More well known as El Escorial, the imposing monastery of San Lorenzo el Real is located on a beautiful natural site at the foot of Mount Abantos. Felipe II had this emblematic edifice built, creating a style that combined the opulence of a palace with the austerity of a monastery. A Unesco World Heritage Site, this edifice of pharaonic dimensions is worthy of a visit for its royal pantheon and for the art gallery packed with work by famous artists.