Escorial & Valley Half-Day Morning Tour from Madrid

Posted By : Jenni_K
This tour had the potential to be amazing and whilst I understand that there is nothing that can be done re fog, the mountain was covered, so we could not see as much as I would have liked at the Valley of the Fallen. Inside was still beautiful and as I said, there is nothing you can do about the elements.
El escorial was great and I wonder if we had done the Valley first we may have missed the fog.
This tour was sold as with an English speaking guide.''. Unfortunately what we got was a Spanish speaking guide with enough English to give one sentence descriptions. He also would point something out in Spanish and after we had driven past, the description in English was given (so too late!)
Disappointed as I felt the guide (who never gave us his name and consistently checked his "look" in mirrors, windows etc), was there doing a job only. He had no interest in his audience and even walked so fast that he left a couple behind, and then they had to pay for a taxi back to the bus as they were unable to find their way back.
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Posted On : 2023-06-29 20:52:43

Posted By : Thomas_B
Valley of the fallen Cathedral cut into the stone of the mountain was amazing. It is truly a must see.
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Posted On : 2022-10-06 17:10:31

Posted By : JoseL_F
This tour was one of the highlights of our trip. El Escorial is magnificent in every way. The final resting place of former kings and queens was my favorite part.
The Valley of the Fallen’s modern architecture, while appearing to imitate religious buildings, provides its own stark and impressive commentary on Franco’s narcissistic purpose. Our guide, Mayte was simply wonderful. Her commentary on both places we visited really made them come alive.

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Posted On : 2022-08-27 03:55:47

Posted By : Donald_A
Tour operator messaged me saying couldn’t go on the day I had booked. So, I made other plans. Then, Viator messaged saying it was available after I had spent money on something else. I want a refund!!!
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Posted On : 2022-05-27 03:36:10

Posted By : Denise_W
The royal crypt in El Escorial was amazing and the huge underground basilica at the Valley of the Fallen was an impressive surprise.
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Posted On : 2022-05-02 03:50:12

Posted By : johnmT659ER
Excellent half-day trip to El Escorial. We did not have to wait on any long lines to see anything! Tour guide was extremely knowledgable and explained everything clearly. Would recommend to anyone and everyone!
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Posted On : 2022-03-13 10:11:39

Posted By : AudrisTan
Comprehensive tour of the Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen. Safe driving, clean vehicle, good audiosystem and we saw the highlights of both places.
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Posted On : 2022-01-27 07:17:32

Posted By : Kevin H
First, Carlos is absolutely brilliant. The tour of El Escorial was fascinating, and with Carlos’ help, we got true insight into Spanish history, art, the personal tastes of the kings, as well as their daily lives. This tour was perfect for me.
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Posted On : 2021-12-21 07:17:13

Posted By : moirita
Susana our tour guide was very good. The Escorial is truly the eighth wonder of the world. Breathtaking. The Valley if the fallen is another wonder for it is inside a mountain. Both worth seeing!!
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Posted On : 2020-02-05 03:14:09

Posted By : AM90031
Worst Tour Company. The El Escorial - Valley of the Fallen - Segovia excursion was the worst sightseeing trip I've ever taken. Their audio equipment failed at the start of our day which took some time fidgeting with it before they gave up. This reduced our visiting time at El Escorial to 30 minutes and the other sites were rushed as well. We lost a total of 5 hours just commuting between Madrid to El Escorial, back to Madrid, then out to Segovia and back.

Avoid VPT Tours at all cost. They're a bunch of amateurs with clueless guides who can't oerate their own audio equipment or keep count of their passengers.
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Posted On : 2019-06-18 19:10:29