El Escorial & Segovia

Breakfast this morning was another delicious feast! And our favorite restaurant opened a half hour early just for us. 

We hopped aboard our mini coach this morning and headed to the mountains to visit El Escorial. A monastery and palace all in one, El Escorial used to be a seasonal hunting retreat for the royals and is a 16th century time capsule thanks to King Philip II's will that it be preserved. It served as headquarters during the Spanish Inquisition, and is the burial place of over 4 centuries of kings and queens of Spain along with other members of the royal families. Our local guide, Corine, showed us around the grounds. 

No photos allowed inside the Pantheon of Kings and other indoor chambers, but walking in the steps of royals and visiting their stately graves was a memorable experience. 

In the afternoon we headed to Segovia for lunch and a visit to the 12th century castle that inspired the Disney version we all love. The medieval city is also a UNESCO World Heitage site and home to a Roman aqueduct over 2,000 years old. 

We toured the castle and climbed the steep spiral stairs to the tower for 360 views. 

Late afternoon we headed back to Madrid and took a short rest before dinner at Mercado de San Miguel. The upscale market sells Spanish delicacies tapas style so we were able to pick and choose from the mang tastes of Spain. 

After an hour of munching our way through the market we went to the famous San Gines Chocolateria (founded 1894) for delicious churros and hot chocolate. What a tasty way to end the day.