Tours, sightseeing tours, activities & things to do | Viator.comEl Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen from Madrid
based on 68 reviews of El Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen from Madrid
Read what other Viator.com travelers think about the El Escorial Monastery and the Valley of the Fallen from Madrid. What they loved, what they liked and what they think could be improved, it's all here to help you make the most of your next trip.
The trip itself was good, well organised, and interesting. It was also good value for money. The guide was informative, but his English was sometimes difficult to understand - his English accent was very poor. I am a fluent Spanish speaker and noted that the English version lacked detail. I was very sad to see, as we waited for the departure, that a woman in a wheelchair with a prebooked ticket was turned away. While I fully understand - and agree - that the Escorial trip is only suitable for able-bodied people, as a lot of stairs are involved, I feel it should be made clear on your website and other advertising, to avoid disappointment. You should also warn people that no photography is permitted inside the buildings.
Reviewed by: Nigel B, Portugal, July 2008
Very nice place to see especially the Valley of the Fallen.
Reviewed by: Edward C, Philippines, May 2008
This was a good tour that made getting to see both sites convenient especially in half of a day. The tour office was somewhat hard to find, especially since it's not a Viator office, but a tour office where you must meet at Plaza de Espanya. I emailed the company for directions and never got a response, but we were able to find them.
Reviewed by: Anonymous, United States of America, April 2008
Great! It is a must see. I wish we had more time to look around, eat and shop, but still definitely worth doing. Easy to find tour agency, no problem checking in, and they have English speaking employees.
Reviewed by: Steven C, United States of America, April 2008
Quite the monument. The guide made it come alive for us.
Reviewed by: Susan C, United States of America, April 2008
This is the most appropriate way to visit two very interesting places outside Madrid. Personally, I felt there was not enough time to enjoy the Escorial in all its glory.
Reviewed by: Willy v, Belgium, April 2008
Very good tour!
Reviewed by: Anonymous, Puerto Rico, March 2008
We missed the tour the day we had originally planned because we could not find the office. Though we were able to re-schedule, it would be nice to modify the directions a bit more to make the office easier to find, especially since it doesn't have the same name as the tour company on the Internet. Other than that, the tour was great.
Reviewed by: Lauren B, Canada, March 2008
This is too short a tour for something as complex and huge as the Escorial. If possible, go for a longer visit. We were rushed through the Escorial because there was one other stop to make: the Valle de Los Caidos. To my mind, Franco's monument to the fallen of Spain's civil war was a distant second to the Escorial, artistically and historically. Unfortunately, we could not find a tour just to the Escorial.
Reviewed by: Thomas H, Switzerland, January 2008
This is a quick way to get in and out of both locations.
Reviewed by: Juan B, United States of America, January 2008
The guide spoke fluent English. The information was valuable.
Reviewed by: Anonymous, United States of America, November 2007
We took the half day tour to visit Valley of the Fallen and El Escorial. We had a small sized group, which was nice as it made it easy to hear the guide. Our guide was very good and complete in her descriptions. Valley of the Fallen is interesting to see, as it is built into the mountainside. You would never know its size unless you visit and go inside. El Escorial is amazing in its scale and size. The tour includes a walk through many rooms filled with art and the crypt area where many are buried. The guide gave good descriptions in both English and Spanish. We found that the tours with smaller group sizes were more enjoyable and more personalized. Overall, this is worth a half day visit.
Reviewed by: Nancy R, United States of America, September 2007
The guide was excellent. The bus was comfortable. These sights are not to be missed in any trip to the Madrid area.
Reviewed by: David B, United States of America, September 2007
We had an excellent guide and a well-organised tour. We saw the most interesting sights, and the trip was not too long. The coaches were air-conditioned and comfortable.
Reviewed by: Tecwyn V, United Kingdom, July 2007
The bus was comfortable and left on time. The tour was concise and very interesting while the guide was friendly and helpful. In short worth the money.
Reviewed by: Peter A, Spain, June 2007
