Is guide to visit the Royal Palace of Madrid It will help you not to miss anything interesting about one of the most visited places in the city, which we are sure, will surprise you.
Known as Palacio de Oriente, this palace built in the 18th century by order of King Felipe V and which became one of the largest in the world, is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family, although it is currently only used for ceremonies and official acts.
Based on the two times we have visited this fantastic palace, the last time we were in the capital we wrote this guide to travel to Madrid, we show you all the useful information on how to get there, schedules, prices and type of tickets, so that you can enjoy your visit to the Royal Palace of Madrid to the fullest. We start!
How to get to the Royal Palace
To get to the Royal Palace located in the Plaza de Oriente and surrounded by the Sabatini and Campo del Moro gardens, you have several options depending on where you are staying. If your hotel is located in the center, near Puerta del Sol, you can walk to Calle Arenal or Calle Mayor in just over 10 minutes.
If you stay further we recommend you take lines 2 and 5 of the subway and get off at the Opera stop, located 5 minutes from the palace entrance. Another option is to take lines 3, 25, 39 and 148 of the urban bus.
If you have little time you can book the tourist bus, which stops at the main attractions to visit in Madrid, including the Royal Palace.
Times of the Royal Palace
The usual visiting hours of the Royal Palace are every day from 10am to 8pm from April to September. The other months it closes two hours before and the last access to the palace is one hour before closing.
We say usual schedule because by continuing to use the palace for the celebration of official events you can change or simply be closed. You can check the closing days on this official page.
In addition to these days, the palace closes on January 1 and 6, May 1 and December 25, while December 24 and 31 is open until 3 p.m.
On Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am to 12am in summer and the rest of the year from 11am to 2pm, the Changing of the Guard takes place in the Plaza de la Armería.
Royal Palace from the Sabatini Gardens
Prices and tickets of the Royal Palace
The general admission price is 12 euros, while the reduced one, which applies to students up to 25 years old, children between 5 and 16 years old and people over 65 years old, is 6 euros.
Admission to the Royal Palace of Madrid is free from Monday to Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., from April to September, and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., from October to March.
Once you arrive at the access door that is in the Plaza de la Armería, you will have to place yourself in one of the two queues: that of the people without tickets and the one with tickets.
We recommend booking the ticket online in advance as the queue advances faster and you can save between half an hour and an hour, depending on the time of year.
Another more interesting option to know the history of the Royal Palace and not miss anything important is to book this guided tour in Spanish without queues or this one that includes the visit to the Almudena Cathedral.
If you do not want to take a guided tour you can take an audio guide for 3 euros or the free brochure that you receive with the entrance and that includes a small description of each room of the palace.
Once you pass the access control, you will have to leave the backpack in a slogan.
Tickets to the Royal Palace of Madrid
What to see in the Royal Palace of Madrid
The visit to the Royal Palace is divided into a tour of approximately one hour through 18 rooms of the Royal Palace, 20 more minutes to visit the Royal Armory and another 20 to take photos from the Plaza de la Armería and the viewpoint of the gardens of the Campo del Campo Moor.
You can start the route by entering the palace through the main staircase designed by Sabatini, which will take you to the Hall of the Halberdiers and the Columns, with one spectacular Flemish tapestries and the last one where you can take pictures.
Hall of the Columns
From this room you will go to other highlights such as the Antechamber of Carlos III with several masterpieces by Goya, the original Porcelain Saleta that has the walls and ceilings covered with this material and the spectacular Gala Dining and Ballroom.
Before continuing with the route you will go to a gallery overlooking the Patio del Principe, where you can take pictures.
Prince's Courtyard
After sitting for a while on their benches, you will pass to the Stradivarius Hall, with several priceless violins and to finish the tour of the places to see in the Royal Palace, we recommend you enter the Crown Hall with several of the most emblematic objects of the Spanish monarchy such as the Crown and the Royal Scepter and reach the magnificent Throne Room.
When leaving the Royal Palace of Madrid you can go through the viewpoint of Campo del Moro and enter the Royal Armory, where you can see one of the most important weapons collections in the world.
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Madrid guide in one day
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The best offers of Flights to Madrid here
The best hotels at the best prices in Madrid here
Book the best tours and excursions in Madrid in Spanish here
Book your Airport⇆Madrid transfer here
Madrid guide in one day
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
