Prado Museum

Where it is & how to get there

• Metro: Banco de España or Atocha stations, about 10 minutes' walk.
• Free entry: Usually free in the last two hours of the day; expect queues.
• Tickets: Book online to skip the ticket line.

The story of the Prado Museum

The Prado opened in 1819 to show the Spanish royal art collection. Today it holds one of the finest collections of European painting in the world.

Highlights include Velázquez's Las Meninas, Goya's Black Paintings and The Third of May 1808, El Greco's spiritual portraits and Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights. The Paseo del Prado area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Free entry in the last two hours each evening. Arrive 30 minutes early.
• Plan a route to the top 10 works using the museum's map.
• Combine with the Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofía museums nearby.

What's around the Prado Museum

• Retiro ParkBehind the museum.
• Thyssen-Bornemisza MuseumArt from the 13th to 20th centuries.
• Reina SofíaHome of Picasso's Guernica.
• Royal Botanical GardenNext to the Prado.

Questions travellers ask