Royal Palace

Spain's lavish Palacio Real is a jewel box of a palace, used only occasionally for royal ceremonies now. When the alcázar burned down in 1734, Felipe V decided to build a palace that would dwarf all its European counterparts — the Italianate baroque colossus has a mere 2800 rooms. The Salón del Trono with its crimson-velvet wall coverings and Tiepolo ceiling is breathtaking.