El Escorial, Valle de los Caidos & Segovia Day Trip, Madrid

Explore the evolution of Spanish power by visiting three important monuments highlighting the 20th century, the Renaissance, and the Middle Ages. You'll start with the Valle de los Caídos (Valley of the Fallen) and view the largest Christian cross in the world, then head to the 16th-century Monastery of El Escorial, the world's largest Renaissance building. End your excursion in the city of Segovia with its medieval center and impressive Roman aqueduct, where you'll enjoy a traditional lunch. Your expert guide will accompany you throughout the day, and you will transfer from one site to the next in a comfortable van.

Spanish history is complex and fascinating, and one of the most impressive topics is Spanish power and how it has evolved over the centuries. This day trip takes you out of Madrid and into its historical surroundings, working backward as you learn about Franco's dictatorship of the 20th century, the Renaissance period at El Escorial, and the medieval and Roman ages in Segovia. From one place to the next, your guide will share all the details of how power in Spain has changed and what monuments came with it.

After meeting your guide, you'll climb aboard a comfortable luxury van and make your way to the first stop: Valle de los Caídos (Valley of the Fallen). You'll start by learning a bit about 20th-century architecture in Spain and how this monument features art deco angels and a Neo-Hapsburg double-headed eagle. The site also contains a crypt-turned-basilica (declared in 1960 by Pope John XXIII) and a Benedictine abbey. But the most controversial part of the monument is where Francisco Franco was buried upon his death in 1975. After a long legal battle, his remains were exhumed in 2019 to remove any public signs of his brutal dictatorship.

Your next stop is the 16th-century Monastery of Escorial, the world's largest Renaissance building. The monastery is a historic royal residence with numerous facilities, including a basilica, palace, pantheon, library, museum, university, school, and hospital. King Phillip II was the only royalty to live in the building. Yet, it remained an important symbol for those who held power in the country then, including the monarchy and the Roman Catholic religion. 

Finally, you'll head to the city of Segovia, with its beauty and medieval atmosphere, plus one of the world's best-preserved elevated Roman aqueducts, built in the 1st century. Your guide will lead you on a cultural walk through the city, stopping at iconic monuments like the aqueduct, the Alcazar of Segovia, and the Segovia Cathedral. Along the way, you'll learn about the city's history that spans centuries, focusing on its golden age during the Middle Ages with its powerful clothing industry, a growing Jewish population, incredible Gothic architecture, and the proclamation of Queen Isabella I.

You'll end the day with a traditional Spanish lunch in the late afternoon. The city's famed dish is Cochinillo Segoviano, suckling pig, a recipe rooted in tradition. The flavor is just as crucial as the customs of preparing and eating cochinillo, and you'll learn all about them. The most traditional presentation involves the chef proving the dish's tenderness by cutting the pig with the edge of a plate, then throwing the plate on the floor in celebration. 

At the end of your day trip, you'll return to Madrid.