The options compared
| Option | Price seen | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Official ticket, self-guided | EUR 14 standard, EUR 7 reduced (ages 5 to 16, over 65, students up to 25) | free under 5 |
| Official guided tour | EUR 22 standard, EUR 15 reduced | about 2 hours; in Spanish Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 to 13:30, in English at 10:45 |
| Tiqets ticket (box) | shown at booking | read what the listing includes |
| Free entry | free | 18 May and 12 October; Wednesday and Sunday 15:00 to 18:00 in winter (15:00 to 19:00 in summer) for EU and Latin American citizens, at the desk |
Official hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:00 from October to March, 10:00 to 19:00 from April to September; closed on Monday. The ticket desk and entry close 1 hour 15 minutes before. Closed in 2026: 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 13 September, 24, 25 and 31 December.
Official ticket or Tiqets?
Both give entry; the official one is the one whose price we have. Book ahead at weekends and in season. Read the Tiqets listing to see whether it includes a guide or an audio guide, and its cancellation terms. Full page: El Escorial monastery.
Getting there from Madrid
Allow about 1 hour 10 by train from Atocha or Chamartín, then a walk of about 20 minutes uphill or a bus to the entrance (from our comparison page). It is a half-day to full-day outing, with a jacket outside summer. To choose between El Escorial and Aranjuez, read El Escorial or Aranjuez; for other outings, see day trips from Madrid.
When a guided tour is worth it
El Escorial is vast, austere and full of history: the Pantheon of Kings, the basilica, the library. A guide helps you read the place. For a group visit, the official English tour at 10:45 is the simplest choice. Otherwise an audio guide or a Tiqets ticket with a guide will do: read what each one includes.
FAQ
How much is El Escorial? EUR 14 standard, EUR 7 reduced (30 October 2026).
Which day is it closed? Monday.
How long does it take? Two to three hours on site, plus travel.
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