beneath a cross visible for miles. Your guide explains its history and the debates around it. About 30 minutes there.
06
Return to Madrid
After about 5 hours we bring you back to your accommodation. With lunch at the Asador del Rey the day gets a little longer.
Make the day your own
Adjustable at no extra cost: more time in the palace or the gardens, a slower pace or the free hour for lunch.
At extra cost: the boat ride on the Tagus (Sat, Sun and public holidays only) or a sunrise hot-air balloon flight.
With more time: a winery with wine tasting turns it into a full day. Aranjuez and Toledo in one day can be planned on request.
Good to know
Duration: approx. 5 hours. A little longer with lunch at the Asador del Rey.
Pickup: at your accommodation in Madrid, at a time we agree with you; return to your door.
Group size: 1–3 people, your group only. From 4 people the trip runs by van, minibus or coach.
Languages: German, English, Spanish, French or Italian.
Closing days: The monastery and Cuelgamuros are closed on Mondays. Cuelgamuros closes early on Wednesdays and Sundays; the monastery stops admitting visitors well before closing time.
Accessibility: Cuelgamuros has no accessible route, and the funicular to the cross is closed indefinitely.
Children: very welcome. Free child seat on request – please tell us the child's weight and height.
Booking: on request – we confirm availability and itinerary in writing.
Travelling on your own? Then book just the guided tour of the monastery, €239 per group for 2 hrs plus €14 entry p.p.
Cancellation: up to 15 days before full refund (except non-refundable tickets already bought) · 14 days to 48 hours before 50 % · less than 48 hours before or no-show no refund.
Questions? Write to us via WhatsApp, the chat or the contact form.
El Escorial trip FAQ
Is the price per person or per group?
€599 per group for 1–3 people, VAT included. It includes a private car with driver, your guide and entry to the monastery and the Valley of Cuelgamuros.
Which entries are included?
The Monastery of El Escorial with guided visit and the Valley of Cuelgamuros.
On which days is it closed?
The monastery and Cuelgamuros are closed on Mondays, so we don't run the trip that day. On Wednesdays and Sundays Cuelgamuros closes early – then we go to the valley first. We check your date before confirming.
Can we have lunch in El Escorial?
A short coffee break is planned. If you would like lunch, we book a table at the Asador del Rey; you pay for the meal on site.
Can children come?
Yes, children are very welcome. We provide a free child seat on request – please tell us the child's weight and height.
We are more than 3 people – is that possible?
Yes. From 4 people we travel by van (€979), minibus (€1,206) or coach (€1,293.50), each per group incl. VAT. Entries are €23 per person on top.
What is the cancellation policy?
Up to 15 days before: full refund (except non-refundable tickets already bought). 14 days to 48 hours before: 50 %. Less than 48 hours before or no-show: no refund.