Weekend in San Lorenzo: La Silla de Felipe II
San Lorenzo de El Escorial. It’s a famous city located in the northwest outskirts of Madrid. Dotted with various historical sites and lots of nature accessible to all kinds of outdoorsy people, it’s hard to not spend at least one of the days of the weekend here. If you like hiking or at a minimum taking a stroll and seeing some great views, La Silla de Felipe II, one of the many sites here, was made for you.
Last Monday, I decided to go to La Silla again. It had been almost two months since I had taken in the lovely views of San Lorenzo. Besides, I was feeling a little adventurous and in need of an excuse to not go to the gym.
I set off at 12 o’clock. Descending to the city center, passing by the main square, and going down the stairs which lead to El Monasterio de El Escorial were easy enough. I had done it many times. Absurd though it might seem, going down to the monastery has become so second nature that I almost don’t even notice the breathtaking grandeur of it nor the charm of the city anymore. I must force myself to see it. I guess that’s taking things for granted right there.
Anyways, I passed along the outside of the grand patio of the monastery heading towards El Bosque de Herreria. The wind was cool and steady enough that I didn’t feel the heat of the bright sun. Along my mini-pilgrimage two small, friendly dogs greeted me expecting treats. When they saw that I didn’t bring any, they raced back to their owners. After the dogs, I bumped into an old friend who assured me that he was doing well. He was exercising, so we wished each other well and quickly parted. The gurgling of the stream, the rustling of the leaves in the trees, and the swooshing sound of the wind were what I remember the most as I left the forest to begin my ascent.
Something that you notice first when you walk to La Silla is that it’s not immediately visible from the bottom of the mountain. Naked trees and gigantic rocks block your line of sight. According to the map, which is located to the left of the entrance road leading to this stone marvel, there are a few different trails which you can take. I chose the one which shoots through the picnic grounds on the left and goes almost directly up the mountain.
Besides a few loose rocks and pesky roots, the walk isn’t difficult and shouldn’t take more than half an hour. Once at the top, you, like I did, can breathe in the fresh air and the excellent view of San Lorenzo. Legend has it that La Silla was carved out during King Felipe II’s reign so that he could observe the progress of the monastery. Others have disputed the claim, but regardless of who truly made it, they certainly had a halting view of the entire valley as well as the Guadarrama mountains.
After spending a long time sitting down, I pulled myself out of the seat and headed down the mountain. Guided by red and white stripes painted on trees and rocks, I finally ended up at the entrance road. I stopped by the tiny stone chapel for the Virgin Mary to take a peak. In my opinion, Europeans certainly know how to make a forest interesting. One minute you are in a bunch of trees and the next you stumble across a religious monument.
Once across the freeway which divides El Bosque de la Herreria and the road to La Silla, I made my way slowly back to San Lorenzo. I love living here. I couldn’t imagine being in the city center, so devoid of nature and its enchanting beauty. And if you are in the center, I urge you to come to San Lorenzo and take a minute to appreciate the alluring outdoors.