Palacio Real de El Pardo

This one isn't on the list. (And probably rightfully so; it's an interesting place to visit but not a must-see). There are several royal palaces in and around Madrid. There's the royal palace in the center of Madrid, there's the one in Aranjuez (my favorite thusfar), there's the palace/monastery in El Escorial, there's one outside of Segovia called La Granja de San Ildefonso, which I haven't yet been to but is known for having amazing gardens, apparently there's another in the province of Segovia called the royal palace of Riofrio but it doesn't look all that interesting from pictures online, and there's the Royal Palace of El Pardo.

 

Moat from the castle

Located only half an hour north of the center of Madrid, the area in which the palace is located was originally used as hunting grounds by the royal family starting in the middle ages. The palace itself at El Pardo was originally built at the beginning of the 15th century as small castle. In the middle of the 16th century the castle was rebuilt into a palace, conserving elements of the castle such as towers and the moat. The palace was then used through the 19th century as an alternate residence of the royal family.

Gardens

After the Spanish Civil war ended in 1939, Franco made the palace at El Pardo his official place of residence and work until his death in 1975. During that time, the palace was the political center of Spain. Since his death, the palace has been used for housing the heads of state of other countries when they visit Spain. The palace contains a great deal of art, including paintings, and above all, lots and lots of tapestries. Outside there are some small, simple gardens which were kind of dead and sad looking when we visited since it was the beginning of march (not to mention the weather wasn't that great when we were there). Nearby, there is a small house called the Casita de El Príncipe. It was built at the end of the 18th century for prince Carlos IV and his wife, princess María Luisa de Parma as a hunting lodge. It also has its own small garden nearby.

Casita de El Principe

You can visit both the palace and the casita, but only by guided tour. The tour shows you the two large courtyards inside the palace, many of the rooms that former kings and queens used and lived in, and even rooms in the wing in which Franco lived and worked. All in all, it's an interesting palace to visit, but for sure the gardens are nicer in the spring or summer (just Google or Wikipedia it...). Furthermore, there's absolutely nothing else to see or do in the tiny little town of El Pardo (there's really not even much to walk around and see because it's that small), so while I'm glad I went to see it, I wouldn't go recommending it as a day trip to tourists.