Madrid Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral Guided Tour
Description
On this tour you will enjoy two of the two most important monuments in Madrid. Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The tour starts at the main office of Fun and Tickets, located at Calle Mayor, 43
Puerta del Sol is a square in the Spanish city of Madrid. It has been home to the so-called Zero Kilometer of the country's radial roads since 1950. The oldest building in Puerta del Sol is the Casa de Correos and it highlights the tower clock that was built and donated in the 19th century by José Rodríguez de Losada. Puerta del Sol is a meeting place, a crossing point between different parts of Madrid. It is a must visit for those who come to Madrid.
Calle del Arenal is a popular historical road in Madrid, which connects Puerta del Sol and Plaza de Isabel II (Ópera) . Its name comes from the primitive stream that ran along its layout before the area was developed, with the one that appears already labeled in the plan of Teixeira of 1656, as well as in the successive cartographies of the Villa of Madrid.
Plaza de Isabel II (better known as Plaza de Ópera) is an open space between the neighborhoods of Sol and Palacio, in the central district of Madrid, with Calle del Arenal coming from Puerta del Sol, and dedicated minor roads. to Arrieta, Campomanes, Caños del Peral, Escalinata and Vergara. Formed by filling the ravine created by the Arenal stream and the fountains of the Caños del Peral, the square occupies part of the site where the old Teatro de los Caños del Peral was between 1738 and 1817.
The Royal Palace of Madrid is the official residence of the King of Spain; However, the current kings do not live in it, but in the Zarzuela Palace, so it is used for state ceremonies and solemn acts. Now is when our visit really begins.
You will visit next to the Royal Palace, the Almudena Cathedral built where the Church of Santa María de la Almudena used to be, which was in turn built on a mosque and dedicated to the Virgen de la Almudena, patron saint of Madrid. The name of this virgin and cathedral derive from the Arabic word al-mudayna, which means "citadel". The cathedral is located in the historic center of the city of Madrid; the main façade is in front of the Royal Palace, while the transept façade faces Calle de Bailén and access to the crypt is via the Cuesta de la Vega, at the end of Calle Mayor. Unlike most Christian temples, which are oriented east-west, the cathedral has a north-south orientation, the result of its conception as an integral part of the Royal Palace complex.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Although the entrance to the Royal Palace is always reserved for our clients, sometimes the access control may be blocked due to capacity and security controls, delaying the entrance for a few minutes for reasons beyond the operator's control.
- To speed up entry, rucksacks and large bags are not permitted.
Reviews(75)
Very delayed start- we waited 30 minutes in a line to leave the meeting point- thus our actual tour was very rushed. Be careful booking- we did not get a guided tour of the cathedral, only the palace. Paid extra for cathedral. Guide was very vague about entrance to cathedral on our own and we could find a way in. Guessing it was closed- he didn’t tell us.
Goodw day Anna, Thanks for your patience during the check in before the visit started. We apologize for not having met your expectations with regards to the Cathedral part and will look into this internally. Kind regards, Fun and Tickets Team
One of the locations on our list to visit while in Madrid was the Royal Palace. Upon doing the research, we learned that lines could be a bit long, so finding a tour that allowed us to skip the line was important. Our tour guide, Ander, was great. He had a wonderful sense of humor and made the tour an enjoyable experience. He was very knowledgeable about everything in the Royal Palace. He shared some interesting nuggets of information about historical points on our way to the Palace. Our group consisted of about 12-15 people. Not a large group, but large enough that the receivers and headphones certainly came in handy to ensure we could hear everything Ander was sharing. Here are the two reasons why I couldn't rate this tour as excellent. The check-in process was a bit clunky. Not horrible, but we had to wait on the side of the street to get checked in one by one, and it felt a bit disorganized, especially in an area where there are a lot of tourists and easy to get lost in the shuffle. Here is the primary reason that I knocked down the rating. The title of the tour is a bit deceiving. We booked the tour as it noted that it was a Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral guided tour. The guided tour itself was only for the Royal Palace. Our guide left our group after the Palace tour, and we walked over to the Cathedral, where we entered on our own and walked around. I thought perhaps I had read the description incorrectly; however, I looked over it again, and it states that it is a guided tour for both the Palace and Cathedral. It was a bit disappointing that the description didn't align with the tour itself. However, I cannot knock on the great job Ander did during the part of the guided tour in the Palace. It was a great tour, but not sure if the cost aligns with what the actual tour was.
Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed and balanced review. We're delighted to hear that Ander made your visit to the Royal Palace both informative and enjoyable. His sense of humor, historical knowledge, and ability to keep the group engaged are qualities that our guests often appreciate, and we'll be sure to pass along your kind words. We also appreciate your positive comments about the small group size and the audio system. As you mentioned, having headsets can make a big difference when navigating busy areas while still being able to follow every explanation comfortably. At the same time, we'd like to thank you for your constructive feedback. We understand your observations regarding the check-in process and how it could have felt a bit confusing in a busy tourist area. Feedback like this helps us identify opportunities to improve the overall experience from the very beginning of the tour. We also understand your disappointment regarding the Cathedral portion of the visit. Expectations are especially important when choosing a tour, and we appreciate you taking the time to explain where the experience differed from what you anticipated. We will share your comments with the relevant team so they can review the information provided and ensure it is as clear and accurate as possible. We're grateful that, despite these points, you still enjoyed the experience and were able to discover the Royal Palace with the help of a guide who made such a positive impression. Thank you for choosing Fun and Tickets during your visit to Madrid. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
One of the locations on our list to visit while in Madrid was the Royal Palace. Upon doing the research, we learned that lines could be a bit long, so finding a tour that allowed us to skip the line was important. Our tour guide, Ander, was great. He had a wonderful sense of humor and made the tour an enjoyable experience. He was very knowledgeable about everything in the Royal Palace. He shared some interesting nuggets of information about historical points on our way to the Palace. Our group consisted of about 12-15 people. Not a large group, but large enough that the receivers and headphones certainly came in handy to ensure we could hear everything Ander was sharing. Here are the two reasons why I couldn't rate this tour as excellent. The check-in process was a bit clunky. Not horrible, but we had to wait on the side of the street to get checked in one by one, and it felt a bit disorganized, especially in an area where there are a lot of tourists and easy to get lost in the shuffle. Here is the primary reason that I knocked down the rating. The title of the tour is a bit deceiving. We booked the tour as it noted that it was a Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral guided tour. The guided tour itself was only for the Royal Palace. Our guide left our group after the Palace tour, and we walked over to the Cathedral, where we entered on our own and walked around. I thought perhaps I had read the description incorrectly; however, I looked over it again, and it states that it is a guided tour for both the Palace and Cathedral. It was a bit disappointing that the description didn't align with the tour itself. However, I cannot knock on the great job Ander did during the part of the guided tour in the Palace. It was a great tour, but not sure if the cost aligns to what the actual tour was.
Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed and balanced review. We're delighted to hear that Ander made your visit to the Royal Palace both informative and enjoyable. His sense of humor, historical knowledge, and ability to keep the group engaged are qualities that our guests often appreciate, and we'll be sure to pass along your kind words. We also appreciate your positive comments about the small group size and the audio system. As you mentioned, having headsets can make a big difference when navigating busy areas while still being able to follow every explanation comfortably. At the same time, we'd like to thank you for your constructive feedback. We understand your observations regarding the check-in process and how it could have felt a bit confusing in a busy tourist area. Feedback like this helps us identify opportunities to improve the overall experience from the very beginning of the tour. We also understand your disappointment regarding the Cathedral portion of the visit. Expectations are especially important when choosing a tour, and we appreciate you taking the time to explain where the experience differed from what you anticipated. We will share your comments with the relevant team so they can review the information provided and ensure it is as clear and accurate as possible. We're grateful that, despite these points, you still enjoyed the experience and were able to discover the Royal Palace with the help of a guide who made such a positive impression. Thank you for choosing Fun and Tickets during your visit to Madrid. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Mitch was a fun guide who was very knowledgable. Gave great value to the tour without boring you to death with too much history. Fabulous palace. Definitely worth a visit. .
Thank you for your lovely review. We really enjoyed reading your description of the experience. One of the best compliments a guide can receive is being knowledgeable without overwhelming guests with too much information, and we're delighted to hear that Mitch found exactly the right balance. The Royal Palace is certainly a spectacular place to visit, with its impressive rooms, rich history, and remarkable collections, and we're glad you felt the tour added real value to the experience. We'll be sure to pass your kind words on to Mitch. He'll be pleased to know that his fun and engaging approach helped make your visit so enjoyable. Thank you for choosing Fun and Tickets, and we're happy to hear that the palace was definitely worth the visit! Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Sara proved to be a great guide around Madrid and the Royal Palace. She was very informative, friendly, and approachable. She provided a lot of local color. She made the tour a lot of fun. We highly recommend this tour. Don't miss the armory!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review and recommendation. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Madrid’s Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral with Sara. It’s especially rewarding to know that her informative, friendly, and approachable style helped make the experience both engaging and fun for you. Adding local stories and historical context is exactly what helps bring Madrid’s history and atmosphere to life during the tour. We also love your recommendation about the armory, it is truly one of the hidden highlights of the Royal Palace and definitely worth visiting. Thank you again for choosing to explore Madrid with us and for sharing your experience. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
While our guide did an outstanding job and truly elevated the experience, the tour unfortunately did not match what was advertised. The inclusions mentioned about the Guided tour of the Cathedral in the description was not done, when I asked the tour guide, he said that he could direct us to the door, but he cannot come in and give a guided tour. I paid extra for this part of the tour and it was a waste of money. There was another couple who had similar tickets and asked the same question of The tour guide. I want to emphasize that the guide was not the issue — he was fantastic. The problem lies with the tour operator’s inaccurate listing. With honest, updated information, this could be a five‑star experience, but as it stands, it fell short of expectations.
Dear Customer, Thanks for your nice words about our guide. We apologize for the misunderstanding with regards to the visit of the Cathedral. Kind regards, Fun and Tickets Team
I booked a "skip the line" tour. That did not happen. We had to wait in line for an hour and a half in the rain. We were told that the tour operator was not able to buy tickets in advance because they were not being sold on the day before the tour. The tour operator should have known that the day before the tour was May 1, a holiday in Madrid. We did not go into the Cathedral at all. We deserved some sort of refund. On the other hand the tour guide was very good.
Good day Ronald, Thanks for the nice words about our guide. We are sorry for the rain and for the waiting time at the entrance of the Royal Palace. There was an important festivity in Madrid and we had to follow the security line. We apologize for not having met your expectations. We wish you enjoyed the visit of the Royal Chambers. With kind regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Informative and timely with excellent guide Nacho would recommend him to others interested in this tour.
Thank you for your kind review. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral with Nacho. These two landmarks offer such a fascinating glimpse into Madrid’s royal, cultural, and religious history, and having a guide who is informative and well organized helps make the experience even more enjoyable. We’re especially happy to know that Nacho left such a positive impression on you. Thank you again for your recommendation and for choosing to explore Madrid with us. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Nice tour. Beatrice was delightful. Good onfo shared of Cathedral, Palace and buildings and Plaza along the way to palace
Fantastic tour of the Royal Palace with our guide Frederico. Despite rather large crowds he migrated our small group very nicely to keep us comfortable. Great history of an amazing historic building.
