KILLED - Madrid in a Day: Early Entry Royal Palace Tickets, Monumental City Stroll and Prado Art Museum

Highlights

  • - See all of the major highlights of Central Madrid in a single day.

  • - Enter the Royal Palace a full hour before it opens to the general public.

  • - Stroll the medieval streets of Central Madrid and learn the fascinating history of what was once the richest city in the world.

  • - Taste tapas, wine, and olive oil in a local authentic market.

  • - Enjoy a stunning 360 degree view from a hidden roof terrace.

  • - View beautiful monuments along the Paseo del Prado, including Cibeles Palace, the Central Bank, and Fountains of Neptune and Apollo.

  • - Experience the world-famous art collection in the Prado Museum with an expert guide.

Summary

See the top highlights of Madrid on this comprehensive tour of the city’s palaces, museums, authentic markets and historic famous neighborhoods. Enter the Royal Palace a full hour before the general public, taste tapas at a traditional market, explore the medieval streets around the Plaza Mayor, soak in the most amazing city views from atop a hidden terrace, visit the jaw-dropping monuments along the Paseo del Prado, and end your day touring the Prado art museum with an expert guide.

Tour info

Duration
8 hours
Group Size
Pricing (From)
Adult: (15-99 years)
€105.00
Child: (2-14 years)
€95.00
Infant: (0-1 years)
€0.00
Commentary
English
Meeting Point

MORNING PART: Statue of Isabel II, Plaza de Isabel II, Madrid, 28013, ES

AFTERNOON PART: Circulo de Bellas Artes, Calle del Marqués de Casa Riera, 2, Madrid, 28014 , ES

Dropoff location

Museo Nacional del Prado, Calle de Ruiz de Alarcón, 23, Madrid, 28014 , ES

Why take this tour?

Madrid is packed with art, architecture and culture, and on this full day tour, you’ll experience the best of it with an expert local guide. Your day starts when you enter the heart-stopping Royal Palace a full hour before the general public to explore the beautiful interiors and see paintings by Caravaggio, Goya, Velázquez, and more. Your guide will tell you how the discovery of the Americas created this amazing building and funded the powerful dynasties that once lived here. 

Leaving the palace, you’ll enter the Barrio de la Morería to learn about Madrid’s Muslim roots then enter the Mercado de la Cebada for a crash course in Spanish food culture. We’ll take you to our favorite stall to taste wine, olive oils, and small plates and learn why the Spanish custom of tapas is one of the country’s most treasured institutions. 

Next, you’ll explore the medieval streets of central Madrid, stopping at the Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol as your guide tells your story of how the city went from an outpost of a crumbling Moorish empire to the preeminent Catholic power in Europe. From up there, your guide will show you points of interest and give you recommendations for lunch.

After your lunch break, your guide will take you on a stroll down Madrid’s most famous street, the Paseo del Prado, to experience and learn about its most iconic monuments, like the Cibeles Palace, Central Bank and the fountains of Neptune and Apollo. 

Your stroll leads you to the steps of the Prado art museum, home to one of the greatest collections of European art in the world. You’ll enter with skip the line tickets and enjoy a full tour of the museum’s highlights, including works by Goya, Velazquez, El Greco, Bosch, Tintoretto and more. Your guide will tell you the stories behind the art and help you understand what makes each piece so celebrated. 

Your tour ends in the museum; you can either spend more time enjoying the art or get recommendations for what to see, do and eat from your guide before heading off, safe in the knowledge that you have experienced the very best of the city in a single day. 


Sites Visited: 
  • Teatro Opera (outside)
  • Plaza de Oriente
  • Palacio Real (guided inside)
  • Catedral de la Almudena (outside)
  • Mercado de la Cebada (inside for tapas, wine & olive oil tasting)
  • Mercado San Miguel (outside)
  • Plaza Mayor
  • Puerta del Sol
  • Calle Alcala
  • Panoramic 360 degree viewpoint
  • Monumental Madrid (Paseo del Prado, Cibeles & Neptune Fountains & Banco de España)
  • Prado Museum Masterpieces, including Las Meninas by Velázquez

What’s included?

  • Early access to Palacio Real (enter 1 hour before the general public)

  • Guided visit inside Palacio Real

  • Skip the Line entrance to Prado Museum

  • Olive oil, ham, cheese tasting

  • Tapas & 2 wines tasting

  • Expert Walks tour guide

  • Lunch

  • Hotel Pick-Up / Drop-Off

  • Gratuities

Things to know

Before you book

  • Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate guests with mobility impairments, wheelchairs or strollers on this tour.

  • Please keep in mind that the Palacio Real is subject to unforeseen closures due to events, which are out of Walks (or any other tour operator's) control. If for any reason we cannot run the tour as described, we will contact you as soon as possible, offering the best alternatives.

Before you go

  • Please note that the tour meeting time is 15 minutes prior to the start time. No refunds or re-bookings can be provided for late arrivals or no shows after tour commencement or departure.

  • Please note that guests may only carry small handbags inside Palacio Real & Prado Museum. Larger backpacks, umbrellas and sharp items, etc. must be left at the cloakroom. It is the responsibility of the guest to return to the entrance to collect these after the tour part.

  • Please keep in mind that the Palacio Real is subject to unforeseen closures due to events, which are out of Walks (or any other tour operator's) control. If for any reason we cannot run the tour as described, we will contact you as soon as possible, offering the best alternatives.

  • Photography is not permitted in most interior rooms of the Palacio Real & Prado Museum.

  • The panoramic viewpoint might not be accessible during a heavy rain or wind.

  • Please ensure that all members of your party have a valid ID on them on the day of the visit. This is particularly important for guests who have qualified for child reduction.

  • Please note drinks and food are not allowed inside the Prado Museum.

  • Comfortable walking shoes recommended.

Cancellation Policy

    Cancellations received greater than 72 hours prior to tour commencement are fully refundable. Cancellations received within 72 hours of tour commencement are nonrefundable. Amendment requests are subject to availability and price changes. Late arrivals and no shows are nonrefundable. This is applicable to any tour participant that fails to arrive, or arrives after tour departure.

Redemption information

    Mobile tickets will be accepted


    Your voucher will be collected or scanned on redemption

About operator:

Walks (takewalks.com, walksofitaly.com) began over a decade ago (2008, to be exact) in Rome, Italy. We quickly became the premier walking tour company in 7 countries - Italy, Spain, France, the UK, Greece, and Portugal. Our US cities include San Francisco, NYC, Boston, Chicago, and New Orleans.

In 2021, we joined The Hornblower Group (cityexperiences.com) expanding our reach and working alongside this powerhouse travel brand.

Our tour products vary but predominantly we #takewalks, exploring the world by foot - we believe, the best way to get into the heart of a city and its incredible people. From introductory strolls to food tours, day trips, cooking classes, and below the surface, in-depth tours, we have our hand in everything a traveler could want. Oh, and we also like to give our clients exclusive access to the biggest attractions in the world...

Despite the big changes in our brand over the years, our focus has remained simple - to relentlessly create tours with the client experience at the forefront and anchored upon the dedicated, intelligent, and above all, passionate local guides who want to share their cities with you.