The Musea del Prado in Madrid, which will be reaching its 200th anniversary in 2019, is world-renowned as one of the finest and most extensive collections of European art. The museum is named after the meadow on which it stood (‘Prado’ meaning ‘meadow), and was designed by the architect of the Enlightenment in Spain, Juan de Villanueva.
Take your time and explore thousands of drawings, paintings and sculptures from world-famous, groundbreaking artists like Goya, El Greco, Titian, and Velazquez – all kept in immaculate condition for centuries. The Prado, Madrid should be the number one stop on your tour of Spain, if you hold any interest at all in Spanish and European art history.
Highlights
- Visit the largest and most vital collection of Spanish art, worldwide
- See originals by Rembrandt, Dürer, Titian, and Goya
- Explore Prado’s extensive sculpture collection, with hundreds of sculptures and a few hundred fragments too
- Learn about European and Spanish art movements and schools between the 15th and 19th century
- See the Dauphin’s Treasure
Know before you book
- The skip-the-line ticket does not have an option for discounted seniors ticket
- If you are under 18, a student aged 19-25 with valid student ID, or a teacher accompanying a school group you can enter the Museum for free
- Access to the Museum takes place up until 30 minutes before closing time
- Food and drinks are not permitted inside the museum, except in the café
Prado Museum Information:
Here’s a breakdown of what the tour of the museum might look like. In the event you get hungry, there is a cafeteria on site, however, no food or drinks are permitted outside of the cafeteria. There are also a number of restaurants and eateries close by.
El Prado Tour Times
The museum is open from 10 am to 8 pm daily.
Duration of Prado Museum Guided Tour
There are half-day and full-day Prado Museum ticket options. The duration of the tour is entirely up to you and depends on how long you would prefer to stay there.
Cost of Prado Museum Madrid Tickets
Tickets start at $20 for adults. However, free admission is provided for persons under 18, students aged 19-25 and carrying valid student ID, and teachers accompanying school groups.
Price Includes
Skip the line access and entry to all temporary exhibitions. Check out the different options below:
Prado Museum
First opened to the public in 1819, the Museo del Prado in Madrid is a hallmark of Spanish and European art over the centuries. It holds the world’s largest collection of art from that region, and houses thousands of pieces of art from hundreds of years ago, all in an incredibly well-maintained and curated museum. It’s also home to a large number of historic documents of interest.
The museum holds a number of incredibly precious artworks such as a huge collection of pieces by Francisco Goya, famous for his central role in the Romanticism art movement. They also undertake a number of intense art restoration and research projects, such as their study of the Mona Lisa (La Gioconda) in 2012, which used infrared technology to create a restored image of what the Mona Lisa may have looked like when it was first painted!
On your tour, you can expect to see thousands of artworks currently on display in the main building. Since it can be difficult to decide what to see first and where to go, there are three organised routes that focus on the masterpieces, and what the museum considers to be their most important works of art.
These tours date all the way from the Romanesque period to the 19th Century. Also on display is the Dauphin’s Treasure, a collection of gorgeous Royal jewels from Spain’s monarchy.
You can also purchase an audio guide in many different languages, to swiftly show you to the works of artists such as Bartolomé Bermejo, Pedro Berruguete, Sánchez Coello, El Greco, Ribera, and Zurbarán. The museum will be expanding with new buildings and collections for their bicentenary this year!
The Museo Nacional del Prado would be a mistake to miss for any travelers with an interest in Spanish / European art history, with a chance to see such well-kept, seminal artworks in person. The museum is a Spanish national treasure, and an icon in Europe too, so be sure to include it on your itinerary!
Facilities at El Prado, Madrid
There is a cafeteria in the museum, as well as bathrooms, all of which are accessible for persons with limited mobility.
Capacity
There are no limits on group size or capacity, so this tour is perfect for school or college tour groups.
Specification: Skip the Line: Prado Museum Tickets & Guided Tours
|
Cruiser765284 –
This was a very informative tour, our guide seemed to know a lot, but she had a very soft voice making it really hard for everyone on the tour to hear. She showed up late, did not give us time to look around the other pieces of art, and kept "Shhhh! – ing" everyone else in the museum. Those ear pieces could have really helped.
CLM4404 –
We (four adults) booked a guided tour of the Prado. Irene, our guide, arrived at the meeting point a bit early as did we, and as there were no other participants, we set off right away. Irene was the ideal guide. She was very knowledgeable, kept track of us, spoke clearly and loud enough for us to hear her in sometimes noisy rooms, expertly guided us into rooms and spots where we could see what she wanted to point out, answered questions knowledgeably, and overall provided a top notch experience.
Elsinore_A –
Not a bad tour, but don't sign up for the tapas tasting. It's really far in another part of town. You must take a taxi or Uber to get there. So what's the point of the tapas tasting? Wish I had known the location prior to choosing that option.
Amy S –
We had an amazing tour with Iker. He knows the Prado inside and out. He was thoughtful and went out of his way to make sure we had the very best experience.
Corey_H –
We could never have appreciated what we were looking at without our guide. She was very good at explaining how the painters took into account their audience and how to view each piece. Highly recommended!
NEDA_D –
We had an amazing guide, brilliantly interesting! Thank you Govi for your excellent presentation of Velasquez and Goya, of the evolution of their art! You are a gem!
Ioana Monica M –
My mother and I really enjoyed this tour. Our tour guide Luis David Zapata Madronal was incredible. He planned the tour in such a cohesive, enjoyable way that we were able to absorb and understand all the information and really grasp the chronology of events. After 4 hours of walking we really had a good sense of the history of Madrid. We highly recommend this tour.
lkaoyagi –
We had a great tour and our tour guide gave us the opportunity to do what we wanted which was walk and explore all of the different neighborhoods in Madrid. Our tour guide was very good and very excited to show us the different neighborhoods of her city. She was patient and let us stop to take photos and shop along the way while she explained some of the historical and current aspects of each neighborhood.
Carrie S –
This tour was great! Nacho was knowledgeable, friendly and helped us understand the history and layout of Madrid. Would highly recommend!!
lynng994 –
As the main Spanish national art museum, a visit here is a must do on any trip to Madrid. Beautifully laid out, and easy to navigate, you can't help but revel in the works of Raphael, Rubens, Rembrandt, De Goya, Bosch, and the list goes on. This is for art lovers and anyone who just enjoys beauty.