Visit the Royal Palace in Madrid

Europe

July 26, 2022

How to Visit

The Royal Palace (Palacio Real de Madrid) is open to the public on Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm and on Sundays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. You can expect to pay somewhere between 5 and 13 euros to enter, or more if you want a private guide, which can run between 13 and 50 euros for skip the line access.

In the summer, I would suggest you buy your ticket at least 4 days in advance because that is the busy tourist season. But if you are just looking for a short visit, entrance is free from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm from Monday through Thursday.

History of the Palace

The modern structure was built in 1734 when the old palace burned in a fire. It took 18 years to complete construction. Charles III was the first king to reside in the new palace.

It is still the official residence of the royal family, but no longer their home. The palace grounds include an extensive Royal Armory with weapons used by monarchs dating back to the 13th century. It also has a paintings gallery with works by artists such as Velázquez and Goya. Plus, it has the Royal Library and the Royal Pharmacy, which are both still in operation.

The modern Royal Palace has 3,418 rooms (way more than the 775 rooms in Buckingham Palace). And it receives about 2 million visitors every year.

The palace is also referred to by the name Palacio del Oriente. And just next door is Plaza de Oriente, which has statues of 44 former royals of Spain.

It is an incredible structure, but it is not the only palace in Spain. There are actually 8 palaces that you can visit throughout Spain.

Changing of the Guard

Much like at Buckingham Palace, the Spanish Royal Palace also offers a changing of the guard ceremony. In fact, there are two different types. The first happens once a month and is referred to as the solemn changing of the guard. This ceremony takes place at noon on the first Wednesday of each month. Except it does not take place in January, August, or September. But, every other month, you can watch this 50 minute long ceremony for free.

The other changing of the guard is the replacing of the guard ceremony which takes place twice a week. It is every Wednesday and Saturday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. However, the start time may change during certain parts of the year to an hour earlier.