Which one to choose in Madrid
Two churches in Madrid. Almudena Cathedral has 2 tickets and tours to book; Convent of Las Descalzas Reales has 1 ticket or tour to book. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Madrid, Spain
The cathedral asks for a small donation rather than a ticket, so entry is effectively free. Two paid extras exist: the museum, which climbs to the dome terrace for a view over the Royal Palace and the Casa de Campo, and the crypt, which has its own entrance on the street below and its own small charge. The museum is the better of the two.
Madrid, Spain
This is one of the more unusual visits in Madrid and it has to be planned. The convent is still enclosed, with a community of nuns living in part of it, so the historic rooms are shown only on guided tours at fixed times, in groups of limited size, and photography is forbidden throughout. Tickets are sold by the national heritage body at the door and online, and the online route is safer because slots sell out, particularly for the English tour, which runs less often than the Spanish one.
| Almudena Cathedral | Convent of Las Descalzas Reales | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Cathedral | Monastery & Abbey |
| Opened | 1883 | 1559 |
| Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide | 2 | 1 |
| Official website | yes | yes |