Royal Palace of Madrid: How to Visit
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The Royal Palace of Madrid (Palacio Real) is worth the EUR14 ticket, and it’s easy to see in half a day alongside the rest of central Madrid. It’s billed as Europe’s largest functioning royal palace by floor area, roughly 135,000 square meters and over 3,400 rooms, though the current king and queen actually live at the smaller Palacio de la Zarzuela outside the city and only use this building for state ceremonies. That means it can close on short notice for official functions, so check the schedule before you build your day around it.
Key facts
| Key facts | Details |
|---|---|
| Price | EUR14 general, EUR7 reduced (ages 5-16, students, 65+) |
| Hours | Oct-Mar daily 10:00-18:00; Apr-Sep Mon-Sat 10:00-19:00, Sun 10:00-16:00 |
| Free window | EU/Ibero-American citizens, walk-up only with ID, 16:00-18:00 (Oct-Mar) or 18:00-20:00 (Apr-Sep), Mon-Thu |
| Time needed | 1.5-2 hours self-guided |
What’s actually inside
The State Rooms are the reason people queue up: the Throne Room, with a ceiling fresco by Giambattista Tiepolo, and the Gasparini Room, with walls still covered in its original 18th-century embroidered silk. The palace stands on the site of a 9th-century Moorish fortress that burned down on Christmas Eve 1734; Philip V rebuilt it entirely in stone afterward, which is why it took 26 years to finish. A separate-admission Royal Armoury holds combat armor made for Charles V in the 1530s and 1540s, not ceremonial pieces. Book a timed-entry Royal Palace ticket online rather than queuing at the door, especially in summer.
Is the free entry window worth planning around?
Yes, if you hold an EU or Ibero-American passport. It’s walk-up only, ID or residence proof is required, and it can’t be pre-booked, so arrive right when the window opens (16:00 in winter, 18:00 in summer, Monday-Thursday) rather than mid-window when the queue has already formed. If your passport doesn’t qualify, book the timed ticket online instead of risking a same-day sellout.
The gardens most visitors skip
Sabatini Gardens, on the north side, are formal and pleasant for a 30-minute walk with a good angle on the palace’s north facade. Campo del Moro, on the west side, is the better one: a romantic English-style garden that follows the palace’s original approach route from the Manzanares river, entered separately from Paseo de la Virgen del Puerto, and completely free. Almudena Cathedral sits across the Plaza de la Armería from the palace’s main facade, itself only completed in 1993, and its nave is free to enter (donation welcome).
Getting there and pairing it with the rest of the city
The nearest Metro stops are Ópera (lines 2 and 5) and Sol (lines 1, 2 and 3), both about 10 minutes on foot from the entrance. Pair the palace with a walk to Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, both a short walk away, or fold it into a full Madrid itinerary alongside the Prado. For the full city rundown, see our Madrid guide .
Visit before 11am in summer if you can. The State Rooms have no air conditioning, and the crowds thin out noticeably in the first hour after opening compared to midday.