Royal Palace of Madrid Guided Tour with Priority Entry

The Royal Palace of Madrid: history and building

The Royal Palace stands on the site of the old Moorish fortress, later a royal Alcázar, which burned down on Christmas Eve in 1734. King Philip V, the first Bourbon king of Spain, ordered a new palace in stone so it could never burn again. Charles III was the first king to live in it, from 1764.

With more than 3,400 rooms, it is the largest royal palace in Western Europe by floor area. It remains the official residence of the King of Spain, although the royal family lives elsewhere and uses it for state ceremonies. That is why the Royal Palace can close at short notice on official days.

The state rooms and the Throne Room

Your Royal Palace tour climbs the grand staircase to a sequence of state rooms filled with tapestries, chandeliers, clocks and frescoed ceilings. The guide brings the Bourbon court to life, explaining how each room was used for audiences, banquets and ceremonies.

The highlight is the Throne Room, dressed in crimson velvet and silver, with a vast ceiling painted by the Venetian artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo showing the glory of the Spanish monarchy. Nearby, the Gasparini Room dazzles with stucco and silk in rococo chinoiserie style, and the royal chapel has frescoes by Corrado Giaquinto.

Royal treasures: the armoury, the pharmacy and the Stradivarius

Beyond the state rooms, the palace keeps collections that surprise many visitors. The Royal Armoury holds suits of armour worn by Emperor Charles V and his son Philip II, among the finest in the world. The Royal Pharmacy preserves shelves of ceramic jars and old remedies.

Music fans look for the Palatine Quartet, a set of stringed instruments decorated by Antonio Stradivari, displayed in the palace. Opening times and routes to these rooms vary, so ask your guide. Allow extra time after the tour if you want to see them calmly.

The palace gardens and the Plaza de Oriente

Your entry ticket includes access to the palace gardens, which you can visit on your own after the guided tour. The Campo del Moro, below the western façade, is a romantic landscaped park with fountains and a long view up to the palace. On the northern side, the geometric Sabatini Gardens are ideal at sunset.

Facing the main façade, the Plaza de Oriente is lined with statues of Spanish kings, with the Royal Theatre on its far side. Almudena Cathedral stands just across the Armoury Square. How to get to the Royal Palace: take metro lines 2 or 5 to Ópera, a five-minute walk away.