Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, Madrid
The Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales is a 16th-century convent of Poor Clare nuns in the centre of Madrid, near the Puerta del Sol. Patrimonio Nacional manages it. Nuns still live there and part of the building is open as a museum, on guided tours only. This post describes its history and art and gives the tour times, prices and free admission rules for 2026.
History
The monastery occupies the former palace of Charles I and Isabel of Portugal. Their daughter Juana of Austria was born in the palace in 1535 and later founded the convent, in 1559. The building work began under Antonio Sillero and was continued by Juan Bautista de Toledo between 1559 and 1564.
Juana lived in the monastery, and so did her sister María, the widowed empress, who died there in 1603. Juana is buried in one of the chapels, under a funerary sculpture by Pompeo Leoni that shows her in prayer.
The monastery is a listed Asset of Cultural Interest (Bien de Interés Cultural). Madrid’s tourist board states that it also received a European distinction in 1987, which its Spanish page calls European Museum of the Year.
What visitors see
- The Plateresque façade and the Renaissance staircase, the most notable original parts of the building
- Frescoes from the 17th century on the staircase
- The cloister, which keeps much of the structure and decoration of the Plateresque palace
- Tapestries woven in Brussels to designs by Rubens, showing the Triumph of the Eucharist, which came to the monastery through Isabel Clara Eugenia, daughter of Philip II
The interior was extensively refurbished in the 18th century by the architect Diego de Villanueva.
Recent changes
During the closure caused by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, eight halls were renewed, more than 50 works were restored and a new LED lighting system was installed. Since 25 March 2026 the monastery has a new visitor reception centre, and the Plateresque doorway has been cleaned and consolidated. The entrance is now at Plaza de las Descalzas, 3, a few metres from the former one.
According to Madrid’s tourist board, the visit will be extended at the end of 2026 with three spaces that used to be reserved for the nuns: the Capilla de la Dormición, the Casa de Nazaret and the Capilla del Milagro. They will be shown on special visits.
Visiting in 2026
Access is by guided tour only, and a tour lasts about one hour. The opening hours given by Patrimonio Nacional on its official ticket page are:
- Tuesday to Saturday: 10:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 18:30
- Sundays and public holidays: 10:00 to 15:00
- Mondays: closed
The lockers and the access close one hour before closing time. Tours bought online are in Spanish. The ticket page also lists a tour in English at 12:00 from Tuesday to Sunday. In October 2026 the Spanish tours start at 10:30, 12:50, 16:10, 16:45 and 17:20 on Tuesdays and Fridays, and only at 10:30 and 12:50 on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Saturdays and Sundays have more tours. Times change during the year, so check the ticket page before going. The monastery is closed all day on 24, 25 and 31 December 2026.
Photographs without flash are allowed for personal use, except where signs forbid them. The ticket page states that there is currently no access for disabled persons.
Prices and free admission
Basic admission costs €9 per person in 2026, and online purchases carry a booking fee of €0.77. The tourist board recommends buying in advance. If the online tickets are sold out, tickets may still be available at the ticket office.
Admission is free on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 16:00 to 18:30 for citizens of the European Union, residents and holders of a work permit in the EU, and Latin American citizens, with proof of nationality or residence. These free tickets are given only at the ticket office. Admission is also free on 18 May (International Museum Day) and 12 October, and for children under 5, unemployed people, people with a disability and teachers with a teaching staff card.
How to get there
The address is Plaza de las Descalzas, 3, 28013 Madrid. The nearest metro stations are Callao (lines 3 and 5), Ópera (lines 2 and 5) and Sol (lines 1, 2 and 3). Bus lines 3, 25, 39 and 148 stop nearby, and Cercanías commuter trains stop at Madrid-Sol.
For students
The ticket page lists no separate student rate, so the free Wednesday and Thursday afternoons are the cheapest way in for students from the EU and Latin America. The visit can be paid with the Bono Cultural Joven of the Ministry of Culture. Groups from universities and schools count as educational groups and book through the group system.
The monastery combines well with a walk to the Plaza Mayor or a visit to the Palacio Real, which Patrimonio Nacional also manages. Universities and Spanish courses in the city are listed on the Madrid city page.
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