Madrid concentrates one of Europe's deepest collections of painting within walking distance. The Museo del Prado alone holds the world's largest group of works by Velázquez, Goya, Bosch, and Titian, while Reina Sofía houses Picasso's Guernica and the Thyssen-Bornemisza bridges eight centuries of European art. Beyond the "Golden Triangle," the Royal Palace, the Real Academia de San Fernando, and dozens of churches add layers of Baroque fresco, altarpiece painting, and courtly decoration.
This page maps every key site, with specific works, room locations, booking advice, and walking distances between museums.
ⓘ Opening hours and admission prices listed on this page are indicative and subject to change. Always verify current information on the official website of each venue before your visit.
The Prado is the anchor of any Madrid art trip. On the first floor, Rooms 9A–15A hold the core Velázquez collection: Las Meninas (1656) in Room 12, The Surrender of Breda (1635) in Room 9A, The Spinners (c. 1655–60) in Room 15. Goya occupies Rooms 64–67 on the ground floor (the "Black Paintings" are in Room 67) and Rooms 34–39 on the first floor (including The Third of May 1808 in Room 39 and La Maja Desnuda / La Maja Vestida in Room 36). Hieronymus Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights (c. 1490–1500) is in Room 56A on the ground floor. Titian's major works, including Emperor Charles V at Mühlberg (1548), fill Rooms 24–29. El Greco's The Nobleman with His Hand on His Chest (c. 1580) is in Room 8B. Allow at least 3–4 hours for a focused visit. Open Monday–Saturday 10:00–20:00, Sunday and holidays 10:00–19:00.
Located 10 minutes on foot south of the Prado (Calle de Santa Isabel 52), the Reina Sofía is essential for 20th-century Spanish art. Picasso's Guernica (1937) is in Room 206 on the second floor of the Sabatini Building, alongside preparatory sketches and related works. The same floor holds Dalí's The Great Masturbator (1929) and The Enigma of Desire (1929) in Room 205, and works by Joan Miró in Rooms 206–210. The Nouvel extension (Building 3) hosts temporary exhibitions and post-1960s art. Open Mon, Wed–Sat 10:00–21:00, Sun 10:00–14:30; closed Tuesdays. No advance booking usually needed, but online tickets avoid the free-entry queues.
Directly across from the Prado on Paseo del Prado, the Thyssen fills the gaps the other two museums leave. The permanent collection spans from 13th-century Italian painting (second floor, Room 1: Duccio) through Northern Renaissance (Van Eyck, Dürer on Floor 2), Caravaggio's Saint Catherine of Alexandria (c. 1598, Room 12), Dutch Golden Age (Room 21), and on through Impressionism (Renoir, Degas on Floor 1) to American painting (Hopper's Hotel Room, 1931, on Floor 1, Room 30) and German Expressionism (Kirchner, Nolde, ground floor). The building is the Palacio de Villahermosa. Open Tue–Sun 10:00–19:00, Monday 12:00–16:00.
The combined ticket covers skip-the-line entry to all three museums. All are within a 10-minute walk of each other along Paseo del Prado. Start at the Prado early (opening time), walk south to Reina Sofía after lunch, and finish at the Thyssen in the late afternoon.
Often overlooked by visitors focused on the Golden Triangle, the Real Academia (Calle de Alcalá 13) holds 13 paintings by Goya, including his Self-Portrait (c. 1815) and The Burial of the Sardine (c. 1812–19). There are also works by Zurbarán (Fray Pedro Machado), Ribera, Murillo, and Giuseppe Arcimboldo's Spring (c. 1563). The building itself is a fine 18th-century palace. It is a 15-minute walk north of the Prado, near Puerta del Sol. Open Tue–Sun 10:00–15:00; closed Mondays. No advance booking needed.
The Royal Palace is Madrid's largest Baroque complex. The Throne Room ceiling was frescoed by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (The Apotheosis of the Spanish Monarchy, 1764). The Gasparini Room features Rococo stucco decoration, and the Royal Armoury (ground floor) displays Habsburg and Bourbon ceremonial armour dating from the 15th–17th centuries. The palace also holds a Stradivarius string quartet and paintings by Caravaggio, Velázquez, and Goya scattered through the state rooms. Located at the western end of Calle Mayor, about 20 minutes on foot from the Prado. Open daily 10:00–18:00 (October–March) or 10:00–20:00 (April–September). Book online to skip the queue.
The former home and studio of Joaquín Sorolla (Paseo del General Martínez Campos 37) preserves his Andalusian-style garden and hundreds of paintings, including Strolling along the Seashore (1909) and large-format Vision of Spain panels. The house itself, with original tiles and furnishings, is part of the experience. Located in the Chamártín district, about 25 minutes by metro from the Prado (Iglesia or Rubén Darío stations). Open Tue–Sat 9:30–20:00, Sun 10:00–15:00; closed Mondays. Rarely crowded; no advance booking needed.
A private collection housed in a 20th-century palace on Calle de Serrano 122. Highlights include Hieronymus Bosch's Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness, El Greco's Saint Francis in Ecstasy, Lucas Cranach's The Three Graces, and a significant collection of medieval ivories, enamels, and jewellery. Four floors, easily visited in 1.5–2 hours. About a 15-minute walk north of the Sorolla Museum. Open Wed–Mon 10:00–16:30; closed Tuesdays.
This small neoclassical chapel near the Manzanares river contains Goya's fresco cycle painted directly onto the dome and pendentives in 1798, depicting the Miracle of Saint Anthony of Padua. Goya is buried here (his body was transferred from Bordeaux in 1919; the skull is missing). The frescoes are remarkable for their loose, proto-Impressionist brushwork. Located near Príncipe Pío station, about 10 minutes on foot from the Royal Palace. Open Tue–Sun 9:30–20:00; closed Mondays. Free entry.
All three museums line the Paseo del Prado within 800 metres of each other. Start at the Prado (enter via the Jerónimos door), then walk south to Reina Sofía, and return north to the Thyssen. The Botanical Garden (next to the Prado) offers a midday break. A combined ticket covers all three.
From the Royal Palace, walk 10 minutes west to the Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida (Goya frescoes). Returning east, pass through Plaza Mayor and continue to the Real Academia de San Fernando on Calle de Alcalá. This circuit covers Baroque court art, Goya's most intimate frescoes, and Old Madrid's churches (San Ginés holds an El Greco).
North of the centre (Chamártín / Salamanca districts), three smaller museums reward a half-day visit. Walk from Sorolla (General Martínez Campos) south to Lázaro Galdiano (Serrano 122), then continue to Fundación Mapfre (Recoletos 23) for rotating exhibitions of photography and modern art. All within 20 minutes' walk of each other.
The Prado holds over 50 paintings by Velázquez, the largest concentration anywhere. After seeing Las Meninas, The Surrender of Breda, and the late mythological paintings in Rooms 9A–15A, continue with the Velázquez page to trace his works in London, Vienna, and Rome.
Goya's career spans the Prado (Black Paintings, Room 67; The Third of May, Room 39), the Real Academia de San Fernando (13 works), and the Ermita de San Antonio de la Florida (dome frescoes). The Goya page maps his works across Madrid, Zaragoza, Bordeaux, and beyond.
Guernica at the Reina Sofía (Room 206) is the single most visited painting in Madrid. The Picasso page maps his work across Barcelona (Museu Picasso), Paris (Musée Picasso), Antibes, and Málaga.
Madrid editorial coverage on TheIntroverTraveler is in preparation.
Yes. Online timed-entry tickets are strongly recommended, especially from March to October. Book at least 2–3 days ahead in low season, 1–2 weeks in summer and holidays. The Jerónimos entrance (east side) has shorter queues than the Goya entrance.
Guernica (1937) is in Room 206, second floor, Sabatini Building, Museo Reina Sofía (Calle de Santa Isabel 52). Photography is not allowed in this room. The museum is a 10-minute walk south of the Prado.
A minimum of 3 full days: one for the Prado, one for Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza, one for the Royal Palace, Real Academia de San Fernando, and Goya's chapel frescoes. A fourth day allows the Sorolla Museum and Lázaro Galdiano.
Yes. The Paseo del Arte card covers the Prado, Reina Sofía, and Thyssen at a reduced price and is valid for one year. Third-party combined skip-the-line ticket option.
The Paseo del Arte concentrates more great painting per square kilometre than almost anywhere else in Europe. Use the map to understand the distances, plan the sequence, and decide what deserves a full morning and what can be covered in an hour.