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(813)
Enjoyed the visit to the Royal Palace. Jesus out your guide made the experience fun as well as informative.
Enjoyed the tour and appreciated Maria’s knowledge and humor. Highly recommend!
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
Our guide Jesus is very good. He is very informative and engaging, we had a great time. Highly recommend.
Dear Veronica, Thank you for your kind review. We're so pleased to hear that you had a great experience visiting the Royal Palace. Jesús will be delighted to know that you enjoyed his tour and appreciated his knowledge and engaging style. The Royal Palace has so many fascinating stories behind its rooms and history, and it's wonderful to know that Jesús helped make your visit both enjoyable and informative. Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing to explore Madrid with us. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Maria was wonderful! The tour was incredible. I would do this again, highly recommended
Dear Alex, Thank you for your wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to the Royal Palace and that Maria helped make it such a memorable experience. Her enthusiasm, knowledge, and passion for sharing Madrid's history are qualities that many of our guests appreciate. It's especially rewarding to know that you would happily do the tour again and that you would recommend it to other travelers. Comments like yours mean a lot to our team. Thank you for choosing to explore the Royal Palace with us. We hope to welcome you back on another tour during your next visit to Madrid. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Maria was the best guide!! Love her!
Dear traveler, Thank you for your lovely review. We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed your visit to the Royal Palace and that Maria made such a wonderful impression. Her enthusiasm, warmth, and passion for sharing the history of Madrid are qualities that our guests often remember long after the tour has ended. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to her. We're certain she'll be delighted to know that she helped make your experience so special. Thank you for choosing to tour with us, and we hope to welcome you back again soon. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Maria, our guide, was wonderful, humorous and very informative.
Prezada Silvana, Muito obrigada por compartilhar sua experiência. Ficamos muito felizes em saber que você gostou da visita ao Palácio Real de Madrid. É um lugar fascinante, cheio de história e beleza, e saber que a Maria contribuiu para tornar a experiência ainda mais especial é uma grande satisfação para nós. Maria ficará encantada com suas palavras. Seu bom humor, entusiasmo e conhecimento ajudam a transformar cada visita em uma experiência envolvente e memorável. Agradecemos pela sua recomendação e por ter escolhido fazer este passeio conosco. Esperamos recebê-la novamente em uma próxima aventura pela Espanha. Atenciosamente, Fun and Tickets Team
Maria was our tour guide and she was absolutely excellent. She had all the information required and kept the narration light while also providing with the right information. We are very happy with our experience
Dear traveler, Thank you for your wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that you had such a positive experience at the Royal Palace of Madrid. A great guide can truly make a visit memorable, and we're thrilled that Maria helped make your tour so enjoyable. Maria will be very happy to know that you appreciated both her knowledge and her ability to present the history in an engaging and easy-to-follow way. Striking the right balance between informative commentary and an enjoyable atmosphere is something she does exceptionally well. Thank you for choosing to tour with us and for sharing your kind words. We hope to welcome you back for another memorable experience in Madrid in the future. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Maria was great! Lots of info!
Dear traveler, Thank you for your review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to the Royal Palace and that Maria made such a positive impression. Her enthusiasm and knowledge help bring the history of this extraordinary place to life, making the experience both enjoyable and informative. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Maria. She will be thrilled to know that you appreciated her guidance and all the information she shared during the tour. Thank you for choosing to explore the Royal Palace with us. We hope to welcome you again on another tour in Madrid. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Awesome tour with Maria. Very informative.
Dear traveler, Thank you for your review. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to the Royal Palace and that Maria helped make the experience so enjoyable. Her passion for history and ability to share fascinating details about the palace are qualities that our guests truly appreciate. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Maria. She will be very happy to know that you found the tour informative and memorable. Thank you for choosing to explore the Royal Palace with us. We hope to welcome you again on another tour in Madrid. Best regards, Fun and Tickets Team
