埃尔·埃斯科里亚皇家修道院

强烈建议大家去这里玩,最好是顺便也去附近的阵亡将士山谷玩,因为这两个景点隔得很近。与其说这是一个修道院,还不如说它是一个华美的宫殿,只要花80元的门票,你就可以去随心所欲的进去游玩了。里面随处可见文艺复兴时期的艺术品,这个地方就像一个迷宫一样,一不小心你就会绕迷路,不过幸好里面有很多工作人员可以为你指路。地下室里面陈列了许多当初建造这个修道院所用的工具,地下室还有一个陵墓,摆放的是历代皇室的遗体。我最喜欢的是图书馆,天花板超漂亮,和西斯廷教堂比起来也毫不逊色,图书馆里面有当时的僧侣所做的阿维森纳和亚里士多德的人的著作抄本。逛完出来之后,随便去附近的一家咖啡馆喝个咖啡吧,那里到处都是咖啡馆。

Escorial is a Basilica, monastery, convent, school, library, museum, pantheon and Royal Palace that entertains half a million tourists annually.This is because this, "courteous and gracious man," was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Milan, England, Ireland and the Netherlands -- and in his spare time sent the Armada to conquer Elizabeth 1 of England.Most tourists are fascinated with the 12 marble and bronze sarcophagi in the mausoleum. However,there is another for Princes and Princesses.Philip ruled Spain during its Golden Age and one of his wives was (bloody) Queen Mary 1st of England - until she died.Many find El Escorial 'austere, simple, noble and majestic - without ostentation.' But Phil was no Louis 14th of France. He found delegating to his subordinates difficult, and so was a somewhat busy lad. Not a lot of fun time for him.Brian, from Perth. W. Australia.

We booked a half-day guided tour of El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen via Viator and considered it one of the highlights of our days in Madrid.The bus tour left Julia Travel (at Plaza de Espana) in Madrid around 9 a.m. and we were back in Madrid around 1:30. Initially this timetable seemed too short to me for a bus ride and two significant sights, but the timing was excellent. We didn't feel rushed at any point.Our tour guide, Sofia, was knowledgeable and entertaining. She brought the history of Felipe II in particular to life in explaining the context of the monastery. The contrast of the austere exterior and lavishly decorated cathedral was marvelous, and in learning about Carlos V, Felipe II and their line we were able to better appreciate other sights in Spain.It is very cold in El Escorial, and no photos are allowed in the interior, so bundle up.

We took the 4.20 Euro, 40-minute bus ride from Madrid's Moncloa station as a day excursion to El Escorial. We arrived shortly after the immense monastery/church/palace/royal-mausoleum/ university complex opened and, although we spent about four hours touring its vast halls and galleries of art, we still had to cut some of the galleries short. Constructed for King Filipe II (a Hapsburg) between 1562 and1584, as a counter-Reformation testament to the power and authority of the Catholic Church and loyal Catholic monarchs, El Escorial's cliff-like stone walls and massive corner towers were intended to strike awe in the beholder. It still works some 450 years later! At 650 x 500 feet in size and with 2,600 windows, 1,200 doors, and more than 100 miles of corridors, the complex's scale is almost overwhelming. The 4 Euro audio guide was a good investment, which we used until the battery ran down near the very end of our visit. Some of the most impressive aspects were: 1) The Architectural Exhibits delineating how the complex was constructed. Tools, machinery, and models illustrate the construction process, which was largely carried out by Flemish craftsmen, since Flanders (Belgium & the Netherlands) were also under Hapsburg dominion. 2) The Royal Apartments, which, while nicely appointed, are surprisingly modest in decoration. They reflect Filipe's religious piousness. 3) The Hall of Battles, whose walls are covered with large-scale paintings of Spain's victories over the Moors and the French. 4) The Galleries of Religious Paintings by a large number of the finest 16th-century artists assembled from across the Hapsburgs' extensive European empire. 5) The Royal Pantheon/Mausoleum, containing the remains of Spanish royals from Emperor Charles V (Filipe's father) up to the present. And 6) the Library, with exquisite book cabinets and frescoed ceiling, which was constructed to contain more than 40,000 books and manuscripts. Don't even think about making photos of the interior; a guard chastised me for making a photo of the gardens from an open window!To get the most out of a visit to El Escorial, it will take the better part of a day. There is a small cafe in the museum complex that can provide enough "sustenance" to carry you through the tour until you can get to a proper restaurant in town. There are several descent restaurants and cafes (of all price ranges) within a block or two of the monastery/palace.

I'm currently studying that era of Spanish history, so was worthy to see where Philip sat in his last days. However, after 3 rooms of seeing paintings of Jesus and martyrs, it gets quite repetitive. It is incredibly cold, so do bring a coat, and sturdy shoes for the many steps. The mausoleums in the cellars are incredibly impressive, but there was a lot of renovation, so missed out on some key areas

Catch a local bus to this town from Madrid and spend a few hours walking around the attraction - a lot of Spanish Royal history is here. Quaint village - not too busy in February and can be cold on an overcast day so wrap up warmly. Look around with or without an audio guide. Glad we did the trip.

Well worth a visit. The place is full of history and there are wonderful views to be seen from different parts. It is worth paying for an audio guide with headphones if available. Try too to go into the church if there isn't a service on. Although somewhat austere the artwork is magnificent.

If you never were in any monastery or castle, this is very impressive but, if you were lucky enough to be in several of them (like me), this is just one more. For me the only really interesting thing was the Mausoleum Room were you can see the remains of all the Kings, Queens and their family members. But the rest... are only rooms full of paintings. I was in the Palacio Real in Madrid two years ago and it's much MUCH better and interesting. On top of that you are NOT allowed to take any picture ANYWHERE so... don't take the camera with you but... don't leave it in the car either and I'll tell you why: I was staying in Marbella but I went to Madrid for 3 days to visit friend. Before going to his house, we went to El Escorial and parked the car in the parking lot. When we came back 90 minutes later, the glass of the rear window was broken and they stole our two luggage from the trunk. i assume that they were "waiting for us"(or any other tourist) so, as soon as we got into the building they did the job probably in 30 seconds. They did it so fast that the idiots did not realize that we have the GPS, the iphone and the iPad in the glove compartment so, we could save them (Thanks God) so... NEVER leave ANYTHING in the car when you go to those kind of places.VERY IMPORTANT: If you have any mobility problem, don't even bother to go. There are NO elevators, no ramps and it's full of stairs to go everywhere. The entrance is TEN euros. As a final note, I have to tell you that Spain is a very safe country. We were there like seven times and this is the first time that something like that happens to us. Anyway, be careful (particularly in big cities).

Well worth seeing the fresco's within the monastery ceiling. Also the burial place of the Spanish Monarchy.

It was 2007 and while in Madrid we booked an excursion to El Escorial and Valle de los Caidos. Left early morning and returned to Downtown Madrid La Gran Via where we had lunch. Trip worth taking. Full of history and saw tombs of Kings and family. Second stop was The Valley of the Fallen where Francisco Franco is buried in a hollow of a mountain. Highly recommended.

We came to this town to see the Monastery. It was a wet few days in November.We planned a morning visit and booked a guide. it was just the two of us with our guide. I would highly recommend taking the guided tour. It was great to be able to ask questions and have such a personal history of the place. We were overwhelmed by the size of the accomodation. The big deal for me was the tapestrys ( well discribed by our guide) showing the life in Spain through the times. Also the crypt was a very moving place to be. We were lucky to be alone there just us and our guide. Great tour, great visit, prompting much googling later to read more. Thank you.

Telling the truth- a little bit disappointed. Maybe because the weather(January)- gardens just plain.Library and Bourbon wing fantastic,Royal Pantheon great for history buffs.Easy transfer from Madrid-Moncloa bus terminal (€4.20)- 45 min ride (661 or 664).

This is far from great, not very beautiful and the staff are extremely rude. Refused to give me the student discount even though I provided documentation. Yelled at us for taking our bags in even though we watched others walk in and they didn't say anything to them. Definitely didn't like foreigners visiting here...Also don't like that you can't take pictures.

Situated about 50km from Madrid (north west) it is well worth visiting. Still a working monestary and school it is very impressive. The museum is good and so is the basilica.The mausuleum of the Spanish kings and (many) of their children is also there.

This is an impressive, huge, austere, fortress-like building with quite a story. It houses the remains of 5 centuries of Spanish royalty in its vaults, plus a great deal of art, and many things that were a part of their lives whenever they stayed here - particularly Philip II, who had it built. It's also amazing that it was completed in a mere 20 years, during Philip's lifetime. It's not a particularly warm place to visit, but it certainly reminds one of the power and awesome wealth Spain and her rulers once held. Much of the interior construction is wonderful, diverse and beautifully crafted. The woodwork, the floors, etc. The collection of paintings is a rich museum in itself. The room of the royal tombs is kind of gaudy and self-important, but the cathedral is lovely and feels very much alive. And there are lovely gardens outside. This place is a bit of a drive (or bus or train ride) from Madrid, but there's certainly plenty here to merit the trip. And it's impressive.