Royal Palace of Madrid Small Group Skip the Line Ticket
Description
Only 15 passengers maximum for this semi-private visit to the Royal Palace. We will start our visit from Calle Mayor 43, to get to know the Plaza Mayor, Calle del Codo, Plaza de la Villa and finally reach the Royal Palace through Calle Bailén.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The name of the plaza has changed over time. It has been known as "Plaza del Arrabal", "Plaza de la Constitución", "Plaza Real", "Plaza de la República" and now "Plaza Mayor". These names reflect events, history and reign in Spanish history. "Plaza del Arrabal" was the original name of the present day "Plaza Mayor". The "Plaza del Arrabal" was once the site of the most popular marketplace until the end of 15th century. Following the Constitution of 1812, all major plazas in Spain were renamed "Plaza de la Constitución". It also held this name 1820 to 1823, 1833 to 1835, 1840 to 1843, and 1876 to 1922. When the Borbón king was restored in 1814, it became known as the "Plaza Real". In 1873, the name changed to "Plaza de la República". At the end of the Spanish Civil War the plaza received its present name of "Plaza Mayor".
More than 100 years have gone by since the Mercado de San Miguel opened its doors as a wholesale food market. Today, this historical building stands out as one of the world’s main gastronomic markets. It allows visitors to experience the essence and most significant flavors of every corner of Spain. From the finest Iberian ham and freshest fish and shellfish brought in daily from Galicia, to Mediterranean rice dishes and the most exquisite cheeses from Castile, Asturias and the Basque Country – at the Mercado de San Miguel, you’ll find all the highlights of Spanish cuisine. Spread out over more than 20 stands, the common denominator here is a commitment to high-quality tapas and pub fare.
This small street is one of the two most charming squares in Madrid: Conde de Miranda and Villa. And it can boast of housing a space protected by the historical and artistic environment that surrounds it: on the corner of the Plaza de la Villa is the Torre de los Lujanes (belonging to the 15th century). In that same part of the street there are also the Royal Maritense Economic Society of Friends of the Country, the old Municipal Newspaper Library and the Church of Corpus Christi, where the Convent of Las Carboneras is located, since the congregation keeps an image of Immaculate Conception found in a charcoal kiln and to which various miracles are attributed.milagros.
It was one of the main medieval centers of Madrid, since three streets start from it, corresponding to the original layout of the city: Codo, Cordón and Madrid. On its outskirts are the main facades of three buildings of high historical-artistic value, built in different centuries. The oldest is the Casa y Torre de los Lujanes (15th century), in the Gothic-Mudejar style, located on the east side of the Plaza. This is now the office of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences.
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. Although Juvarra's original project was never carried out, the Royal Palace of Madrid can boast of being the largest inhabited palace in Europe. And we say inhabited because, although the Spanish Royal Family does not reside in it, it is still the place where they have their official residence. As we have commented previously, the building, whose works lasted until 1764 when Carlos III lived in it for the first time, is made up of 135,000 square meters and 3,418 rooms, also highlighting its 870 windows, 240 balconies or the 44 stairs it has. The comparisons are odious but, despite what many believe, the Palace of Versailles, near Paris, has 67,000 square meters, so that of Madrid surpasses it.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- 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(818)
We had a great tour of the Royal Palace with Jesus. He was thorough, knowledgeable, and did an excellent job explaining the history and significance of everything we saw. The tour was absolutely worth doing, and we got especially lucky because it ended up being just our group, so it felt like a private tour. We really enjoyed the experience and would definitely recommend this tour to others visiting Madrid.
Great visit to the Royal Palace We enjoyed
We experienced the Royal Palace tour last week while in Madrid. We had a wonderful experience. Our guide, Maria, was very knowledgeable. She led the group on a walk from Plaza Mayor to the palace, and then after a short wait, took us through the entire palace. She stopped to give us detailed descriptions when appropriate, and yet moved at a pace that allows us to complete the tour just before the palace closed. The palace is an amazing place to visit with many interesting features and stories that go with them.… But it was our guide Maria, who made the tour, especially enjoyable. If you get the chance, our group of travelers highly recommends this tour of the Royal Palace.
The palace was amazing. Unfortunately the guide was hard to understand and I missed a lot of what he said. Half the group left midway through the tour.
Great experience loved the small group. Our guide was wonderful! He was very knowledgeable on all the history and had some great suggestions for restaurants close to my accommodations. I was just the right amount of time in the palace.
Dear Sheri, Thank you for your wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to the Royal Palace of Madrid and that the small group format made the experience even more enjoyable. We believe smaller groups create a more relaxed atmosphere and allow for a more personal interaction with our guides. We're especially pleased that you appreciated your guide's knowledge and the local restaurant recommendations. Sharing both the history of the Royal Palace and helpful local tips is something our guides truly enjoy. It's also great to know that you found the tour length just right, allowing you to fully appreciate this magnificent landmark without feeling rushed. Thank you for choosing to tour with us. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable experience in Madrid. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Maria was a great guide. She has a lot of knowledge and explained each room and the city very well. She was the best. Totally recommended.
Estimada Yaily, Muchas gracias por compartir su experiencia. Nos alegra muchísimo saber que disfrutó de la visita al Palacio Real de Madrid y que María hizo que el recorrido fuera tan especial. Su conocimiento, claridad en las explicaciones y forma de transmitir la historia ayudan a que cada sala del palacio cobre vida. Le haremos llegar sus amables palabras. Estamos seguros de que María estará encantada de saber que la considera una guía estupenda y que recomienda totalmente la experiencia. Gracias por elegirnos y por confiar en nosotros para descubrir Madrid. Un cordial saludo, Fun and Tickets Team
Maria is an extraordinary guide; she kept my children very entertained. Thank you
Estimada Claudia, Muchas gracias por compartir su experiencia. Nos alegra enormemente saber que disfrutaron de la visita al Palacio Real de Madrid y, especialmente, que María consiguiera mantener a sus hijos entretenidos durante todo el recorrido. Hacer que la historia resulte interesante tanto para adultos como para los más pequeños es una de las mayores satisfacciones para nuestros guías. Le haremos llegar sus amables palabras. Estamos seguros de que María estará encantada de saber que contribuyó a que toda la familia disfrutara de una experiencia tan especial. Gracias por elegirnos y por confiar en nosotros para descubrir Madrid. Esperamos volver a recibirles muy pronto en otra de nuestras experiencias. Un cordial saludo, Fun and Tickets Team
Enjoyed the visit to the Royal Palace. Jesus out your guide made the experience fun as well as informative.
Dear Duane, Thank you for your kind review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to the Royal Palace of Madrid. It's wonderful to know that Jesús made the experience both informative and fun. His enthusiasm and knowledge help bring the history of the palace to life, making each visit even more memorable. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Jesús. He will be delighted to know that his guidance contributed to such a positive experience. Thank you for choosing to tour with us. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable experience in Madrid. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Enjoyed the tour and appreciated Maria’s knowledge and humor. Highly recommend!
Dear Carol, Thank you for your wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to the Royal Palace of Madrid. It's especially rewarding to know that María's knowledge and sense of humor made the tour both informative and enjoyable. We'll be sure to share your kind words with María. She will be thrilled to know that her passion for sharing the history of the Royal Palace helped make your experience so memorable. Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing to tour with us. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable experience in Madrid. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Disappointed by the group size. When booking it guaranteed 15 people or less and we ended up with 26. This caused issues with not being able to keep up with the guides descriptions; missing thing, for example 2 of the three of us missed the thrones.
Dear Lori, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry to hear that your experience did not fully meet your expectations. We understand how disappointing it must have been to find the group larger than anticipated, especially if this made it difficult to follow the guide's explanations and fully enjoy the visit. We also regret that part of your group missed seeing the Throne Room, as we know it is one of the highlights of the Royal Palace. Your comments are very important to us, and we will share them with our operations team to review what happened on this departure and to ensure that the experience we provide matches our guests' expectations as closely as possible. We truly appreciate you bringing this to our attention and hope that, despite these inconveniences, you were still able to enjoy the beauty and history of the Royal Palace. Thank you for choosing to visit with us, and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you with an even better experience in the future. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
