Real Basilica de San Francisco el Grande, Community of Madrid, Spain

4.5 (1.822 reviews) Spent Ranking #13 in Madrid Religious Sites • Churches & Cathedrals

Beautiful Basilica & Beautiful Staff

This basilica is a work of art. The first chapel on the left has a fresco by a young Goya before he was famous. We took the guided tour which was very informative and our tour guide was superb. The gentleman had a great voice, was eloquent, and had a very organized tour which was easy to follow. Admission was €5.00 per person which was a bargain given the quality of the tour and the beauty of the basilica. Our tour was in Spanish and I don’t know if there are tours in other languages available. We went on a Wednesday at opening hour and purchased tickets onsite with a credit card. There were no lines and we had the place all to ourselves for a while. The staff here is most welcoming and helpful. There is also a painting by Francisco de Zurbarán here. Pictures don’t do this basilica justice and should be seen in person. We highly recommend a visit here.
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Address

Calle San Buenaventura 1 San Buenaventura, 1, 28005 Madrid Spain

Mobile

+34 913 65 38 00

Website

http://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/san-francisco-el-grande?utm

Current local date and time now

Thursday, May 16, 2024, 4:26

User Ratings

4.5 based on (1.822 reviews)

Excellent
66%
Good
26%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%

Reviews

  • 5LastEmpiricist 5:00 PM Sep 12, 2021
    Astonishing monument!!
    The Basilic is absolutely splendid! You can get a guided tour for free if you go there during the afternoon. The visit is only available in spanish though. Anyway, the experience was really fantastic, you may learn a lot about the history of Spain if you take time to appreciate the fine piece of art displayed in the Basilic. By the way, it's the third largest cupola in Europe.
  • 5BobPraz 5:00 PM Sep 8, 2022
    An architectural highlight in Madrid
    Aside from the Royal Palace, this is probably one of the architectural highlights of Madrid, and the most noteworthy religious monument. From the outside is more plain-looking than the inside, which is spacious under its huge dome and covered in frescoes and gilding. You can see it quickly or wander around and appreciate the details. It's also a little off the main tourist trail, so it was generally peaceful inside. The only inconvenience were the opening times, which at the time did not match anything I read online or in a guidebook. when we were there it was open in the morning but closed in the early or mid afternoon. It may have been because it was August (the local holiday season), but generally it seems like a good idea to check the times at the site itself (or call ahead).

See also

More Things to do in Madrid