Day trip: El Pardo

El Pardo, home to one of Spain’s magnificent royal palaces, is an easy day trip from Madrid. There are quite a few royal palaces in Spain, including the Royal Palace of Riofrio, the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso, the Royal Palace of Madrid, the Royal Palace of Aranjuez, and the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, in addition to the Royal Palace of El Pardo.

The Palace of El Pardo houses an impressive collection of art, including tapestries, and work by Goya and Bayeu. General Franco lived in this palace after the Spanish Civil war, and after his death it as been used as a residence for visiting heads of state. In addition to the palace tour, you can also view the royal chapel and the lovely gardens. The landscaping is kept up very nicely, and makes for a nice walk around the grounds. 

There are plenty of little cafes and restaurants for a filling menú del día after your tour.  

How to get there: The 601 bus leaves regularly from Moncloa bus station. The fare is 1.10Euro each way, and if you have a monthly abono you can use that. The ride is quick, about 20 minutes from Moncloa station, and the bus stop is conveniently located one block from the palace gates.

The entrance fee for the Royal Palace, which includes a tour (my tour was in Spanish), is 4Euro, or 2.30Euro with a valid student ID.