SPAIN: MONASTERIO DEL ESCORIAL

I visited the Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial one of the days I spent in Madrid in 2012 visiting Toledo, Segovia as well as Madrid. It was like a time travel to the Middle Ages. Churches, synagogues, mosques, convents, walls, bridges, towers and this monastery are really well preserved.

Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial

Since in school I learned the existence of this monastery built in Herrerian style, I always wanted to visit it for its artistic importance rather than for having been the political center of the empire of Philip II or for hosting the Pantheon of the Kings.

San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a historical residence of the King of Spain, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 45 kilometres northwest of the capital, Madrid.

In November 1984, UNESCO declared The Royal Site of San Lorenzo of El Escorial a World Heritage Site. It is an extremely popular tourist attraction, often visited by day-trippers from Madrid.

Facades of San Lorenzo del Escorial

Main facade of San Lorenzo del Escorial

Another view of the main facade of San Lorenzo del Escorial

Overview of San Lorenzo del Escorial

One of the towers of San Lorenzo del Escorial

Beside the monastery you can see the town of El Escorial

Courtyard of the kings

Courtyard of the kings and the Basilica of San Lorenzo del Escorial

Basilica

Basilica of Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial

Cloister

Cloister of San Lorenzo del Escorial

- How to get there:

• Bus: 664 and 661 from Moncloa (COACHES HERRANZ).

• By Car: Madrid-San Lorenzo de El Escorial, A-VI, until Rozas, turning to the M-505, A-VI, turning to the M-600.

• Train: Madrid-El Escorial. Line C-8 (Atocha Station)

Other cities I visited during this trip were:

• Toledo
• Segovia
• Madrid

Finally, other beautiful places you can visit in Spain are:



- Catalonia

• Costa Brava in Catalonia
• Barcelona
• Girona

- Basque Country

• Bilbo - Bilbao
• Getaria, Zarautz and Hondarribia in San Sebastián

- Cantabria

• Cantabria
• Santander, Comillas and Santillana del Mar in Cantabria

- Granada

• La Alhambra, Albaicín and Sacromonte in Granada

- Sevilla, Córdoba, Cádiz and Costa de la Luz

• Sevilla
• Córdoba
• Cádiz and Costa de la Luz

- Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera

• Sóller, Port de Sóller, Deià and Valldemossa in Mallorca
• Palma de Mallorca

• Beaches and Las Dalias Market in Ibiza
• Ses Illetes beach in Formentera

- Galicia

• Santiago de Compostela in Galicia
• Costa da Morte
• Baiona, Islas Cíes and more Beaches in Galicia
• Tui and Camino de Santiago Portugués

- Zaragoza, La Rioja and Navarra

• Monasterio de Piedra near Zaragoza (Tapeo in Zaragoza)
• Haro in La Rioja
• Laguardia in La Rioja Alavesa
• Camino de Santiago Francés
• Estella and Los Arcos in Navarra
• Tarazona, Veruela Monastery and Sanctuary of Borja

- Alicante

• Alicante, Elche and Isla de Tabarca