The efficient way to cover the two heavyweight sites outside Madrid without giving up the whole day.
In our comparison: #3 of 3 in El Escorial, by rating weighted by review volume (see the comparison).
One price for every traveller: €62 per adult.
Children from €51 (ages 7 to 15). Option texts and prices come from the operator's listing; prices checked on Viator on 3 October 2026.
96% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4★ or 5★: 3,023 of 3,141
Star breakdown of all 3,141 ratings
Reviewers value the guides' historical explanations and organisation; the stairs can be difficult for travellers with limited mobility.
Written by Guidekin from the 100 most recent English reviews on Viator & Tripadvisor (12 July 2026 to 2 October 2026). Refreshed as new reviews arrive; last checked 4 October 2026.
Reviews are shown as the platforms publish them and removed when they disappear there.
Ratings collected from Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor.
Valley of the Fallen is a Francoist regime monument, Catholic basilica and a monumental memorial in the municipality of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, erected at Cuelgamuros Valley in the Sierra de Guadarrama, near Madrid. Franco claimed that the monument was meant to be a "national act of atonement" and reconciliation. The construction works mainly involved free workers and a smaller, albeit significant, percentage of prisoners, these between 1942 and 1950, under the regime of redemption of sentences.
1h · Admission includedSan Lorenzo de El Escorial, also known as El Escorial de Arriba is a town and municipality in the Community of Madrid, Spain, located to the northwest of the region in the southeastern side of the Sierra de Guadarrama, at the foot of Mount Abantos and Las Machotas, 47 kilometres (29 mi) from Madrid. It is head of the same name judicial party. The settlement is popularly called El Escorial de Arriba, to differentiate it from the neighbouring village of El Escorial, also known as El Escorial de Abajo. Felipe II ordered the construction of this Monastery in recognition of the victory of San Quintín, which took place on the day of San Lorenzo in 1557 and is from the King, to erect a mausoleum in memory of his parents and himself, placed under the invocation of Saint Lawrence.
2h · Admission includedOn 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.
The operator's own notes, grouped by topic. Nothing here is added by Guidekin.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
| Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This tour · #3 of 3 | €62 | 5h | 4.8 (3141) | shared |
| Private VIP visit El Escorial Palace, Monastery, Villa & Garden | €140 | 3h 30m | 4.98 (46) | private |
| From Madrid El Escorial Valle de los Caídos & Segovia Day Trip | €69 | 10h | 4.76 (70) | shared |
Ranked #3 of 3 in El Escorial by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €62 to €140, median €69; typical length 5h. 1 of 3 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Compare all 3 El Escorial