I'd walked past the building all the way back in October when Irene, a lovely intern from the museum where I worked, was showing me around:
It was a little cloudier on the day that I eventually got to see inside:
As I said my parents were over from England for a few days so we met up for a drink outside the Mercado de San Miguel to people watch and enjoy some olives/nibbles.
We then headed over to the Palace to queue for tickets and make our way into the first entrance hall.
This really doesn't do the rest of the building justice (we've all seen a few painted ceilings in our time) but I'm afraid this was the cut off point for photos. I tried to get a few sneaky snaps later on but was immediately cornered by a warden. The shere luxury that the royal family enjoyed is almost painful when you compare it to the life of a regular Spanish citizen in the 16th century. Every inch of floor, ceiling and wall space has been beautified to the point of ridiculousness; it was like standing inside a Fabergé egg. There are rooms that are inlaid with precious stones in swirling floral patterns across the walls and floor, others are entirely covered in gleaming ceramic tiles while still more are hung with jewel bright silk tapestries. Furniture and exotic ornaments from all around the world fill chambers lit by antique crystal chandeliers and ornate wall sconces. The soft ticking of an exquisitely made gold, silver or ebony clock can be heard almost everywhere throughout the palace. When the audio guide told me that the golden lions flanking the royal thrones had been there for 400 years my historian's heart rose to heaven - just think of all the history they've seen!
A couple of afternoons later we paid a visit to another Madrid attraction with royal connections - the Real Jardín Botánico.
The entrance to the garden is on the Paseo del Prado just a little way along from the Prado Museum. There's not much to say apart from the fact that it's full of beautiful plants and flowers. It was lovely to just wander about with my parents and take some photos:
There are huge glass hothouses full of twisting vines and tropical trees:
Here's my attempt at an arty photo... I thought the reflections on the water made it look like the fish were swimming through the sky:
I can't recommend the Palacio Real enough for lovers of history and it's definitely worth the 11 euro ticket - though make sure to get an audio guide!! The Jardín Botánico is also definitely worth a visit if you're in the area and looking for a break from the traffic and bustle of Madrid's busy streets.
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