San Lorenzo de El Escorial Monastery: Private Tour

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San Lorenzo de El Escorial Monastery: Private Tour

Name: San Lorenzo de El Escorial Monastery: Private Tour
Address: Spain

7 Reviews

Guided tours Activities Culture & history Day trips Tours Day Trips From Religious & spiritual activities Private tours Rainy-day activities Architecture UNESCO sites

Discover one of the most astonishing monuments of Spain! A UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll across centuries of art and history in a unique building. It's the perfect day trip from Madrid!

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Highlights

Discover San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Enjoy masterpieces by Titian, El Greco, Velázquez and Luca Giordano.
Explore the basilica, the library, the Hall of Battles and the Royal Pantheon.
Marvel at the impressive frescoes inside the library and the main staircase.
Enjoy a day surrounded by nature, at the Sierra del Guadarrama mountains.

Description

In this private tour, you will have a guide just for you. Together, you will travel through centuries of history in one of the most outstanding monuments of Spain. El Escorial Monastery is a national treasure, a place where the power and wealth of the Habsburgs dynasty is displayed at its best. Enjoy priority entrance and discover the many rooms the building has to offer: The library is the finest example of Phillip II Humanism and his taste for science and arts, and the basilica shows the religious context of the time. In the Royal Pantheon you will discover the impressive insides of the building, and you will get to know the story behind characters like John of Austria, the bastard son of Emperor Charles V. The tour inside the monument will end at the Hall of the Battles, where you will discover astonishing mural paintings that you will never forget. After visiting the interior, you can finish the itinerary at the Renaissance gardens created for the kings and the monks of the monastery, where you will marvel at the breathtaking panoramic views of the forest and the mountains that surround San Lorenzo de El Escorial. If luck is on your side, you will even meet the beautiful peacocks that live in the gardens!

Includes

Licensed tour guide. Skip-the-line tickets (€12 per person). Individual headsets to hear the tour guide clearly.

Important Information

The monument is not accessible, you will climb many steps, although we will take it easy! Please, note that all participants must appear in the booking (including infants under 5 years, which are free). Kids in between 12 and 16 must present a valid ID (or a copy) at the entry. All minors must be accompanied by an adult. The tour is subject to opening hours. The basilica is closed during the masses. On Sundays and religious holidays, this means that it is closed the entire morning. In case of closure, your guide will extend the visit at the Library or the Chapter Rooms. All visitors must pass through airport-style security. Backpacks and big bags need to be left at free individual lockers (work with €1 coin).