Visiting the Prado Museum means seeing in Madrid one of the greatest collections of European painting: Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Bosch, Titian and Rubens. Opened in 1819 in a neoclassical building by Juan de Villanueva, on the Paseo del Prado, the Museo Nacional del Prado takes a minimum of two to three hours to visit. This page offers a route through the masterpieces, calculated walking times to the neighboring museums and the best time of day and year to come.
With the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofía, the Prado forms Madrid’s « Golden Triangle of Art »; for the rest of your stay, see our Madrid travel guide. Before buying a multi-attraction pass, see our Madrid pass page to find out whether it pays off.
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Prado Museum: key facts (information checked on 16 October 2026 on museodelprado.es)
- Hours: Monday to Saturday 10 am–8 pm; Sundays and public holidays 10 am–7 pm; closed January 1, May 1 and December 25; reduced hours (10 am–2 pm) on January 6 and December 24 and 31
- Prices: general admission €15; reduced rate €7.50 (over 65, youth card holders, members of large families); audio guide: admission + €5; guided tour + admission: €10 (as displayed); admission + copy of the « Prado Guide » €24; Paseo del Arte pass €32.80 (Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza)
- Tickets: bought in advance online or at the ticket office; named, single-use ticket; buy them on the museum’s official website and beware of sites that copy its look
- Free entry: under 18, students aged 18–25, disability ≥ 33%, people registered with an official employment agency, working teachers, large families, etc. (details below); free access to the collection in the last two hours: Monday to Saturday 6–8 pm, Sundays and holidays 5–7 pm, tickets at the ticket office while places last (checked on 18 October 2026 on museodelprado.es)
- Time needed: no official duration published; our masterpiece route is designed for 2 hours
- Getting there: Jerónimos and Goya doors (Calle Felipe IV, s/n), Murillo door (Plaza de Murillo); Estación del Arte metro (800 m / 0.5 mi) or Banco de España (650 m / 0.4 mi)
Tickets: official vs resellers
The official ticket office is on the Museo Nacional del Prado website, which comes first in search results with its « Visit » page. Resellers charge noticeably more than the official €15; they are not official ticket offices. If you go through one, check whether admission is included.
Official prices recorded on 16 October 2026 on museodelprado.es:
- General admission: €15
- Reduced rate: €7.50 (over 65, youth card holders, members of large families)
- Audio guide: admission + €5
- Guided tour + admission: €10 (as displayed)
- Admission + copy of the « Prado Guide »: €24
- Private visit from 9 am to 10 am, before opening: €50 per person, minimum 12 people, with your own guide, bought at least 72 hours in advance
- Paseo del Arte pass: €32.80 (one visit to the Prado, the Reina Sofía and the Thyssen-Bornemisza, valid for one year from purchase)
The ticket is bought in advance online or at the ticket office; it is named and single-use.
Entry is free for: under 18s; students aged 18 to 25; students over 25 in higher art studies; people with a disability of at least 33%; people registered with an official employment agency; working teachers; large families (at least one adult and three children, or two if one has a disability); official guides, journalists, ICOM members. The proof required is listed in the museum’s official conditions. Access to the collection is also free during the last two hours of opening: Monday to Saturday 6–8 pm, Sundays and public holidays 5–7 pm, with tickets issued at the ticket office until they run out (checked on 18 October 2026 on museodelprado.es).
Visiting rules and groups
- Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Photos and videos are not allowed.
- To be left in the cloakroom: backpacks, suitcases and bags of 40 × 40 cm (16 × 16 in) or larger, non-folding umbrellas, sharp objects.
- Eating and drinking: only in the cafeteria.
- Groups: 9 to 20 people (30 for educational groups), booking required, group visit of 1 hour 30 minutes maximum.
Source: museodelprado.es, recorded on 16 October 2026.
Opening hours and closing days
Opening hours, closing days and reduced-hours days (especially over the holidays) are published on museodelprado.es. Recorded on 16 October 2026: Monday to Saturday 10 am–8 pm, Sundays and public holidays 10 am–7 pm; closed on January 1, May 1 and December 25; reduced hours (10 am–2 pm) on January 6 and December 24 and 31. The closing days of the Prado and the Royal Palace do not necessarily coincide: if you only have one day, check both calendars.
Best time to visit the Prado
Madrid’s museums are the best activity in the hot hours of summer and on cold winter days. The table below cross-references the AEMET normals and day length, to place the Prado at the right time of day according to the season.
| Month (the 15th) | Max temp | Rain | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10.0 °C (50 °F) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 08:35 | 18:12 | 9 h 37 | Prado in the afternoon, outdoors during the mildest hours |
| February | 12.2 °C (54 °F) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 08:08 | 18:49 | 10 h 41 | Prado in the afternoon, outdoors during the mildest hours |
| March | 16.2 °C (61 °F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 07:26 | 19:21 | 11 h 54 | Prado in the morning, Retiro in the afternoon |
| April | 18.9 °C (66 °F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 07:36 | 20:53 | 13 h 16 | Prado in the morning, Retiro in the afternoon |
| May | 23.2 °C (74 °F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 06:58 | 21:24 | 14 h 25 | Prado in the morning, Retiro in the afternoon |
| June | 28.9 °C (84 °F) | 20 mm (0.8 in) | 06:43 | 21:46 | 15 h 03 | Prado in the hot hours (afternoon), parks in the morning or evening |
| July | 32.8 °C (91 °F) | 9 mm (0.4 in) | 06:57 | 21:44 | 14 h 47 | Prado in the hot hours (afternoon), parks in the morning or evening |
| August | 32.0 °C (90 °F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 07:25 | 21:12 | 13 h 47 | Prado in the hot hours (afternoon), parks in the morning or evening |
| September | 26.5 °C (80 °F) | 24 mm (0.9 in) | 07:55 | 20:24 | 12 h 29 | Prado in the morning, Retiro in the afternoon |
| October | 19.7 °C (67 °F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) | 08:25 | 19:35 | 11 h 10 | Prado in the morning, Retiro in the afternoon |
| November | 13.5 °C (56 °F) | 52 mm (2.0 in) | 08:00 | 17:57 | 9 h 57 | Prado in the afternoon, outdoors during the mildest hours |
| December | 10.3 °C (51 °F) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 08:30 | 17:49 | 9 h 19 | Prado in the afternoon, outdoors during the mildest hours |
How to read it: from June to August, maximum temperatures exceed 28 °C (82 °F) and the afternoon is the best time for an air-conditioned museum. October is the wettest month (64 mm / 2.5 in): keep the Prado for a rainy day. As no official crowd figure by hour is available, we give none; as a general rule, the free slots and weekends are the busiest. See also the best time to visit Madrid.
What to see at the Prado: a 2-hour route
The museum is huge; it is better to target your visit. Here is a route through the most famous works, to be located on the plan given at the entrance (rooms may change when displays are rehung).
- Velázquez, Las Meninas (1656): the museum’s most famous painting, an interplay of gazes between the infanta, her attendants, the painter and the royal couple reflected in a mirror.
- Velázquez, royal portraits and The Spinners: around Las Meninas, the great hall of Spanish court painting.
- Goya, The Third of May 1808 (1814): the executions of Madrid citizens by Napoleonic troops, with its pendant, The Second of May 1808.
- Goya, the « Black Paintings »: murals from the painter’s house, including Saturn Devouring His Son.
- Goya, The Nude Maja and The Clothed Maja: displayed side by side.
- Bosch (Hieronymus Bosch), The Garden of Earthly Delights: a teeming triptych; allow time, the room is often full.
- El Greco, The Nobleman with His Hand on His Chest: an emblematic portrait of 16th-century Spanish painting.
- Rogier van der Weyden, The Descent from the Cross, and Rubens, The Three Graces: for Flemish painting.
With half a day, add Italian painting (Titian, Raphael, Fra Angelico and his Annunciation) and Dürer. With a full day, take a break at the museum café and visit Rafael Moneo’s modern wing, opened in 2007 around the Jerónimos cloister.
Getting there and walking times to nearby museums
| From the Prado to | Estimated walking time |
|---|---|
| Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum | about 6 min |
| Reina Sofía Museum (Guernica) | about 11 min |
| Retiro Park (Crystal Palace) | about 15 min |
| Puerta del Sol | about 18 min |
| Royal Palace | about 34 min |
The museum is on the Paseo del Prado, which, together with Retiro Park, forms the « Landscape of Light », a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021. Ticket offices: Jerónimos and Goya doors (Calle Felipe IV, s/n); Murillo door (Plaza de Murillo). Museum data recorded on 16 October 2026:
- Metro (lines 1 and 2): Estación del Arte (800 m / 0.5 mi), Banco de España (650 m / 0.4 mi), Retiro (1.3 km / 0.8 mi)
- Cercanías (commuter rail): Atocha (1 km / 0.6 mi), Recoletos (1.1 km / 0.7 mi)
- EMT bus: 001, 10, 14, 27, 34, 37, 45, C03
- From the airport: metro line 8 (changing to lines 4 and 2), C1 and C10 trains to Recoletos/Atocha, bus 203
The walking times in the table above are Destination de Voyage estimates.
Accessibility
According to museodelprado.es (recorded on 16 October 2026):
- Free entry for people with a disability of at least 33%.
- Priority access at ticket desks 1 and 2 and entry through the Jerónimos door; booking via accesibilidad@museodelprado.es.
- Reserved parking spaces on Calle Ruiz de Alarcón and Calle Moreto.
- Accessible toilets, elevators, ramps; hearing loop.
- Wheelchairs and strollers can be borrowed at the cloakroom.
- Guide dogs accepted.
The rules on bags and photos are in the « Visiting rules and groups » section above.
Checklist and common mistakes
- Buy the ticket only on the museum’s official website or from a reseller whose offer you have checked; the ticket is named.
- Plan for the cloakroom for backpacks and bags of 40 × 40 cm (16 × 16 in) or larger.
- Do not aim for the free slot on a first visit: the queue is long and the time short.
- Prepare a list of 8 to 10 works: trying to see everything at once leads to exhaustion.
- Check closing days and reduced-hours days on the official website, especially around Christmas and New Year.
- Plan the other museums of the Golden Triangle of Art for another day, or for the same day with timed tickets.
What to see nearby
On leaving, Retiro Park is 15 minutes’ walk away; the Thyssen and the Reina Sofía frame the Paseo del Prado. For royal Madrid, our page on visiting the Royal Palace of Madrid details official prices and free slots. All the districts and itineraries are in our guide to things to do in Madrid, and the climate in the best time to visit Madrid. Visiting southern Spain too? See our Spain travel guide.
A short history of the Prado Museum
Juan de Villanueva’s building, whose project Charles III approved in 1786, was originally part of a group of scientific institutions on the Paseo del Prado, alongside the Royal Cabinet of Natural History. It finally opened as the Royal Museum of Painting on November 19, 1819, with about 311 paintings, all from the Spanish school, displayed in three rooms.
Today the Prado holds the most important collection of Spanish painting in the world, complemented by major Italian, Flemish, French and German holdings. Rafael Moneo’s extension, opened in October 2007 after five years of work, houses the temporary exhibitions among other things.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see at the Prado Museum?
The largest collection of Spanish painting (Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Murillo) and Flemish and Italian masterpieces: Las Meninas, The Third of May 1808, Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights, Rubens’s The Three Graces.
How long does it take to visit the Prado?
Two to three hours for a route through the masterpieces, half a day to add the Italian and Flemish schools, a full day for a complete tour.
When is the Prado free?
Entry is free for: under 18s; students aged 18 to 25; students over 25 in higher art studies; people with a disability of at least 33%; people registered with an official employment agency; working teachers; large families (at least one adult and three children, or two if one has a disability); official guides, journalists, ICOM members. Free entry to the collection during the last two hours: Monday to Saturday 6–8 pm, Sundays and holidays 5–7 pm (checked on 18 October 2026 on museodelprado.es).
Why is the museum called the Prado?
It takes its name from the Paseo del Prado, the avenue on which it is built, itself named after the meadow (prado) that once occupied this spot on the edge of the city.
Where can you see Guernica?
Not at the Prado: Picasso’s Guernica is on display at the Reina Sofía Museum, about ten minutes’ walk south of the Prado.
Our sources
- Wikipedia, « Musée du Prado » article (1786 project, 1819 opening, initial collection, 2007 extension), consulted on 16 October 2026
- Museo Nacional del Prado: « Horarios y precios » page (free-entry hours), consulted on 18 October 2026
- Museo Nacional del Prado: official website museodelprado.es, Visit page, recorded on 16 October 2026 (hours, prices, free entry, visiting rules, groups, access and transport, accessibility)
- Climate normals: AEMET (Agencia Estatal de Meteorología), 1991–2020, Madrid-Retiro station, taken from our page on the best time to visit Madrid
- Astronomical calculations: NOAA solar algorithm, IANA time zone Europe/Madrid, applied by Destination de Voyage (15th of each month, year 2027)
- Destination de Voyage calculation: walking times (straight-line distance × 1.3, at 4.5 km/h)
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026. Hours and prices: check the official website before you go.
