Royal Palace

I read that the Royal Palace in Madrid was on par with Versailles. After visiting it, I would have to agree. There is a large cobblestone square in front of the main entrance which you enter into after purchasing your ticket. There and the grand staircase are the only places you are allowed to photograph, unfortunately, because I really wanted to snap shots in some of the stunning rooms. 

The grand staircase was fabulous with a lovely painted ceiling. I wanted to lie down there and in a few of the other rooms so that I could see them better. I'm pretty sure I would have been escorted out had I done so, but it would have been a tribute to the wonderful artistry exhibited. The rooms were all lavishly decorated in similar styles to that of Versailles. Each room had its own theme and fitting over-the-top decor complete with fantastic chandeliers. One of my favorites was the grand dining room that had an enormous table set for about 100. 

There were separate gardens in front and more nearby, so I'm not sure what was originally part of the palace, unlike at Versailles where they seem to go on for miles all as part of the palace. I strolled through the gardens while enjoying the live music of accordion players, guitarists, singers and drummers. I passed by a bride doing a photo shoot on my way to Plaza de Espana. I ventured down into the metro to traverse over to Retiro Park next.