Royal Palace tickets, decoded
The standalone ticket is €18, not the €24 the resellers quote. There are also two free hours a day for EU visitors. Here's what each ticket actually buys and when the guided tour earns its price.
The Royal Palace of Madrid is the largest functioning royal palace in Western Europe, and the price you see online depends entirely on which channel you land on. The standalone self-guided ticket is €18. Reseller microsites quote €24 or more, because they're either selling the combined ticket or padding the €18 entry. Here's what each option actually buys.
In 3 minutes, you'll know:
- What standalone entry costs versus the guided and combined tickets
- The two free hours a day for EU visitors, and which one to avoid
- What's worth slowing down for inside, and when the guided tour pays off
How much are Royal Palace Madrid tickets?
Standard self-guided entry is €18, reduced €9 for ages 5-16, over-65s, and students up to 25. That covers the state rooms on the main route. A guided visit led by Patrimonio Nacional staff is €26, and the combined ticket adding the Gallery of the Royal Collections is €24. The Royal Armoury is included in standard entry; the Royal Kitchen is a separate add-on.
The audio guide is a rental at the box office or a download through the palace app, so bring headphones. Under 5s are free.
Where to book
Our take: Official site at €18 if your dates are locked in; GetYourGuide at €22 if there's any chance you'll move, since the free 24h cancellation is the only meaningful difference.
Is it free to enter the Royal Palace in Madrid?
Yes, at set hours. EU citizens, EU residents and work-permit holders, and Latin American citizens enter free Monday to Thursday: 16:00-18:00 in winter, 17:00-19:00 in summer. You show ID or a residence permit, it's self-guided only, and it's sold at the box office, not online. The Palace is also free for everyone on 18 May and 12 October.
The catch: the box office closes an hour before the Palace, and the free slot draws a queue that builds well before it opens. If you have a tight schedule or you're visiting in peak months, the €18 timed ticket buys you a fixed entry instead of a gamble at the door. We break down every Madrid museum's free windows in the Madrid museum tickets overview.
What you actually see
The route runs through the state apartments, and a few rooms reward slowing down. The Throne Room keeps its original 18th-century red velvet and a Tiepolo ceiling fresco. The Gasparini Room is the most elaborate in the palace, every surface stucco, silk and gilt. The Royal Armoury holds one of the best collections of ceremonial arms in the world, and the Royal Pharmacy recreates a working court apothecary.
The paintings are the surprise: Caravaggio, Velázquez and Goya hang in rooms most visitors walk through too fast. The self-guided loop covers roughly 50 of the palace's 3,000-plus rooms in about 45 minutes.
When the guided tour is worth it
If you want the history behind the rooms rather than just the décor, the skip-the-line guided tour (around €35, 4.8★) adds an art historian who explains who lived here and what the ceilings mean. For a self-guided visitor who's read up beforehand, the €18 ticket is enough. For a first-timer who wants the building to make sense, the guide earns its price.
Practical information
- Hours
- Winter (Oct-Mar): Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-16:00 · Summer (Apr-Sep): Mon-Sat 10:00-19:00, Sun 10:00-16:00. Box office closes 1h early.
- Standard price
- €18 self-guided · €9 reduced · €26 guided · €24 combined with Gallery of the Royal Collections. Free under 5.
- Free entry
- EU/EU-resident/Latin American visitors Mon-Thu 16:00-18:00 (winter), 17:00-19:00 (summer), self-guided, box office only. Free for all 18 May and 12 Oct.
- Closed
- 1 Jan, 6 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec. Reduced hours 24 & 31 Dec. Occasional closures for official events.
- Book tickets
- tickets.patrimonionacional.es (€18, official) · GetYourGuide (free cancellation, 4.6★)
- Metro
- Ópera (L2, L5), 5-minute walk. Access via the Santiago arch on Calle Bailén.
Prices and free-admission rules can change. Confirm on the official site before your visit.
Last verified: June 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much are Royal Palace Madrid tickets in 2026?
The standalone self-guided ticket is €18 standard, €9 reduced (ages 5-16, over 65, students up to 25). A guided visit with Patrimonio Nacional staff is €26. The combined ticket with the Gallery of the Royal Collections is €24. On GetYourGuide, fast-access admission is €22 with free cancellation. Under 5s are free. The €24 figure resellers quote is the combined ticket, not standalone entry.
Is it free to enter the Royal Palace in Madrid?
Yes, at set times. EU citizens, EU residents and work-permit holders, and Latin American citizens enter free Monday to Thursday, 16:00-18:00 in winter (October-March) and 17:00-19:00 in summer (April-September). These free hours are self-guided only, sold at the box office, and cannot be booked online. The Palace is also free for everyone on 18 May and 12 October, and always free for under 5s.
Where should I buy Royal Palace Madrid tickets?
The official Patrimonio Nacional site is cheapest at €18 with timed entry. GetYourGuide is €22 with free cancellation up to 24 hours before, which matters if your Madrid dates might move. Avoid the reseller microsites that bundle the €18 entry into €30+ packages with little added value.
How long do you need at the Royal Palace of Madrid?
About 45 minutes to 1 hour for the self-guided route through the state rooms, plus 30 minutes if you add the Royal Armoury. With the guided tour or the combined Gallery of the Royal Collections, budget 2 to 2.5 hours. Only around 50 of the palace's 3,000+ rooms are open to visitors.
Planning the rest of your days in the city? The Madrid museum tickets 2026 overview prices every major museum side by side, the Prado tickets guide covers the city's other essential booking, and Barcelona vs Madrid helps if you're choosing between the two for an art trip.