Royal Site of El Pardo

Few Royal Sites combine so much beauty, history and nature in a location so close to the Spanish capital. El Pardo’s origins as a royal hunting ground have been linked to the woodlands with the same name since the Middle Ages Spanning more than 15,000 hectares, they are considered the most important Mediterranean forest in the Madrid Region. 

The core element of this historic complex is the Royal Palace. Salient features of its interior are the Goya Room with its tapestries by the famous Aragonese artist; the Mirror Room, with its original decoration; and the Theatre, which was converted into a cinema in the twentieth century. The Royal Site of El Pardo also comprises two smaller palaces: the Casita del Príncipe, designed by Juan de Villanueva, architect of the Museo del Prado; and the Quinta del Duque del Arco, notable for its similarities with the palace of La Zarzuela and its elegant gardens.

The Royal Palace has been the setting for TV series such as ‘Cuéntame cómo pasó’, while  ‘La Cocinera de Castamar’ and ‘Lo que escondían sus ojos’ were filmed at the Quinta del Duque.