Madrid Travel Forum

Is it possible to visit only the picture gallery in the Palacio Real? Or is this only sold as an add-on to the usual admission?

I could care less about the aristocratic claptrap, take me to the paintings!!! LOL

The only thing I do know is that the vast majority of Spain's art galleries/museums etc. are FREE yes completely FREE on Wednesdays only on production of your passport

I am pretty sure there is no special "picture gallery" at the Palace. This is from memory and looking at the plan and guide book. There are paintings in various rooms and there are frescoes on the ceilings.

OK -- The Picture Galley was undergoing renovation when I visited in 2003. It is now reopened and can be visted separately.

http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=158073

you can see the paintings, passing some aristocratic nanny.
here is the official site in Spanish
http://www.patrimonionacional.es/Home/Palacios-Reales/Palacio-Real-de-Madrid/Tarifas.aspx

Galeria de Pinturas, paintings gallery

Tarifa Básica: 2€ visita guiada.guided tour
Tarifa Reducida: 2€ visita guiada.
Tarifa Mínima: 2€ visita guiada.

hope it helps

<<the vast majority of Spain's art galleries/museums etc. are FREE yes completely FREE on Wednesdays only on production of your passport>>

Is really so?

In Madrid it's free El Palacio Real but normally other museums, Prado and Reina Sofia are Sunday afternoon, not Wednesdays!

Thanks Eva, that is what I had previously read.

In the end, we didn't bother. From what I gathered, visiting the picture gallery at the moment is only an extra option to be tacked it onto a guided tour.

Apparently they are building a huge visitors centre below the palace, which will probably house a museum of sorts, but how many more years that will take is anyone's guess.

We were well and truly 'arted out' after the Big 3, even though we only did one a day!

geez what a bummer trip, you opted out of almost everything ::)