Visiting the Royal Palace of Madrid is one thing you absolutely cannot miss during your Madrid trip, but there are a few things you’ll need to know before you go. In this video, we’ll cover everything from ticket prices and the best time to visit to the rooms you shouldn’t miss, whether the €3 guide is worth it, nearby places to eat, and plenty of practical tips to help you make the most of your visit.
The Royal Palace of Madrid
We think the Royal Palace is definitely worth visiting if you’re spending a few days in Madrid. It’s one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, it’s absolutely beautiful both inside and out, and it’s such an important part of Madrid’s history. If you enjoy visiting palaces, castles or historic buildings like we do, then we really don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Plus, it’s walking distance from a lot of places you’ve probably already added to your itinerary. But don’t worry we’ll give you tons of great ideas later if you don’t know where to start.
The Spanish royal family doesn’t actually live here. Instead, they live at the much smaller Zarzuela Palace just outside the city. Today, the Royal Palace is mainly used for official state ceremonies, and other important royal events, while the rest of the palace is open for visitors like you and us.
The palace was built in the 1700s and has over 3,400 rooms, although you’ll only walk through a small part during your visit. One of the highlights for us was seeing that many of the rooms still contain their original furniture, artwork and decorations.
Now let’s get into everything you need to know before you visit, so you can make the most of your time here.
Planning your visit to Madrid’s Royal Palace
The Royal Palace is open every day, but the opening hours do change depending on the time of year. From April to September, it’s open from 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Then, from October to March, it closes a little earlier at 6:00 p.m. On Sundays, it’s open from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. all year round. If you’re planning on buying your tickets at the palace, just keep in mind that the ticket office closes one hour before the palace itself closes.
If you’re eligible, you can also visit the palace for free from Monday to Thursday during the last two hours of the day. That’s 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. from April to September, and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. from October to March. Just keep in mind that these free hours get very busy and are only available to EU citizens and residents, and you’ll need to show a valid ID or passport. The free entry also doesn’t include the Royal Kitchen, and on 18 May, which is International Museum Day, entry is free for everyone.
Ticket prices and where to buy them
Tickets for the Royal Palace cost €18 for adults, while children aged 5 to 16, seniors over 65, and students under 25 can visit for €9. Children under 5 years old can enter for free. If you’d also like to visit the Royal Kitchen, you can buy a combined ticket for €24, or €12 for the reduced ticket.
You can buy tickets online or at the ticket office, which to be honest we don’t recommend. We highly suggest booking online well in advance to get the morning slot as tickets run out super quickly and it gets much busier after 12pm. We booked our tickets 3 weeks in advance and the first hour slots were already unavailable.
For reference, we entered the palace at around quarter to 12 and finished our visit at 1:00 p.m., so it took us about an hour and 15 minutes to see everything. That said, we moved through it fairly quickly and didn’t stop to read all of the historical information in each room. If you prefer taking your time and want to properly explore everything, I’d allow around two hours for your visit. And by starting in the morning, once you’re done inside and exploring the surroundings (which we’ll get into later) you can directly go have lunch.
How to get there
The easiest way to get to the Royal Palace is by metro. We’d recommend getting off at either Plaza de España (yellow line 3) or Ópera (red line 2 or light green line 5), both of which are just a short walk from the entrance. If you’re still figuring out Madrid’s public transport system, we’ve made a complete guide explaining how the metro works, which tickets to buy, and everything else you need to know before you use it, so be sure to have a look at that as well.
Around the Palace
Plaza de Oriente
One of the first places you’ll come across is Plaza de Oriente, the beautiful square between the Royal Palace and the Royal Theatre. It’s known for its well kept gardens, statues of former Spanish kings and fantastic views of the palace. It’s a really nice place to walk around, take some photos, or just sit on one of the benches and enjoy the vibe before your visit, especially in the early morning when it’s more quiet.
Sabatini Gardens
Just next to the palace are the Sabatini Gardens, and they’re completely free to visit. It’s famous for its neatly trimmed hedges, symmetrical layout and fountains. It’s one of the best places to get a full view of the palace, for some great photos.
Campo del Moro
Another garden that’s worth visiting is Campo del Moro, which is located behind the palace. Entry is also free, and it’s much larger and quieter than the Sabatini Gardens. You’ll find tree-lined paths, fountains, peacocks wandering around, and some really beautiful views looking back towards the palace.
Almudena Cathedral
Right across from the Royal Palace is Almudena Cathedral, and it’s worth going inside while you’re here. Entry into the main cathedral is completely free. You don’t go through the main entrance but from the side door on Bailén street. The main entrance is reserved for those who visit the museum. If you’d like to visit the museum and climb up to the dome for panoramic views over Madrid, it costs €9 for adults and €7 for children and seniors. The views from the dome are some of the best in this part of the city.
Mirador de la Cornisa
If you’re looking for one of the best photo spots nearby, head over to El Mirador de la Cornisa, in between the palace and the cathedral. From here, you’ll get panoramic views over Casa de Campo, and the surrounding western side of Madrid. It’s especially beautiful around sunset, just keep in mind it gets very busy.
What to expect inside the Royal Palace of Madrid
Once you’re inside, the route through the palace is really easy to follow. It’s very well marked, and you simply follow the route from one room to the next, so there’s really no chance of accidentally missing any of the rooms that are open to the public.
Some of our favourite rooms were definitely the Grand Staircase, which is the first thing you’ll see as you enter and is really impressive. Then there’s the Throne Room, with its red velvet walls, ornate decorations and the original royal thrones. Another highlight for us was the Banquet Hall. We were lucky enough to visit while it was fully set up with the table decorated for an official banquet, and it looked absolutely spectacular.
We also really enjoyed the Royal Armoury, where you can see historic suits of armour and weapons used by Spanish kings and members of the royal family. The Gasparini Room is one of the most beautifully decorated rooms in the palace, with incredibly detailed silk-covered walls and ceilings. The Porcelain Room is another beautiful space, with almost every wall covered in intricate white porcelain decorations.
The Royal Chapel is also worth taking your time in, with its beautiful marble, frescoes and impressive organ. And finally, don’t miss the Stradivarius Room, where you’ll see a rare collection of beautifully preserved Stradivarius instruments, including violins, violas and cellos. These were made by the famous Italian craftsman Antonio Stradivari and are considered some of the finest string instruments ever created, making the collection very special.
Crowds and Child-friendly?
When we visited, it was definitely busy, but it never felt overcrowded. We still had plenty of time to look around each room, take photos which is allowed in most places, and enjoy everything without feeling rushed.
Whether it’s child friendly or not, we’d say it really depends on the child. There’s nothing interactive inside the palace, and once you begin the route, it’s mostly just walking and standing, with little to no opportunities to sit down until you reach the end. So it’s worth keeping that in mind if you’re visiting with younger kids.
Is the app worth it?
We also decided to get the audio guide, which cost €3, and we definitely think it was worth it. Instead of giving you a traditional audio guide device, you simply download an app onto your phone. From there, you can either read about each room or listen to the information as you walk through the palace, depending on what you prefer.
We found it really useful because it gives you a lot more context than the information boards in each room. It explains what you’re looking at, why each room is important, and makes it much easier to appreciate everything you’re seeing.
Personally, we actually preferred this over a physical guided tour because it let us explore at our own pace. We could spend longer in the rooms we found most interesting, skip others, and choose exactly what we wanted to read or listen to. For just €3, we think it’s a good choice. Just remember to bring a powerbank because using the app and taking pictures takes up a lot of battery you might need later for navigation.
Watching the Changing of the Guard
If your timing works out, I’d also recommend watching the Changing of the Guard. It usually takes place every Wednesday and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. (10:00 a.m. in July and August), although it can be cancelled due to official events or bad weather. The ceremony lasts around 30 to 40 minutes. It features guards in traditional uniforms on horseback and on foot as they change positions outside the palace. One of the best places to watch is from Plaza de la Armería, right in front of the main entrance to the Royal Palace. If you want a good view, I’d recommend arriving about 20 to 30 minutes early.
What to do after your visit
Plaza de España Madrid
Once you’ve finished visiting the palace, there are plenty of other places nearby that are worth adding to your itinerary. You can walk over to Plaza de España, one of Madrid’s largest squares. Here you’ll find fountains, gardens, a really fun park for kids, plenty of places to sit, and the famous Cervantes Monument. If you’re visiting during Christmas, it hosts one of our favourite Christmas markets in Madrid with an ice rink.
Templo de Debod
Templo de Debod is only about a 15-minute walk away. It’s one of the best places in Madrid to watch the sunset. It’s an ancient Egyptian temple that was gifted to Spain and has some beautiful views over the city.
Gran Vía
From there, you’re also close to Gran Vía, Madrid’s main shopping street, filled with shops, restaurants, theatres and beautiful architecture.
Casa de Campo cable car
And if you have a little more time, I’d also recommend heading over to Casa de Campo. It’s Madrid’s largest park and a lovely place to go for a walk, rent a bike, or just relax. You can also ride the Teleférico, or cable car, which gives you some fantastic views over the city and the Royal Palace as you cross the park.
Standard tickets cost €4.50 one way or €6 return for adults. You can catch the cable car from either Rosales Station, which is the most convenient option. It’s only about a 5-minute walk from Argüelles Metro Station (which is on the same metro line 3 from Plaza de España). Or from Casa de Campo Station, which is inside the park. Around a 20-minute uphill walk from Lago Metro Station (2 stops from Plaza de España on the dark blue line 10 towards Puerta del Sur).
Where to eat close to the Royal Palace of Madrid
If you’re looking for somewhere to eat afterwards, we’ve actually made a full blog post sharing our favourite restaurants in Madrid. A lot of them are either within walking distance of the Royal Palace or just a short metro ride away.
Café de Oriente
If you’re after something a little more special, we really like Café de Oriente, which is right next to the palace. It’s a beautiful Belle Époque-style restaurant serving traditional Spanish food in a more elegant setting. It’s a little more expensive than your average restaurant, but we don’t think it’s overpriced, especially if you’re celebrating a special occasion or just want a really nice meal.
Lamucca
If you’re looking for something a bit more relaxed and family-friendly, we’d recommend La Mucca near Plaza de España. We absolutely love this restaurant. They serve a mix of Italian-inspired dishes, like pizzas, as well as Spanish favourites such as patatas bravas and croquetas. Their pizzas are some of our favourites, and the patatas bravas are definitely worth ordering too.
Mercado de San Miguel
And if you don’t feel like sitting down for a full meal, Mercado de San Miguel is a great option. It’s only about a 10-minute walk from the palace and is perfect if you want to try a variety of different tapas, snacks and drinks. It might not the cheapest place to eat in Madrid, but it’s also not outrageously expensive, and the atmosphere is fantastic. It’s a beautiful historic market and, in our opinion, definitely worth visiting.
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