Royal Palace of El Pardo: guided visits, tickets and transport

Updated on October 5, 2026

The Royal Palace of El Pardo stands in the El Pardo district, northwest of Madrid, well away from the Royal Palace in the city centre. Once a royal residence close to hunting grounds, it preserves tapestries based on designs by Goya and the Bayeu family, together with court furnishings and decoration. It was also Franco's residence and now hosts visiting foreign heads of state, which can interrupt public visits. Allow half a day from Madrid for a guided tour of roughly an hour and a walk around the neighbourhood.

Highlights

The palace façade

The building shows how a royal residence was extended and remodelled over the centuries. Take time to study its different volumes before your booked visit.

The tapestries

Rural scenes and leisure activities decorate the apartments, following compositions by Goya and other court painters. To compare painted designs with their textile versions, include the Prado Museum in your stay.

A palace still in use

The rooms open to visitors do not form a guaranteed tour of every interior. The palace still hosts official guests: check whether your chosen date is actually available through Patrimonio Nacional's ticket service.

Practical info

Tips

An individual guided visit costs €9, with a €4 reduced rate for ages 5–16, visitors over 65 and students up to 25 with proof; children under 5 enter free (prices checked in October 2026). Online booking adds a €0.77 fee per paid ticket; tours bought online are in Spanish. On Wednesdays and Sundays from 15:00, free admission subject to nationality or residency conditions is offered at the ticket office: this differs from the regular morning guided departures, so ask which route is available. Do not confuse this palace with the Royal Palace of Madrid.

How to get there

Calle de Manuel Alonso, s/n, 28048 El Pardo, Madrid. EMT bus 164 from Moncloa (metro lines 3 and 6), or 179 from Plaza de Castilla (metro lines 1, 9 and 10), followed by a walk to the palace. Check your stop and the next departures before returning: the old 601 and 602 routes have been replaced.

Opening hours

Best: Morning with a booked tour

Monday Closed

Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00 from October to March

10:00-19:00 from April to September (last admission one hour before closing; guided visits Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00; Wednesday and Sunday at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00; closed on 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 24, 25 and 31 December 2026; possible closures for official events)