Royal Palace

Description

The Palacio Real, or Royal Palace, in Madrid was built in 1764, and is the largest royal palace in Western Europe. It is also Madrid's largest building and one of its top tourist attractions. Built as the official residence for the Royal family, the palace is now only used for state ceremonies. Located next to the popular Plaza de Oriente square, the beautiful Royal Palace boasts over 2,500 rooms, some of which are now open to the public. While here, visitors will come across an incredible collection of valuable tapestries and paintings, furniture, ceramics and frescos. Those visiting the palace will also come across an armory, a pharmacy and a grand throne room. The Royal Palace is also known to be one of the most important museums in Europe, as it holds numerous valuable paintings and tapestries. The Campo del Moro, or the palace gardens are majestic and therefore definitely worth a visit. Tourists can either explore the monumental palace at their own pace, or there are tours conducted, throughout the day.

Ticket Price

With guide: €10.00 Without guide: €8.00 Free for kids under 5

Opening Hour

October to March: Monday to Saturday – 9.30am to 5pm Sundays and holidays: 9am to 2pm April to September: Monday to Saturday - 9am to 6pm Sundays and holidays: 9am to 3pm The palace is closed for official acts on a few days each year

Recommended Visit Duration

Around 2 hours or more

Suitable For

Adults, senior visitors, young adults, families

Must See

The lavish throne room, the collection of paintings and tapestries, the Royal Armoury

Prayer Facilities

While Muslims visiting the Royal Palace will not be able to find prayer facilities within its premises, there are a few mosques in the city of Madrid. The Madrid Central Mosque and the Omar Mosque are two mosques at which Muslim visitors will be able to find all the facilities they require. Muslim tourists could therefore ask to be directed to the closest prayer facilities to the palace, when needed. 

Halal Food

Although visitors to the Royal Palace will not be able to find any eateries within its premises, there are plenty of Halal restaurants in Madrid to dine at. Visitors will be able to locate restaurants serving a variety of cuisines like Moroccan, Indian, Turkish, Egyptian, Lebanese and more. El Aman and Al Zahra are two of the several Halal restaurants in Madrid. Al Zahra is in fact the official restaurant of the Centro Cultural Islamico