Where to stay and dine in VS .NET

Generation Data Matrix in VS .NET Where to stay and dine

The Hostal del Cardenal, Paseo de Recaredo, 24 (% 925-22-49-00; Fax: 925-22-29-91; wwwhostaldelcardenalcom), has a very good and reasonably priced Spanish cuisine, such as roast suckling pig But it s better known as one of the most appealing and affordable small hotels in town Doubles range from 116 to 150 ($186 $240), with free parking Another excellent small inn in the thick of things, right by the cathedral, is Hostal Casa de Cisneros, Cardenal de Cisneros, 1 (% 925-22-88-28; Fax: 925-22-31-73; wwwhostal-casa-de-cisneroscom), which has uniquely attractive double rooms for 70 to 80 ($112 $128) For an excellent meal with stunning views of Toledo from across the river, drop in on La Ermita, Ctra de Circunvalaci n, s/n (% 925-25-31-93) The open-air bar next door is a great spot for a predinner drink

King Felipe II was nothing if not creative and zealous When he needed a new royal residence in the late 16th century, instead of following in the footsteps of his European peers and building a palace, he built himself a live-in monastery But not your run-of-the-mill monastery Fortress-thick walls enclose San Lorenzo de El Escorial, a frescoed and tapestried complex of royal apartments, with a giant basilica, terrific art gallery, opulent library, and Spain s royal tombs

Other than the huge monastery, you won t find much else in the town of El Escorial; allow two to three hours to tour the monastery

From Madrid, the bus and train trips to El Escorial both take about an hour Buses from Madrid s Moncha Metro station (you can buy tickets at a kiosk in the station) drop you off right in front of the monastery About 25 trains leave Madrid s Atocha Station daily for El Escorial; buses meet incoming trains to shuttle visitors the remaining mile to Plaza Virgen de Gracia, a block east of the monastery The tourist office (% 918-90-53-13) is at Grimaldi, 2, north of the visitor entrance to the complex

Felipe II s royal apartments in the monastery/fortress of San Lorenzo de El Escorial (% 91-890-78-19; wwwpatrimonionacionales) are as stark and monastic as a king could get He was such a devout Christian that he had his bedroom built to overlook the high altar of the impressive basilica, which has four organs and a dome based on Michelangelo s plans for St Peter s in Rome The basilica is also home to Cellini s Crucifix Under the altar is the Royal Pantheon, a mausoleum containing the remains of every Spanish king from Charles I to Alfonso XII The tapestried apartments of the Bourbon kings, Carlos III and Carlos IV, are more elaborate and in keeping with the tastes of most monarchs Paintings such as Titian s Last Supper, Vel zquez s The Tunic of Joseph, El Greco s Martyrdom of St Maurice, and works by D rer, Van Dyck, Tintoretto, and Rubens are the source of the New Museum s popularity The Royal Library houses more than 40,000 antique volumes under a barrel-vaulted ceiling frescoed by Tibaldi in the 16th century El Escorial is open Tuesday through Sunday and holidays from 10 am to 5 pm (until 6 pm in summer) Admission is 10 ($16) adults, 6 ($960) seniors and students

Even though El Escorial is an easy half-day trip from Madrid, you may want to eat lunch before you return, so try the suitably named Mes n la Cueva, San Ant n, 4 (% 91-890-1516; wwwmesonlacuevacom)

Segovia brings to life a cross section of Spain s history Still standing are a 2,000-year-old Roman aqueduct, a Moorish palace, and a Gothic cathedral With its medieval streets, Romanesque churches, and 15th-century palaces, Segovia is an enjoyable place to stroll and get a sense of what it was like to live in a small Castilian city