World-class art in Madrid

Your first stop would have to be the Prado Museum, one of the world’s greatest art museums

It’s home to the best collection of Spanish art and arguably the world’s finest collections of European art, from 12th-20th centuries

The Reina Sofia, Madrid’s second world-class art museum, houses outstanding collections of Spain’s two greatest 20th-century masters, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. Don’t miss Picasso’s ‘Guernica’

The collection of Madrid’s third world-class art museum, the Thyssen Bornemisza, tells the story of 800 years of art history, from 13th-20th centuries

The former home of early 20th-century artist Joaquin Sorolla, known as ‘the master of light’, is now filled with his neo-Impressionist works

The Lazaro Galdino Museum is a fantastic private collection (including a masterpiece by Bosch), housed in a historic Madrid mansion

The Royal Convent of Las Descalzas Reales was founded by the daughter of Emperor Charles V – it’s now packed full of Golden Age art

The Marques de Cerralbo’s horde of artworks and curio includes El Greco’s Ecstasy of St Francis and fantastic Japanese armour.

The San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts is home to a superb collection of Goya paintings, plus others by Arcimboldo, Velazquez, Rubens, Van Dyck, El Greco, Murillo and Zurbaran.

Goya fans should also stop by the Goya-decorated Royal Chapel of St Anthony of La Florida. It’s also the artist’s final resting place

If you’re visiting in June or July, make time for Photo Espana, Europe’s largest photography festival

Visit in February and attend Art Madrid, a 5-day feast of contemporary art