Madrid, El Escorial and Valley of the Fallen

*** PLEASE NOTE: The Valley of the Fallen is currently closed to renovation - it is unknown at this time when the site will re-open.  This tour will be to Madrid and El Escorial - with more time spent at El Escorial instead of the closed Valley of the Fallen.

This is a full day - great if you wish to see plenty of places in one day of travel.

Madrid: We will drive through the courtesan district of the Hapsburgs characterized by Renaissance and Baroque style buildings, such as the ones at Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Villa. We will visit the Madrid of the Bourbons and its complex planning schemes, Cibeles and Neptuno Fountains, and the Puerta de Alcalá. We will admire the works of Jos? Bonaparte including the elegant Plaza de Oriente and The Prado Museum. We will discover contemporary Madrid with avenues such as Gran Vía, Castellana, the district of Salamanca, Plaza de Castilla, Parque del Oeste, University Campus, as well as the commercial and financial zones, famous Las Ventas Bullring and the Santiago Bernab? Football Stadium. 

EL ESCORIAL: Considered the eighth wonder of the world for a long period of time and currently a world heritage site. The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo El Real was built by King Philip the Second. The austere Renaissance complex combines a palace and monastery, and features a wonderful collection of art. On this visit, an experienced guide will take us for a tour of the complex, including the Hapsburgs Palace, Kings and Princes Mausoleum, Chapter Houses and the Basilica.

VALLE DE LOS CAIDOS (Valley of the Fallen): This enormous monument was built between 1940 and 1959 to honour the Spaniards killed during the civil War. It is a Basilica excavated in the mountain at 1350m above sea level where an impressive 150m high cross places itself over the magnificent nature reserve of Madrid's mountain range. The monument was built by the Spanish dictator General Franco and it is said thousands of prisoners were killed during its construction. We will take a guided tour inside the basilica, and admire the spectacular valley landscape surrounding the complex.

At the end of the tour we return to Plaza de Espana in the center of Madrid.