The route from Manzanares El Real to El Escorial took us to the foothills of the Sierra Guadarrama mountain range and directly past one of the few remaining reminders of the Franco regime, the Valle de los Caídos. The Valley of the Fallen is a shallow green basin tucked into the folds of the mountain about fifty kilometres north of central Madrid. It is the controversial last resting place of the dictator General Francisco Franco who conceived this place for himself out of his own arrogance and conceit.
Have Bag, Will Travel 
I went before it was closed on the advice of a Peruvian friend. It is one spooky place as it’s fundamentally an enormous tunnel and the sense of space inside is spine-chilling. It wasn’t the idea to make it seem like the gates of Hell, but it certainly feels like it.
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does anyone know if the monument is still closed?? thanks
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I don’t know absolutely for sure but I think it is still closed.
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I was there in june 2011.socialist government agencies said it was closed.they are trying to choke tourism money coming into the religous group that lives at the monument.THE TRICK IS: we took a taxi from el escorial to el valle de los caidos.cost about 80 euros. WELL WORTH IT!. we got there ,we only coulnDt go in the cable car to the square base of the cross.. however could see the basilica and other great views. unique experience, my wife didnt want to go, but when she got there, she was ASTONISHED!
i hope this was helpful.
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The monument was reopened to the public by the conservative Popular Party government on June 1, 2012. The charge for entry is now 5 euros. Only the base of the cross remains closed while those sculptures forming part of the base are under engineering examination for cracks or other deterioration. The conservative government now also plans a cafeteria restaurant for the monument.
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