Updated 16 October 2026
El Escorial: The Palace That Is Really a Monastery
An hour from Madrid, a grey granite complex the size of a small town, built by a king who wanted a monastery, library, mausoleum and palace in one.
Palaces & history
All our Palaces & history guides for Madrid, in one place.
6 guides: Palaces & history
Updated 12 October 2026
Galeria de las Colecciones Reales: Madrid's Newest Royal Museum, Explained
What is inside Madrid's Royal Collections Gallery, how the combined Royal Palace ticket works, and why the free evening slot skips some passports.
Updated 8 October 2026
Almudena Cathedral and the Royal Sites
The cluster around the palace: the Almudena, the Sabatini and Campo del Moro gardens, Debod and Descalzas Reales, in a sensible order for one morning.
Updated 18 August 2026
Aranjuez Day Trip From Madrid: Palace, Gardens and Strawberries
A short train ride from Madrid to a UNESCO listed royal town: the palace porcelain rooms, the gardens along the Tagus, and the town's strawberries.
Updated 29 July 2026
Gran Via to the Austrias: One Walk Through Two Centuries
A two hour walk from an avenue built in 1910 by demolishing fourteen streets, down into the tangle of alleys the demolition was meant to replace.
Updated 29 July 2026
The Royal Palace of Madrid: What to See Inside
How to visit the Royal Palace of Madrid: the state rooms worth slowing down for, the armoury, the changing of the guard, and whether to book ahead.