What is the best time in the morning for arriving at El Escorial and Chinchon. I would like to maximize my time so that I can spend the afternoons exploring Madrid.

Thanks

hello my friend!!! missmadrid98 to the rescue. El Escorial is my specialty and i´ve got just the answer! the best time to arrive in the morning in El Escorial is 9:00a.m.!!!!!!! have a coffee at the Miranda Suizo Hotel on C/ FLoridablanca, then hop right on over to the monastery!
all the best and have fun!

*Ahem* as I live there (lucky me!) I can tip you to ask for a reservation for a private tour of the Bourbon Palace, which is necessary and off of the normal tour. It's interesting as it's completely ostentatious in contrast to the rest of the place.

Also catch the bus in the afternoon (it's at 3 or so) to Valle de los Caidos, which will put you back in San Lorenzo around 5 pm. Impressive and interesting.

I was thinking about taking a tour and doing both El Estorial and Toledo together. What you think about that? What is the Bourbon Palace? Is that near El Estorial? :p I would like to hear more. Stacey

I think you're way off sister! Toledo is in the opposite direction from Madrid and you won't have time. El Escorial is a full day deal anyway so take time and enjoy!

The Bourbon Palace is within the monastery itself, there is an Austrian Palace and a Bourbon one (the 2 dynasties of Spanish royalty)

-L

Well, there is a tour by Pullmaster that does both. I have limited time in Madrid and I thought the tour would be good. Have you heard anything about their tours? Stacey

I've never taken any tour like that, but if they say you'll get both than I guess they'll have to deliver.

stacey - regardless of what the bus tour 'claims' to do - if you try to see both places in one day -trust us, all you will see is the inside of a bus and the back of the head of the person in the seat in front of you!

If your time is really limited, get on goggle and do a search for both cities and figure out which one you feel is more important to see this trip.

Remember the old old line about "today is Tuesday; this must be Belgium" (or somewthing like that)? Spain is too wonderful to not combine experiencing with seeing ....
That really applies to travel anywhere - but this is a Spanish board .... (see MM, I can stay within the rules!)

We went on two tours with Pullmantur this spring. The first was to Avila and
Segovia and it was actually very good. It allowed us to see these two cities in
one day without any problem and the guide was great and informative. They
had another one day trip to Toledo and El Escorial (the one mentioned above)
and we thought it might be a similar tour to the Avila / Segovia one. It turns
out they go to El Escorial in the morning, return to Madrid, wait in their bus
station, get more people, and then go to Toledo in the afternoon. We went on
the afternoon Toledo portion and were happy that we hadn't gone on the
whole day trip. The Toledo trip was rushed and spent too much time in an
artisans shop.

asterault you live in el escorial? enjoying the fiestas this week????? why didn´t you ever contact me to hook up? i lived there all last year and still go often i was just there this morning. let´s hook up sometime!

Okay, so I see the delimna about the tours. I would rather go on my own anyway. I would plan a day trip from Madrid on a Saturday to either Toledo or El Estorial. I would like to see both but I don't want to be rushed. I am planning on visiting Mafra in Portugal which is supposed to depict El Estorial in Spain. Both are very lovely. Asterault, which do you recommend? It sounds from Caminante that the Avila and Segovia would be the better tour, but I am already planning on doing that on my own. If I plan on doing either Toledo or El Estorial, I will go by train. I won't go on a tour. This will be my first time in Spain. I have really looking forward to it all summer.

Stacey-
If it all possible, I'd consider spending at least one night in Toledo. It's magical at all times, but especially when all of the daytrippers have gone home and the locals come out for their evening paseo.

CathyM - Toledo sounds great. I am utilizing Madrid as my base and would like to visit Toledo or El Estorial. I have never been, even if I would spend a day in Toledo, I would figure on how to stay longer. I only have four days in Madrid and I don't want to spend all my time re-establishing residents.

Never been to Portugal, however, Toledo is incredible as well as is El Escorial. However, to see more, Toledo is bigger, Escorial is a town. They say Portugal is great though.

MM98, you come to Escorial? I did call you again a while ago but nobody answered and then I was in Barcelona for a while. Well, I try to get in touch then.

MissMadrid98 - I read your website. I, too, once I live Spain and Portugal will fall in love with it and hate to leave. Okay, if I go to El Escorial I will either take the train or the Autocares bus? Any thoughts about a bus to El Escorial??? Asterault And, if I went to Toledo, I'd want to stay longer than one day and I have limited time in Madrid. Its hard to choose. If I went to El Escorial, I could see everything in one day. El Escorial sounds like a better choice. I will even go to the Bourbon Palace that Asterault mentioned. I will have plenty of time to go on the wine tour later in Madrid which the walksofspain is trying to start a group on 8/31. Any thoughts about that tour????

The bus is quicker and leaves from the Moncloa station (Metro: Moncloa), dock #3. Take it to the end and you're in El Escorial, and finding the monastery isn't difficult since it's bigger than the town.

The train leaves from Chamartin or N. Ministerios, Recoletos, or Atocha. It will say "El Escorial" or "Avila." To make sure you get the right train, I would ask at the "Atención al cliente" desk, they will speak english.

Asterault,
Which of the two, the bus or the train leave you closer to El Escorial? I was there many years ago, when I was a mere girl and I remember that I took the train, but I can't remember if the walk from the station was far, or if I took a taxi, hay mi memoria!

Gracias,
Carmen

Doesn't matter... if you take the train there's a shuttle bus which will take you up the hill, where the buses from Madrid stop.

Hi all - new member here! I'll be in Madrid for 8 days in October and from what has been posted I must not miss El Escorial! Should I consider staying over in El Escorial? If so, will cheap rooms be available without booking around mid October? Any recommendations?

It's not necessary to stay over, but it's pleasant enough to do so. The hotel I like a lot is the Victoria, which is a classy old place but it might be pricy. There's a place called Hostal Vasco which looks interesting. However, I've never stayed here in a hotel.

un saludo

Asterault,

We need some webcam pics of El Escorial from you, since you've taken up residence in one of my favorite small cities.

After that's done - host guided tours for us when we visit - Throw in a lunch, and a place to flop on your floor, and it'll be just like visiting friends back here in the States. Of course - If I'm invited - I'll throw in buying paella dinners, and a couple of bottles of Mogen David Wine for the party.

Wolf (Who just needs a place to flop that has a bathroom, and a sofa that won't crush under his weight... )

Hi Stacey, I just got back from Madrid and I loved El Escorial so much that I went back a second time. The first time I was so thrilled to be surrounded by a mountain on one side and a valley on the other, with clean air in between, that I didn't even bother going into the monastery. Just walking the charming little streets, enjoying a long lunch, sitting at the monastery gardens ... was enough. (It's free to stroll around in the garden.) The second time, I did the official guided tour of the place, which was pretty good. Since you don't have a lot of time, here are some suggestions.

The cercanías train takes you there in 45 minutes from Atocha (shorter if you start at Nuevos Ministerios or Chamartin). It is a lovely, relaxing train ride, from which you will enjoy even lovelier views (there's a park full of deer on the way). Once at the El Escorial, take the "circular" bus to the town, which is called San Lorenzo del Escorial. (Otherwise it's a 2km uphill walk!) Head left from the bus station and eventually you'll end up at the monastery.

The tourism office is just to the right of the monastery's main entrance.

If you get up early and get on that train you can definitely enjoy El Escorial without giving up Madrid in the evening. I think the first train leaves very early ... you can easily make it there by 9 AM and be back in Madrid by 6 PM. The schedules are clearly posted in all the train stations. Ask the clerk for a fold out schedule. You will need it to check times. Trains from El Escorial run about one an hour.

As for Toledo, it's much bigger and if you have a chance, see the sites in the afternoon and stay for the evening. It's a tad bit too much like Disneyworld now during the day ... I don't mean the place itself, of course, but the number of tourists and souvenir shops are really distracting (and yes, one is always part of the "problem.")

The train also takes you to Toledo in about the same amount of time. It is a "regionales" train and very comfortable. You also need to take a bus or taxi to city center.

I would skip the bus tours if you can. It's cheaper and more fun to do it on your own. All you need is a map (go to the tourism offices first) and a lot of energy to explore!

Have a great time!

Churrito

PS There is a plaza to the right of the monastery with a restaurant called El Candil. Great vegetable soup ("meneste de verduras.")

Oh also, the monastery cafeteria makes GREAT croquetas, and you can order them by the piece!!! Enjoy a couple with a beer while you're waiting for the guide to group everyone.