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Madrid Royal Palace Tickets
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If you think Versailles is the largest royal palace in Europe, a holiday in Madrid will prove you wrong: the record belongs to the Palacio Real in the Spanish capital.
To this day, the Palacio Real in Madrid is the official residence of the kings of Spain, although the kings no longer actually live here, preferring the tranquillity of the more sober Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of the city. The sumptuous palace is the venue for the annual official ceremonies of 6 January (Military Easter) and 12 October (Spanish National Day), audiences, gala dinners, document signings, prize-giving and honours.
For tourists visiting Madrid, it is a must-see: square in plan with a large central courtyard, the palace is a masterpiece in Baroque style with neoclassical contaminations, inspired by Bernini’s sketches for the Louvre in Paris.
The palace occupies an area of 135,000 square metres. Inside its 3,000 rooms are 215 extravagant period clocks, 5 Stradivarius violins, a collection of priceless works of art and countless precious objects.
A visit to the Royal Palace of Madrid is a bewitching experience. There are 50 rooms open to the public, a small portion of the more than 3,000 rooms built, which in itself constitutes only a third of the absurd original design.
Believe us, 50 is more than enough to understand the opulence of this work and indulge in the world-famous masterpieces of art, gilded stuccoes, ornate mirrors, velvets, brocades and other signs of wealth and power. You can choose to join a guided tour or visit the palace on your own.
Here are the must-see attractions at the Royal Palace of Madrid.
Many tourists choose to visit the Royal Palace for the sole purpose of admiring its gallery of paintings, attracted by the names of Velázquez, Goya, Rubens, El Greco and Caravaggio . Unforgettable is the emotion one feels in front of Caravaggio’s Salome with the Head of the Baptist, a work that is both disturbing and fascinating, while there are more than one paintings by Goya that alone deserve the price of admission to the palace.
These are not the only great artists on display at the palace: guardian of the most significant treasures of Spain’s artistic heritage, the Royal Palace gallery boasts among its works the portrait of Isabella the Catholic by Juan de Flandes and The Madonna and Child by Luis Morales.
The starting point for a visit to the palace is the Plaza de Armeria, a patio lined with arcades where the changing of the guard ceremony is held.
Along the southern end of the patio you will find the Farmacia Real (Royal Pharmacy), where medicinal plant containers, ceramic vessels, vials and the prescriptions that were prescribed to the Royal Family are kept.
The real attraction of the square, however, is the Real Armeria, which houses a unique collection of weapons and armour belonging to Spanish kings and other members of the Royal Family from the 13th century onwards, perfectly restored.
It may not be the most beautiful, but the Throne Room is certainly the most atmospheric of the whole palace. It will not be difficult for you to imagine a king solemnly sitting on a throne, the symbol of his power.
There are two thrones you can admire in this room, which has remained as it was at the time of Charles III. Gold and red, the thrones are ‘defended’ by four golden lions; all around is a riot of red velvet, Italian rococo furniture, huge mirrors and Venetian chandeliers. The ceiling fresco by Tiepolo represents an allegory of the Spanish monarchy.
The palace is surrounded by an extensive green area that includes the Campo del Moro and the Sabatini Gardens: the former is medieval, while the latter are rather recent (dating back to the 20th century).
The Campo del Moro surrounds the palace on three sides and is so called because it was used as an encampment by the Moors during the Muslim siege of Madrid.
Among the endless marvels of the palace, we would like to point out a couple more particularly interesting ones:
You can visit the Royal Palace of Madrid in two ways: buy a skip-the-line ticket or take part in a tour with an official guide that includes the entrance to the Royal Palace: choose the one you prefer.
We recommend that you buy your ticket to the Royal Palace of Madrid a few days before your departure, to guarantee your access and to avoid queuing at the ticket office, by clicking on the box below.
Alternatively, to find out all about the Royal Palace, you can have an expert guide accompany you during your visit. The cost is slightly higher than the entrance ticket and even buying this tour will save you time by avoiding queuing at the ticket office.
You can attend the Changing of the Guard at the Royal Palace of Madrid every Wednesday, unfortunately excluding July, August and August, which see the greatest influx of tourists. It may also be cancelled during official ceremonies or in cases of adverse weather conditions.
The Royal Palace of Madrid is located in the tourist area of Austrias and can be reached by metro lines L2, L3, and L10 and several bus lines. If you are in the city centre, it takes about 15 minutes to walk from Puerta del Sol, heading west towards Plaza de Oriente, walking along Carretera del Arenal.
The best area to sleep near the Royal Palace in Madrid is Plaza de Oriente, located just east of the palace. It is a nice, quiet and safe area, although slightly away from the centre. A short distance from Plaza de Oriente is Plaza de Isabel II, where the Opera metro station makes it better connected to the rest of Madrid’s attractions. Incidentally, it is here that the Teatro Real is located.
The Royal Palace was not always the opulent, richly decorated palace that we can admire today. The first construction that rose on the site of the present palace was a defensive fortress built by Emir Mohamed I to defend Toledo from the advance of the Christians, long before Madrid became the capital of Spain.
Occasionally used by the kings of Castile, the fortress became known as the Antiguo Alcazar from the 14th century onwards; it was King Charles I and his son Philip who turned it into a royal residence.
Destroyed by a fire in 1734, it was replaced by a new palace commissioned by King Philip V. However, it was the enlightened monarch Charles III who gave the palace the appearance we admire today, with modifications and additions made by successive monarchs to suit the fashions and tastes of their times.
The Royal Palace of Madrid is located in the city centre, although in a slightly isolated and less busy location. It is easily reached on foot from both Puerta del Sol and Gran Via. In front of it stands the majestic Catedral de Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena.
City Card allow you to save on public transport and / or on the entrances to the main tourist attractions.
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