Pantheon of the Kings
A marble vault beneath the church where the coffins of most Spanish kings since Charles V and of the queens who were mothers of kings are stacked in tiers; a few, such as Philip V at La Granja, were buried elsewhere.
About 45 km northwest of Madrid, in the Guadarrama foothills, the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a vast block of grey granite built for Philip II in the 16th century. Not a palace in the usual sense: monastery, church, library, royal burial vault and a king's apartment in one building, deliberately austere, nothing like the Royal Palace in Madrid. Three spaces carry the visit: the Pantheon of the Kings, a marble vault under the church with the coffins of most Spanish kings since Charles V and the queens who were mothers of kings; the royal library, its painted ceiling and books shelved spine inward; and the basilica, a working church, not a museum hall. Count on half a day at least: about an hour and a quarter each way door to door, plus two to three hours inside. With three days in Madrid, leave it for the Prado and the Royal Palace; with four days or more it is the strongest day trip from the city if architecture and history brought you here. The town around it is quiet, has places for lunch, and runs a few degrees cooler than Madrid in summer.
A marble vault beneath the church where the coffins of most Spanish kings since Charles V and of the queens who were mothers of kings are stacked in tiers; a few, such as Philip V at La Granja, were buried elsewhere.
A long hall under a fully painted vaulted ceiling, with the books shelved spine inward so their gilded edges face out.
The grey granite, straight lines and near-absence of ornament are deliberate: Juan Bautista de Toledo began the complex and Juan de Herrera completed it, and the style, herreriano, carries his name.
The simplest way is bus 661 or 664 from Moncloa (Metro lines 3 and 6) to San Lorenzo, about an hour, with the monastery a few minutes' walk from the stop. The alternative is Cercanías line C-3 from Atocha or Chamartín to El Escorial station, but the station is down in the lower town: take the local bus from outside it, or walk 25 to 35 minutes uphill (about 2 km and roughly 90 m of climb, tiring in midday heat or with luggage). Check the last return departure before you settle into a cafe.
On three days or fewer, no. The city's own museums, the Royal Palace and Retiro will fill that, and El Escorial takes at least half a day once you count the travel. From four days upward it is the strongest day trip from Madrid if history or architecture is what interests you, though Toledo and Segovia are strong alternatives that many visitors rank higher.
The free windows are only two: Wednesdays and Sundays from 15:00 until closing, for EU citizens, EU residents and work-permit holders, and citizens of Ibero-American countries, with proof. A visitor arriving from the Gulf or Jordan pays the standard ticket, but one living in Europe on a residence or work permit may qualify. Free tickets are issued only at the on-site box office and cannot be booked online, so allow for a queue; if you are paying, book your slot in advance instead.
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Av. de Don Juan de Borbón y Battenberg, s/n, 28200 San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid