Although this magnificent palace is the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family, his Majesty the King of Spain, King Felipe VI does not reside here but lives in Palacio de la Zarzuela which is just outside Madrid. This Palace is now used for state ceremonies and official banquets. The extravagant state rooms of the palace is indeed a feast for the eyes with stunningly colourful interiors, art works, magnificent ceiling, massive chandeliers, marble statues etc, gives you an insight of what Royalty really is!
Address: Calle de Bailén, s/n, 28071 Madrid, Spain. (Right next to Almudena Cathedral). Closest subway station is ‘Opera’ reached using Line 5 or Line 2.
Read the history of the Royal Palace and other useful informations in the official website : http://www.patrimonionacional.es/en/real-sitio/palacios/8280
Entry: The palace is open to public unless used for official purposes.
Winter opening times (October to March): Every day: 10:00-18:00.
Summer opening times(April to September): Every day: 10:00-20:00. Ticket centre closes one hour before the closing time. Advance booking is recommended to avoid long queue.
There are descriptions in Spanish and English for each room, so if you can understand either of these, you can skip the guided tours (additional 4 euro to the ticket price). Photography is allowed only at the beginning and towards the end! No backpacks are permitted either, locker rooms are available (1 euro) to keep your belongings safe.
Ticket centre is located to the right side of the outer gate of the palace. Entry fee is € 10 per person, we managed to get student discount for my sister upon presenting a valid student ID. There are different tariffs available, please ask at the desk. They also allow free entry to citizens of the European union for couple of hours before closing time, holding proof of nationality. Attached below is a photo of the ticket, it looks pretty good (unlike the dull online tickets these days) to keep as a souvenir.
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- Front view
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- Royal emblem of Spain- Coat of arms
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- entrance
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- Almudena cathedral as seen from the entrance of the royal palace
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