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Need Advice for Madrid and Escorial!!!

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We will be in a two week tour to Spain with Gate 1 Tour. We will have 2 nights (Sept 13 & 14) and 2 days in Madrid. The first day (Sept 13) is an arriving day. We will arrive at the Madrid airport in the morning (7:40 AM). The rest of the day is at our leisure. Gate 1 will provide half day Madrid city driving tour in the morning of the second day (Sept 14). The tour is described as following:
This morning enjoy a sightseeing tour of Madrid. Drive along the Gran Via through the Opera District, Plaza de Colon and view the Royal Palace. Pass through Puerta del Sol Plaza and Plaza de España with its monument to the author Cervantes. The tour will end at the world-renowned Prado Museum, where you will be able to view works of art by famous artists such as El Greco, Velázquez, and Ribera.

Afternoon is at leisure or, join the optional tour to Escorial, often described as the "eighth wonder of the world." El Escorial is, perhaps, Philip II's most enduring legacy to Spain. This combination monastery-palace-mausoleum is situated approximately one hour outside of Madrid in the foothills of the Guadarrama Mountains.
The optional afternoon Ecorial tour is $80/pp (4 hours).

It is clear that half day city driving tour will not go inside Royal Palace or Prado Museum. So we would like to visit these two places on our own. We would also like to walk around the city and try some tapas bars. Here are my questions:

  1. We have less than two days in Madrid. Is it worthwhile to do a half day side trip to Escorial with less time in Madrid?
  2. On the first day of arriving we plan to visit Royal Palace in late morning and just walk around in the afternoon. We maybe very tired after an overnight flight from US and want to take it easy for the first day. Can we get ticket easily at gate (without long waiting) for Royal Palace on a Thursday late morning? I don’t want to book in advance so we can have maximum flexibility.
  3. On the second day we will go on the morning driving tour. In the afternoon we can either take the optional Escorial tour or visit Prado museum and/or Reina Sofia museum on our own. Again can we get these tickets easily at gate without advance reservation? We may do some additional city walk after the museum visit. Is there any good place to see sunset in the city? We stay near Anton Martin metro station. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much for your help!
Posted by
11570 posts

No, skip Escorial! It is stacked marble sarcofogi containing royal family remains. There are many excellent day trips from Madrid but El Escorial would be way down the list.

Posted by
7160 posts

For the Prado, getting tickets in advance would be recommended. After seeing the Prado, you could visit the Reina Sofia for a couple hours during the evening free admission time and see most everything, including Guernica, that is what most people go to see. San Lorenzo del Escorial is nice to visit. The palace is beautiful and walking down into the mausoleum is something you won’t forget. To me that’s all that town has to offer so a half day tour is all you’d need. However, it would be just as nice spending the time in Madrid wandering around the Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, and Retiro Park If you didn’t get to spend much time seeing those places on the sightseeing tour. Your trip, your choice.

Posted by
1878 posts

With your limited time I would focus on Madrid, a much underrated city. El Escorial is a great visit, but Madrid is worth three full days minimum. Assume you will return, as Rick says.

Posted by
723 posts

With less than two days in Madrid, I also suggest skipping El Escorial. I have been there, and while interesting, it is not, in my opinion, a "wonder of the world" as suggested by the tour vendor. Your limited time will be much better spent in Madrid. If I had time to make a daytrip out of Madrid, El Escorial would not be high on my priority list. The Madrid art museums are wonderful and go ahead with your plan to see at least the Prado and the Palacio Real. If you like cathedrals, there is a beautiful cathedral right across the plaza from the palace that you could explore. ALso stop by the Plaza Mayor and the nearby San Miguel market and try to walk through El Retiro park to the lagoon if you have time. I have been to Spain multiple times but have visited El Escorial only once, and did that on my own on public transportation. I was just in Madrid in April and May, didn't go to the Prado this time but was staying nearby and lines to get in were long so I suggest going online to see if you can purchase in advance and save yourself that wait.

Posted by
40 posts

Thank you all so much for the very helpful suggestion. It sounds like spending two days all in Madrid is more sensible.

For Prado museum advance reservation can you just book the ticket the day before and show the ticket (with bar code) on the smartphone at the entrance (rather than print out)?

Posted by
336 posts

Yes formthe prado tickets on your phone. This is exactly what we did. Bought the tickets the day before, had tickets on my phone. This was in june this year

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