Madrid Old Town & Royal Palace Walking Tour Skip the Line Ticket
Description
The tour starts at the door of the Fun and Tickets office at Calle Mayor, 43 with a guided tour on the way to the Royal Palace. The tour includes the visit of the Royal Palace of Madrid with official guides and Skip the line.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Welcome to our meeting point located at Calle Mayor 43. From here you will begin your visit to the Royal Palace
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.
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 the capacity and security controls, being the entrance delayed a few minutes for reasons beyond the control of this operator.
- To speed up entry, rucksacks and large bags are not permitted.
Reviews(2,099)
During our walking tour of the Royal Castle of Madrid Sara in as our tour guide. She is very knowledgeable and very kind to answer all of our questions admiring the tour. Thank you Sara for making our tour informative and memorable. The Seno’s
Wonderful tour by Frederick. Excellent details and explanation of the palace and Old Town. Recommend!!
Dear Tammy, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience with our Madrid Old Town and Royal Palace tour. We are delighted to hear that you had such an excellent experience. It is wonderful to know that Federico's detailed explanations helped you discover the history and beauty of both the Royal Palace and Madrid's Old Town. We will be sure to pass your kind words along to him. Thank you as well for your recommendation and for choosing Fun and Tickets. We hope to welcome you again on another memorable experience. Kind regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Beatrice was excellent. I was so happy to see the palace.
Dear traveler, Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience with our Madrid Old Town and Royal Palace tour. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit and that seeing the Royal Palace was such a special part of your day. It is especially wonderful to know that Beatriz made the experience both informative and fun. We will be delighted to pass your kind words along to her. Thank you for choosing Fun and Tickets. We hope to welcome you again on another memorable experience. Kind regards, Fun and Tickets Team
There isn't much about old town. We walked from meeting place to the palace for about 10 minutes, later we learned it's the old town part. But nothing learned from and of it. The palace tour feels flat, not much value added than just getting a headphone at the palace entrance. The length says 1 to 3 pm. We started 1:20 pm and finished 2:30 pm. At the beginning of the tour, the guide asked everyone where we come from. When I said, I am from from California, the States. He didn't like I stopped here. He wanted me to tell where I immigrated from. That's not proper practice. But I could have misinterpreted. I don't recommend this tour.
Good afternoon Jackie, Thanks for joining our tour. Please rest assured that the intention of our guide was to welcome everyone by asking your countries of origin. We apologize for not having met your expectations with regards to the length and content of the tour. Kind regards, Fun and Tickets Team
It was a fun tour. There was not a lot of walking or information outside the Royal Palace (maybe 20 minutes). But, our tour guide, Isabelle, was very knowledgeable.
Dear Jennifer, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and that Isabelle's knowledge made your visit to the Royal Palace both interesting and enjoyable. We'll be sure to share your kind words with her. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the walking tour through Madrid's Old Town. The main focus of this experience is the guided visit to the Royal Palace, with a brief introduction to the surrounding historic area before entering the monument. Your comments are valuable and help future travelers better understand the format of the tour. Thank you for choosing to explore Madrid with us. We hope to welcome you back for another memorable experience in Spain. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Sara was a great guide. She was respectful friendly and informative . I would suggest this tour with Sara to people visiting Madrid
Dear Lauren, Thank you so much for your kind review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Madrid's Old Town and the Royal Palace with Sara. It's wonderful to know that you appreciated her friendly, respectful, and informative approach throughout the tour. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Sara. She will be delighted to know that her guidance made such a positive impression and that you would recommend the tour to others visiting Madrid. Thank you for choosing to explore Madrid with us. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable experience in Spain. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Sara was an excellent guide, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The tour is a good way to see the palace efficiently and thoroughly.
Dear John, Thank you for your kind review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Madrid's Royal Palace and that Sara made such a positive impression. Her enthusiasm, knowledge, and passion for sharing the history of Madrid help make every tour both engaging and memorable. It's wonderful to know that you found the tour to be an efficient and thorough way to discover the Royal Palace. Our goal is to help our guests make the most of their visit while enjoying the fascinating stories behind one of Madrid's most iconic landmarks. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Sara. She will be delighted to know that her 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
It’s very good palace tour! You learn alot about the history of the palace and all the ins and outs. There isn’t very much info about the old town! It should just be called palace tour! Our guide was good and knowledgeable
Dear Lauri, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Royal Palace tour and found it informative. The palace is one of Madrid's most remarkable landmarks, and we're pleased that your guide's knowledge helped you gain a deeper understanding of its fascinating history and magnificent interiors. We also appreciate your comment regarding the Old Town portion of the experience. Guest feedback like yours is very valuable and helps us continue improving both our tours and the way we present them so that expectations match the experience. Thank you for choosing to tour with us. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back for another memorable experience in Madrid. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Sara was our guide and she did an amazing job. She was very thorough and explained everything with detail and simplicity. The views were beautiful! Absolutely worth it!
Dear traveler, Thank you for your wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable experience exploring Madrid's Old Town and the Royal Palace with Sara. Her ability to explain the history in a clear, engaging, and easy-to-follow way is something our guests truly appreciate. It's also great to know that you enjoyed the beautiful views along the tour. Madrid has so many remarkable sights, and we're glad you felt the experience was absolutely worth it. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Sara. She will be delighted to know that her guidance helped make your visit so memorable. 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
Sara was great! Friendly and extremely knowledgeable.
Dear traveler, Thank you for your kind review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to Madrid's Old Town and the Royal Palace with Sara. It's wonderful to know that her friendly personality and extensive knowledge helped make your experience so enjoyable. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Sara. She will be thrilled to know that her passion for Madrid and its history made such a positive impression on your visit. 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
