Visiting Spain: The Guide

In the past, the Royal Palace of Madrid served as a home to the Spanish royal family. Presently, the palace is open to the public; allowing them to go back in time and experience the rich history of the country. The royal family no longer lives in the Royal Palace, preferring the smaller Zarzuela Palace. Construction for the Royal Palace of Madrid began in 1738 and ended in 1755 after the King's former residence, "the Old Castle", burned down. The new palace was built at the same exact spot as the previous. The Royal Palace was for the most part designed by Filippo Juvarra and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. The vast palace houses famous collections such as paintings by Velázquez and Goya. In addition, the palace includes the Royal Armoury Museum which allows one to view Spanish weapons and armory dating back to the 13th century. Also, one can find many beautiful gardens filled with fountains and mind boggling mazes at the palaces' surrounding; accessible from the street. Lines to get inside the palace can get quite long very fast. Times to enter the palace vary but you can find all the information needed at

http://www.turismomadrid.es/INGL/CULT/pagina/CULTRealesSitiosPalacioReal.htm


I recommend getting up as early as possible and racing over to get in first and have time to take photos in the morning sun. The palace has more than 2,000 rooms, making it one of the largest in Europe, however only 50 are open to the public. I warn you, there is no flash photography allowed inside the palace. I manged to get a couple of shots when the employees weren't looking; not a very good role model. Make sure you bring extra film or memory cards because I ended up taking over 200 pictures there. Each room has a story behind it and I advise you read up on them, that way you're not completely lost when your guide is talking or when you're walking through; an explanation can be found at:


http://www.planetware.com/madrid/royal-palace-e-mad-roypal.htm


Admission is 8 euros without a guide, 10 euros with a guide, and luckily its free for children under 5. If traveling by Metro, the stop to get off at is: Opera. You should be able to fully enjoy and take in the magical atmosphere the Royal Palace has to offer with the information listed above. Good Luck! If anyone has any additional questions, feel free to message me.