While wandering through a Spanish palace last year, I ran across a room full of paintings of the Wonders of the World. On one wall was a representation of the Colossus of Rhodes, nearby, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and across the way, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. All seven well known wonders were found in that room, but there was also a painting of an eighth wonder -- one I hadn't even considered before I arrived in Spain, but I quickly realized was of great regional importance: El Monasterio del Escorial.

A couple days later I found myself on a day tour from Madrid visiting El Escorial, and it was as grand as the painting suggested. I don't always travel on guided tours, but they can be very informative. In this case, my tour guide pointed out the repeated use of a grill--a symbol representing the way St. Lawrence was martyred--in artwork and in the design of the monastery, something I might otherwise have missed.

El Escorial is a monument to the vision of King Philip II of Spain, a place he intended to use in support of the Counter-Reformation, as well as to house a royal mausoleum. The basilica, imposing in marble, was more austere than other churches I saw in Spain, a reflection of the character of Philip II. My tour continued through the royal apartments, where we saw the window the king had installed so that he could watch the services in the basilica when he was laid up in bed. Below the basilica was the highlight I found of El Escorial -- the royal burial vaults, where monarchs from Charles I(V) to Alphonse XIII, including Felipe II, are interred.

The downside to participating in a tour is that one does not have full freedom to explore at will. Accordingly, there are sections of El Escorial I would like to return to in order to better appreciate, including the art galleries and library. Still, what I saw of El Escorial made the day tour from Madrid worthwhile.

Logistics: El Escorial is accessible from Madrid by train, bus, or private transportation; the monastery is atop a hill, and there is quite a lot to see inside.