SoftguideMadrid: Daytrips: San Lorenzo de El Escorial

Madrid: 59 Km., Segovia: 54 Km.
Population 9.193
Level: 1.028 m. s/m.
Tourism office:
Floridablanca, 10. Tel: 918 901 554.

How to get there:
• bus: Herranz company from Moncloa.
Tel. 91 896 90 28
Time: 1 hour
Price one way: approx: 2.50 euro
• Cercanías trains.
• By car taking the VI highway.

Festivals:
San Lorenzo: august, 10.

Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial
c/ Juan de Borbón y Battemberg, s/n.
28200 SAN LORENZO DE EL ESCORIAL , Madrid
Of note: the Complutense University holds summer courses here, these often being given by eminent lecturers.

Particularly close to Madrid, and among the most interesting of nearby sites, San Lorenzo del Escorial is certainly worth a visit. Among other attractions is a huge monastery built in the 'herreriano' style by order of Philip II. Inside a sumptuously decorated chamber of the monastry are buried many of Spain's past monarchs. The surrounding landscape is pleasant, and during summer the moderate climate provides an escape from Madrid's sometimes stifling temperatures. Other interesting monuments are: "Casita del Infante" or "de arriba" and "Casita del Príncipe" or "de abajo", both by Juan de Villanueva, and inside there are a good colletions of pictures by Lucas Jordán and Giaquinto; the "Real Coliseo de Carlos III" and the famous "Silla de Felipe II", or "Piedra de la Herrería" , where Phillip II watched the progress of the works.
But the best in this trip is the superbs views and impressive panorama of this landscape.

The Pantheon of the Kings is situated in a circular chapel directly beneath the chancel of the Basilica. It contains the remains of monarchs and of queens who were mothers of monarchs, from the Emperor Charles V to modern times. The exceptions are King Philip V and King Ferdinand VI, who are buried in their respective foundations of La Granja de San Ildefonso and Las Salesas Reales (the Church of Santa Bˆrbara, Madrid). The mortal remains of other members of the Royal Family are buried in the Pantheon of Infantes. Both the Monastery and the areas of the complex used as a Palace were decorated by Italian painters summoned by Philip II to El Escorial. They include Zuccaro, Tibaldi and Cambiaso, who painted the frescoes in some of the most prominent spaces, such as the Library, Sacristy, Chapter Houses, Lower Cloister, Main Staircase and Gallery of the Battles. Among the pieces of sculpture at El Escorial are a number by Monegro. There are also several bronze figures of Christ on the Cross, by major Italian artists of the 16th and 17th centuries, including one by Bernini, but the most celebrated Crucified Christ is the figure in white marble by Cellini. King Charles II added the reredos in the Sacristy, dominated by a masterpiece of Claudio Coello, The Adoration of the Sacred Form. Also dating from the same reign is the magnificent series of frescoes on the ceilings of the Basilica and the Main Staircase, by Luca Giordano.

El Escorial is most easily reached by Cercanías trains. Departures are hourly from both the Atocha and Chamartín stations. Buses to El Escorial can be taken from the Errantz departing from the Autocares Herrantz line which depart from the bus station at Monlcoa. By car, one should take the N-VI (carretara de la Coruña).
Transport (from Madrid)
Bus: Lines 664 and 661 from the Moncloa transport terminal (AUTOCARES HERRANZ)
By road: Madrid-San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Take the A-VI, highway to Las Rozas, and then the exit to M-505; or take the A-VI highway and then the M-600 exit.
Train: Madrid-El Escorial. Suburban line C-8 (from Atocha Station)

Admision:
General: 6,91 euros (Guided visit)
6,01 euros (Non guided visit)
Reduced: 5,11 euros (For groups arranged by travel agencies.)
Minimum: 3,01 euros (Identity document is required)
Free: Under 5 years, Arranged visits from educational establishments, Wednesday, for citizens of the European.

Valle de los Caídos, 12 Km. from El Escorial.
Road Guadarrama/El Escorial
28209 VALLE DE CUELGAMUROS (MADRID)

Transport From San Lorenzo de El Escorial:
Bus: Escorial-Valle de los CaÍdos; line 660, from the Plaza de la Virgen de Gracia s/n (AUTOCARES HERRANZ)
By Road: Take the M-600 road from San Lorenzo de El Escorial to Valle de los Caidos
From Madrid:
By Road: Take the A-VI higway, and then the exit to the M-600

Admision:
General: 4.81 euros (Non guided visit)
Reduced: 3.91 euros (For groups arranged by travel agencies.)
Minimum: 2.40 euros (Identity document is required)
Free: Under 5 years, Arranged visits from educational establishments, Wednesday, for citizens of the European.

Combined Escorial - Valle de los Caidos
General: 9.02 euros (Guided visit to El Escorial and non-guided visit to Valle de los Caidos) 8.41 euros (Non guided)
Reduced: 6.91 euros (For groups arranged by travel agencies.)
Minimum: 4.51 euros (Identity document is required)
Free: Under 5 years, Arranged visits from educational establishments, Wednesday, for citizens of the European.