The palace is the largest in Western Europe and was the official residence of the Spanish Royal Family. However, the last king to actually live in the palace, Alfonso XIII, vacated in 1931 when he left Spain and went into exile. Currently the royal family resides in a smaller palace outside of Madrid.

The architectural style of the Royal Palace is described as a mix of Baroque and neo-Classic. It was originally designed with Italian influence, and later modified in a French style. Today it holds 13th Century weaponry in the Royal Armoury, in addition to classic art, and historic furnishings. The Royal Library contains books, maps, medals, royal correspondence, and musical scores. The Royal Palace of Madrid is open to the public, except during state ceremonies. Only 50 of the more than 2,000 rooms in the palace are open for tours, including the china room, or Sala de Porcelana, and throne room, or Salon del Trono.

The outside grounds of the Royal Palace feature the Campo del Moro and Sabatini gardens, where fountains, French gardens, and statues of Spanish kings are displayed. The Sabatini Gardens replaced the royal stables at that location. The Plaza de la Armeria is an open square that sits between the Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral. Once the location of medieval houses, the Plaza de Oriente now hosts small gardens and sculptures of forty kings. A central courtyard is accessed via the Puerta del Principe door.

The Royal Palace is in the heart of central Madrid on Calle de Bailen, in the area of the massive Casa de Campo park and old town apartments Madrid. Guided or audio tours are available and the palace is open all year, except for major holidays. The palace charges a fee for entry.

The core of the museum's works is the royal collection built up by a number of Spanish monarchs. As one would expect, its collection of Spanish art is unparalleled. You can view nearly 50 paintings done by Velázquez, including "Las Meninas," his most recognizable and storied piece. There are more than 140 paintings by Goya, ranging from his royal commissions to his scenes of rebellion to his Black Paintings, painted directly on walls that have been transplanted to the Prado. You can also see his famous pair, "La Maja Desnuda" and "La Maja Vestida."

The Spanish collection is filled out with masterpieces from El Greco, Murillo, Fortuny, and Ribera. It also has a significant collection of Spanish drawings, spanning from the Medieval period through the Modern Age. Goya is also well-represented here in over 500 of his drawings.

Masters from other European countries are also on display. You'll find a large collection of Titian's works, as well as other Italians like Tintoretto, Tiepolo, Botticelli, Fra Angelico, and Mantegna. Works of particular note are Fra Angelico's "The Annunciation" and Titian's "Venus and Adonis." Amid the many works presenting scenes from both the Old and New Testaments, are Flemish master Hieronymus Bosch's startling "Garden of Earthly Delights" and "Seven Deadly Sins." The considerably less ghoulish Flemish painter Rubens is also at the Prado with lovely pieces like "Three Graces" and "Garden of Love."

In addition to European paintings, the Prado is also home to a wide variety of sculpture from ancient Greece and Rome to 18th century Europe. The "Virgin of the Battles" is an enamel-on-copper piece from the Limoges workshop and made in the 13th century. There is also a collection of decorative arts that includes, among other types of decorative items, ceramics and porcelains from France, Spain, and China.

The museum is open every day of the week, opening at 10 a.m. Most days it closes at 8 p.m., except Sundays and holidays when it closes at 7 p.m. It's only closed three days a year, on Christmas, New Year's Day, and May 1. A general admission ticket is 12 €, and 19.50 € if you want an official guide. You can buy your tickets online.