Madrid Old Town & Royal Palace Walking Tour Skip the Line Ticket

based on 540 reviews

Duration:2 hours 10 minutes (approx.)
Location: Madrid, Spain

From $42.51

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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.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1.
Welcome to our meeting point located at Calle Mayor 43. From here you will begin your visit to the Royal Palace
2. Plaza Mayor
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".
3. Mercado San Miguel
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.
4. Calle De Codo
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.
5. Plaza de la Villa
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.
6. Royal Palace of Madrid
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.

ADDITIONAL INFO

CANCELLATION POLICY

Posted By : Michel_K
The group.size was far too big though understandable the given date we had to hurry for your information
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-01-01 13:10:33

Posted By : Jenny_A
Jose was our tour guide and very knowledgeable about the history, places or items of interest and injected humour into the tour. It was worth the cost. I would highly recommend the tour for English speakers who would like more information on Spanish monarchs, Madrid’s foundation and culture. We were able to see the connections through our visit to the Prado Museum. 5 stars!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-01-01 03:54:02

Posted By : Angela_H
I was a little disappointed because the guide was late and it was NYE so the palace was closing early. We were rushed through the palace and our tour. He was knowledgeable and interesting and overall it was a great tour.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2024-01-01 03:28:37

Posted By : Jane_G
This tour was disappointing and there was a lot of hanging around and queuing. It was disorganised at the start because it took a long time to check everyone in and receive headsets at the meeting point. We arrived at 9:50 and did not leave for the walking part of the tour until 10:20. When we eventually arrived at the Royal Palace we had to wait 45 minutes in the cold outside for security to clear us before we could get in. The Palace was very crowded. The guide did his best and was very pleasant but I think you need to rethink this whole tour as it doesn’t really work. I would not recommend this tour to others.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-12-31 01:10:43

Posted By : AnneMcG248
Letitia was a perfect guide - knowledgeable, friendly, and always keen to get her group the best vantage spot! It was an excellent tour and fantastic introduction to Madrid. Many thanks to Letitia for being such a good guide and sharing her love of history and Madrid!!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-12-30 16:33:08

Posted By : g2ashok
The tour company was great , they called us and waited few mins more to accommodate the delay, the guide was very good as well..
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-12-30 03:15:22

Posted By : Viswa_R
Jose was great, providing context and history behind the locations we visited on the tour. His explanation of Plaza Mayor and the kings of Spain was very helpful.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-12-29 15:45:39

Posted By : Teresa_H
This not at all a skip-the-line experience. Do not bother to pay extra for this tour. After waiting in the long line. We finally got into the palace at 11 am. ( when the tour supposedly started at 10am )
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-12-29 12:43:47

Posted By : Samrat_R
Tour guide Sergio was excellent. He is very knowledgeable and also very friendly. Great sense of humor and he took care of the guests very well
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-12-29 11:13:22

Posted By : juthpo420
Wow I know a lot of people probably said it already but you have to take this tour if you come to Madrid. We started our trek from Plaza Mayor and ended at the Royal Palace with our guide Sergio who is one funny dude. Throughout our walk he made it super entertaining with humor and jokes as well as historical facts about Madrid and Spain. I just wish it wasn't so freezing cold though! There were sooo many people during the Christmas holidays so beware the long lines and massive crowds.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-12-28 21:49:54