Monastery of Las Descalzas Reales

The Monastery of Las Descalzas Reales is a rare survivor from Madrid’s 19th-century mass closure of wealthy religious sites. But its resilience isn’t the only thing that makes it special. It was once a royal palace and home to King Charles I of Spain. His daughter, Princess Juana founded the monastery in 1559 and it remains both a sanctuary in the heart of the bustling city and a working monastery, with around 20 nuns calling it home. The Vatican gave the ok for the monastery to be run as a museum in 1960, opening up its collection of valuables and dowries from wealthy noblewomen over the centuries. The monastery’s regal, yet understated exterior hides a haul of preserved religious relics and artistic goodies inside. You’ll find a series of tapestries inspired by the famous Baroque artist, Rubens. Plus, the main staircase and chapel house 500-year-old Renaissance frescoes that tell stories of the bible. When you take a tour of this monastery, be prepared to take a calm and quiet couple of hours to soak up the royal history, art and reverence of this must-see spot.