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(87)
David, the guide, gave a very pleasant, accessible, and entertaining guided tour. Without a doubt I would do it again, 100% recommended!
Estimado Carlos: Muchas gracias por compartir su experiencia y por recomendarnos. Nos encanta saber que disfrutó de la visita al Palacio Real y la Catedral de la Almudena. Es fantástico saber que David consiguió hacer el recorrido ameno, accesible y entretenido. Estaremos encantados de transmitirle sus amables palabras. Que nos diga que repetiría la experiencia es una gran satisfacción para todo el equipo. Esperamos volver a recibirle muy pronto en otra de nuestras visitas. Un cordial saludo, Equipo de Fun and Tickets
I was lucky enough to take the tour with David and it was incredible; he is very nice and friendly, plus he explains everything in great detail and is easy to understand. Totally recommended experience!!!
Estimada Soledad: Muchas gracias por compartir su experiencia y por recomendarnos. Nos encanta saber que disfrutó tanto de la visita al Palacio Real y la Catedral de la Almudena. Es fantástico saber que David, además de cercano y simpático, consiguió transmitir toda la información de forma detallada, clara y fácil de entender. Estaremos encantados de hacerle llegar sus amables palabras. Gracias por elegirnos para descubrir una parte tan especial de Madrid. Esperamos volver a recibirla en otra de nuestras visitas. Un cordial saludo, Equipo de Fun and Tickets
If you are looking for an unforgettable experience, David is the right person. His tours are dynamic, approachable, and super entertaining. You learn, you laugh, and you enjoy yourself to the fullest!
Estimada Alexia: Muchas gracias por compartir su experiencia y por sus bonitas palabras sobre David. Nos encanta saber que consiguió hacer de la visita una experiencia tan dinámica, cercana y entretenida. Es especialmente gratificante saber que disfrutó aprendiendo y divirtiéndose al mismo tiempo. La capacidad de transmitir la historia de una forma amena y accesible puede marcar una gran diferencia durante la visita. Estaremos encantados de hacerle llegar a David sus amables palabras. Gracias por elegirnos y esperamos volver a recibirla en otra experiencia en Madrid. Un cordial saludo, Equipo de Fun and Tickets
I took the tour in Spanish with David. He explained to me that due to reasons beyond the tour operator's control, we had to enter the Palace earlier. Afterwards, he gave me about 15 minutes to see the Armory and we visited the Cathedral for about 20 minutes. David is highly recommended!!
Estimado José: Muchas gracias por compartir su experiencia y por recomendar la visita. Nos alegra saber que disfrutó del recorrido en castellano con David. Agradecemos especialmente su comprensión ante el cambio en el horario de acceso al Palacio Real por circunstancias ajenas a la organización. Nos encanta saber que David gestionó la visita de forma que también pudiera disfrutar de la Armería y posteriormente de la Catedral. Estaremos encantados de transmitirle a David sus amables palabras y su recomendación. Gracias por elegirnos y esperamos volver a recibirle en otra de nuestras visitas por Madrid. Un cordial saludo, Equipo de Fun and Tickets
The visit we took with David was great!! He was very attentive, I liked the explanations a lot and I learned quite a bit; he also gave us a few minutes in the cathedral to be able to see the Virgin of Almudena. I enjoyed it very much. Highly recommended.
Estimada Laura: Muchas gracias por compartir su experiencia y por recomendarnos. Nos encanta saber que disfrutó tanto de la visita al Palacio Real y la Catedral de la Almudena con David. Es fantástico saber que sus explicaciones le resultaron interesantes y le permitieron aprender durante el recorrido. Nos alegra también que pudiera disponer de unos minutos para contemplar con tranquilidad la Virgen de la Almudena en la Catedral. Estaremos encantados de transmitirle a David sus amables palabras. Gracias por elegirnos y esperamos volver a recibirla en otra de nuestras visitas por Madrid. Un cordial saludo, Equipo de Fun and Tickets
Wonderful for solo tours or with families and partners! Lots of knowledge and fun facts. Tour guide interacted with guests which made it more fun
Dear Mallory, Thank you very much for sharing your experience with our Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral tour. We are delighted to hear that you had such a fun and enjoyable visit. It’s wonderful to know that the mix of historical knowledge, interesting facts, and interaction with the group made the experience engaging and entertaining. We’re also glad you found the tour suitable whether exploring Madrid solo, as a couple, or with family. Thank you for choosing Fun and Tickets. We hope to welcome you back for another memorable experience in Madrid. Kind regards, Fun and Tickets Team
The palace was very opulent. The guide provided minimal information. At the end of the palace tour an option to see the royal armory, as we chose to follow through with this option we were told we could not have the guided tour of the church that was part of this package. No other option was offered. Not to return to the royal armory after the guided tour or to have guided tour of church at a later time. Very lack luster experience.
Dear Lisa, We agree with you. The Palace is beautiful. We apologize for not having met your expectations with regards to the content and timing of the different parts of the tour. Your comments will help us to improve our tours. Warm regards, Fun and Tickets Team
Very good experience, Jesús was very kind and organized to make the tour route enjoyable through the incredible spaces.
Querida Valeria, Muchas gracias por su reseña y por elegir Fun&Tickets. Nos alegra saber que le gustó la visita al Palacio Real y la Catedral de la Almudena. Le haremos llegar sus amables palabras a Jesús; seguro que le encantará saber que su organización y trato hicieron el recorrido tan ameno. ¡Esperamos verla de nuevo muy pronto! Un cordial saludo, El equipo de Fun&Tickets
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
