San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain

We left Muxia by bus and headed to Santiago de Compostela for the night. From there, we rented a car and drove to our next destination, San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a surprise for me! Kevin happened upon information about the remarkable Monastery/Palace/Mausoleum, a UNESCO World Heritage sight and saw that within the palace was a world-renowned library and knew I would love to see it. He made secret plans for us to spend a few days here before heading to Madrid. The library was exquisitely constructed with painted frescoes and paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries, centuries-old books, many with gold inlay that I am amazed still exist (no touching!). Other than the library, there is an impressive sanctuary and mausoleum. Unfortunately no photos are allowed in most of the palace. It was interesting to compare the differences in architecture as compared to what we’ve seen in France and Italy. The Palace is surrounded by a forest with several walking paths that we took advantage of.Read more