Thrills Spills and Chandeliers

Jumping back inside the Royal Palace of Madrid, this photo was taken in the spectacular Chamber of King Charles III — a room so ornate it feels like it’s showing off. Gold everywhere. Silk everywhere. Frescoes overhead that practically demand you stop and stare long enough to walk into something (more on that shortly).

The entire Palacio Real is like this. Not identical from room to room, but equally determined to out-glam the previous one. Just when you think you’ve reached Peak Ornate, another chamber appears dripping in chandeliers, embroidered walls and marble so polished you can check your hair in it. Even the palace chapel — tucked inside the complex — is grand enough to make most cathedrals feel slightly underdressed.

At some point during my tour — probably around Room 23 of “Extremely Beautiful Things” — I began to wonder how I’d managed to get this far without being politely escorted out by security. It turns out, I came very close.

The first faux pas was entirely architectural. I maintain this firmly. Who puts a barrier rope at ankle height? I was walking around a pillar, gazing upwards at the ceiling (as one does in a royal palace), when my foot discovered the rope before my eyes did. The metal posts wobbled dramatically, clanging against the marble floor in a way that suggested I had just triggered some ancient royal alarm system. Heads turned. I tried to look like someone who trips over museum infrastructure all the time. Completely normal.

Crisis averted… briefly.

The second incident involved palace traffic control. After wandering through room after room of historic splendour, I decided to head back down a staircase I’d previously climbed. The staircase was partially roped off, but logically — logically — I avoided crossing the rope and chose the “open” side.

This, it turns out, was incorrect.

A guard seated on a stool shouted instructions across the marble expanse, informing me that crossing the rope was actually allowed — but only to descend on the left-hand side. The right-hand side was strictly forbidden. Naturally.

This resulted in me having to re-enter the flow of visitors in the opposite direction, offering quick explanations and my best “confused but respectful tourist” expression. In hindsight, stepping outside and rejoining properly might have been simpler. But when you’re surrounded by 18th-century magnificence, common sense sometimes takes the afternoon off.

Minor near-expulsions aside, the Royal Palace of Madrid is absolutely worth visiting. Just prepare yourself for what I can only describe as “ornate fatigue.” There are around 20–30 rooms open to the public, and that’s a lot of chandeliers. By the end, your brain starts to process gold leaf as a neutral colour.

Still, for lovers of architecture, history, and unapologetic royal extravagance, it’s an unforgettable experience — even if you do spend part of it trying not to trip over Spain’s most elegant ankle-high rope.