Prado Museum

The nearest metro stations are Banco de Espana and Atocha. You can book your ticket online before you go, to avoid the queues and guarantee entry. Tickets are limited. You can buy them at the entrance ticket office too.

The museum is vast and overwhelming. There is a helpful interactive visual guide to the vast museum on the website – worth a look to familiarise yourself with the place before you go.

The museum offers a 90-minute guided tour of the Collection (around £10 extra, bookable and payable at the entrance). Tours are in Spanish or English at different times (see the website for the starting times of each). Alternatively, there are numerous local operators offering expert-led guided tours (see our recommendations below). Guided tours, of course, have the advantage of taking you to all of the masterpieces, and giving insights and background to the paintings and their artists.

If you’re planning on seeing lots of art, the Paseo del Arte joint ticket gives a 20% discounted entry to the Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums. The pass is available at any of the three museums, which can be visited on different days.

The museum is open all year round, seven days a week. Arrive first thing in the morning at 10am, or mid-afternoon, and you’ll be more likely to beat the crowds. It gets very crowded between 11am and 2pm, and also after 6pm (when admission is free on most days). These free admission hours will save you a buck, but don’t expect to have the place to yourself.