One of the greatest art galleries in the world, the Prado Museum in Madrid is packed with highlights and hidden gems. It houses European paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures. It’s one of Madrid’s top attractions, and it’s probably already on your trip itinerary. To save time and help make the most of your visit, here’s a guide to Prado Museum tours for every kind of visitor.
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For first-time visitors
One of the greatest art museums in the world, the Prado is overflowing with splendid artworks, from Italian Renaissance to Impressionism. There’s so much to see, in fact, that it can be intimidating, especially for first-time visitors. To view the best works and avoid getting overwhelmed, take a Prado Museum tour covering the highlights.
The Skip the Line & Guided Tour of the Prado will lead you around the unmissable works. You’ll see some of the collection’s most iconic pieces, from Velasquez’s Las Meninas to Goya’s El tres de mayo.
Look at the beauty of Peter Paul Reubens’ Las tres gracias (The Three Graces). Ponder the meaning of Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights. Most of all, learn all the professional insights of your expert guide, who will help you make the most of your art experience.
You’ll save time not just through your Prado Museum guided tour, but also with fast-track entry. In two hours, you’ll see the very best of the Prado’s collection.
For the culturally curious
There’s much to discover at the Prado. You can spend many fulfilling hours wandering its galleries. But to truly put the magnificent artworks into context, you’ll want to learn about Spain’s wider arts and history. And that’s where the Prado Museum & Art Walk Tour comes in.
Your expert guide will lead you along the Paseo del Prado, the first promenade in Europe to be open to all citizens. You’ll discover many of Madrid’s cultural highlights, including the neoclassical Cibeles Fountain. You’ll also stroll around Buen Retiro Park, a green oasis with sculptures, monuments, galleries and a peaceful lake. Together, the park and Paseo del Prado are recognised by UNESCO as part of Madrid’s landscape of Arts and Sciences.
End your art walk with fast entry to the Prado, where you can follow the suggested itinerary featuring the 25 most important artworks.
This Prado Museum tour has a maximum group size of 12 and is available in English, Chinese, Japanese or Korean. Remember to wear comfortable walking shoes; the walk is 1½ hours and the same time is allowed for the museum.
For serious art lovers
It’s hard to overestimate the importance of the Prado’s artworks. The museum houses the single greatest collection of Spanish art, and has nearly 1,000 Flemish paintings. It’s also home to an extensive assemblage of Italian Renaissance works. And there’s a lot more besides. So how should the serious art lover see the best of its extensive galleries?
Start your visit early – the Prado opens at 10:00 – and make sure you’ve booked your ticket in advance. Focus on a few rooms at a time, and sit down and spend time with one artwork occasionally so you can refocus. Visit the Prado Cafe on the ground floor too, to break up your art viewing.
Remember to spend most time with the unparalleled Velasquez and Goya collections. Go early or late to Las Meninas if you can. And don’t forget the Rubens, Rembrandts, and the 40 Titians.
The museum closes at 20:00, except Sundays and holidays, so you can make the most of the quieter early evening hours. And if you’re keen to see the other jewels in Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art, the Paseo del Arte card is just the ticket.
For families with children
Long gone are the days when art galleries discouraged families from visiting. Children are the art aficionados of tomorrow, and many enjoy looking at artworks. Here’s a quick guide to the best of Prado Museum tours for families with children.
The Prado has a dedicated audioguide and itinerary for children; offer the older ones the chance to guide themselves. Don’t be surprised if Goya’s Black Paintings are especially compelling to teenagers. Bosch’s much-debated The Garden of Earthly Delights is usually a hit with this age group too.
For younger children, select a few artworks and let the little ones set the pace. Portraits are a good starting point. Try Las Meninas, where the children are front and center, or Goya’s response, Charles IV of Spain and his family. Ask the younger family members to think about the person in the picture. What was their life like? What are the differences with modern life?
Remember to start your visit early, and rest often. Make use of the seating and the ground floor Prado Cafe for breaks.
The museum is fully accessible by pushchairs, and visitors under 18 years old are free. But if you’re pre-booking, remember that children still need a ticket.
