• Free late entry Monday to Thursday for EU and Latin American citizens and EU residents, in the last two hours (4pm to 6pm October to March, 5pm to 7pm April to September); box office only, bring ID
• Changing of the Guard at the Puerta del Príncipe on Calle Bailén every Wednesday and Saturday, 11am to 2pm, with mounted guards; free to watch from the street
• Last entry an hour before closing, and capacity is limited, so book online ahead; leave big backpacks at home during the current works

The largest royal palace in Western Europe has more than 3,000 rooms, and the self-guided route through the state halls takes in the grand staircase, the Throne Room, the Gasparini Room, the gala dining room and the Royal Chapel. Across the Plaza de la Armería courtyard, the Royal Armory holds the personal armor of Emperor Charles V and King Philip II, with knights mounted on armored horses.