Become a Virtual Tourist Member Today!  Sign Up for Free | Sign In
Prado Museum, Madrid
Search:

Home » Travel Guides » Europe » Spain » Comunidad de Madrid » Madrid » Things To Do » Prado Museum Reviews

Madrid Hotels

Real reviews from real travelers.

Prado Museum, Madrid

Prado Museum tips and photos posted by real travelers and Madrid locals.
• 170 Photos
• 129 Reviews

See all Madrid Things To Do
Sort By:  Most Recent | Best Rated
Prado Museum: Prado museum vs. Thyssen-Bornemisza
  • Tip Rating:
  • breughel
  • Updated By breughel on April 13, 2009
  • Madrid Page by breughel
  • Jerome Bosch
    Jerome Bosch "Garden of
    Delights"
    by breughel,
    1 more photos
    One might be tempted to compare the famous MUSEO NACIONAL DEL PRADO with the THYSSEN BORNEMISZA collection on the other side of the same avenue. I visited both museums several times and must say that my aesthetic pleasure time was much greater each time at the Thyssen-Bornemisza than at the Prado Museum.
    I confess that I am not a fan of the Spanish school with its painters such as El Greco, Ribalta, Ribera, Murillo, or Zurbaran. My taste or judgement has probably been "spoiled" by having grown up surrounded by Flemish and Dutch paintings. Fortunately for those who might share my taste, the Prado has a large section of Flemish painters including Van der Weyden, Rubens and Jerome Bosch.
    Bosch’s pictures have always fascinated viewers; Philip II, king of Spain, collected his works. If in his time Bosch was regarded as the inventor of monsters and chimeras, today his paintings still hold as an intriguing attraction reflecting mysterious practices of the Middle Ages. I was surprised during my last visit at the Prado to notice that guides stopped their groups in front of his famous triptych " The Garden of the Delights " to explain at length its symbolism, while in previous years they would spend more time on Velazquez and other painters of the Spanish school.
    Jerome Bosch seems a rising star in the world of the fans of the esotericism, the mysteries and the sects. Should we see here a collateral effect of the "Da Vinci Code" esoteric passion?

    With the help of Google Earth it is now possible to see major works of the Prado such as the Garden of Delights in detail and high resolution. Fantastic!

    On the other side of the Paseo del Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum was enlarged in June 2004 to display more than 200 paintings collected by Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza. The collection of the Baroness is a natural continuation of the historical Thyssen-Bornemisza collection (located in Madrid since 1992) and includes 17th century Dutch painting, 19th century landscape, North American painting, Impressionism, Post-impressionism and Avant-Garde movements. It is a real pleasure to visit the new galleries which complement the historical collection. Quality and variety are the characteristics of this museum which now belongs among the Europe’s best museums of paintings. To conclude: a visit to Madrid must include both museums.

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

    Visiting Madrid?

    Read reviews about Madrid Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Prado Museum: Museo del Prado
  • Tip Rating:
  • Jefie
  • Updated By Jefie on May 10, 2008
  • Madrid Page by Jefie
  • In front of the Velazquez entrance - Madrid
    In front of the Velazquez
    entrance
    by Jefie,
    1 more photos
    As I mentioned in the introduction, I didn't know much about Madrid before I got there, but one thing I did know was that it was home to the famous Prado Museum. The Prado houses a collection of over a thousand classic European paintings, dating from the 12th to the 19th century. Spanish painters Velazquez and Goya are prominently featured in the museum, but the works of other painters and sculptors such as Rubens, Rembrandt, Botticelli and Raphael are also on display.

    I have to admit that since I don't know all that much about classical and religious arts, the Prado wasn't necessarily my favorite museum in Madrid. I did however learn a lot, and by the end of my visit I was able to recognize many famous scenes, such as the rest on the flight to Egypt and Lot and his daughters. My favorite paintings included Las Meninas by Velazquez, The Three Graces by Rubens, and the rather haunting "black paintings" by Goya (unfortunately, as in most museums in Madrid, it was not possible to take pictures).

    On a side note, we had lunch at the Cafe Prado, and without being anything too special, it was good and quite affordable. The museum is open from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm every day (closed on Mondays). Admission: 6 Euros (free after 6:00 pm).

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: Paseo del Prado
  • Phone: 91 330 28 00
  • Directions: Metro "Atocha"
  • Website: http://www.museodelprado.es
  • Other Contact: museo.nacional@museodelprado.es
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Prado Museum: Prado Museum
  • Tip Rating:
  • grandmaR
  • Updated By grandmaR on February 12, 2007
  • Madrid Page by grandmaR
  • Front of the Prado in 1964 - Madrid
    Front of the Prado in 1964
    by grandmaR, 4 more photos
    I went to the Prado Museum on each trip. On the 1964 trip with my sister, I went on my own before she got there and then we took a city tour, and I let her go in by herself while I sat with my niece. Then when we went together, we took a small part of the museum to look at, as we had my niece with us in a stroller.

    The second time when I went with my mom, we concentrated mostly on the Spanish artists (Goya, Velasquez and El Greco (who I think was really a Greek) but we also looked at the Flemish section (Brueghel and Bosch) because those guys have always fascinated me - kind of like a medieval Grandma Moses. We went twice at opening time on our own for short visits, and then when the tour we joined went whirlwind through the museum, we didn't have to worry that we'd miss our favorite things.

    Open: 9 AM to 7 PM; Sundays 9 AM to 2 PM. Closed: Monday.

    Basic admission: 3.01 €
    Discounted admission (with ID): 1.5 €
    - Holders of youth cards, student´s cards or international equivalents.

    Free admission (with ID):
    - Visitors under 18
    - Visitors over 65, pensioners, registered disabled

    AUDIOGUIDE
    Avalaible in Rooms 1 and 51. Price 3 €.

    CAFETERIA:

    Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays from 9am to 6.20pm.

    RESTAURANT:

    Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays from 11.30 am to 4pm

    SHOP:

    Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays from 9am to 6.30pm

    Currently the museum website says:

    "Each month the Museum invites visitors to take part in a guided tour entitled "A Work, an Artist". These visits aim is to encourage a close look at a particular painting.

    These tours take place at the following times:

    Saturdays at 4pm and 5.30pm
    Sundays at 11am and 12.30pm
    They last around one hour.

    "All those wishing to take part should enter the Museum through one of the normal entrances. Once inside, it is essential to register for the tour at least 30 minutes before it starts, at the meeting point located in the Lower Rotunda of the Goya Entrance. "

    This sounds like a good deal to me.

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: Paseo del Prado s/n. 28014 Madrid. Spain
  • Phone: + 34 91 3302800
  • Directions: Near the Neptune fountain and the Ritz hotel Tube stations: Banco de España & Atocha Buses: 9,10,14,19,27,34,37 and 45 Trains: Atocha Station
  • Website: http://museoprado.mcu.es/home.html
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Prado Museum: Prado for Art-Lovers and Velazquez paintings
  • Tip Rating:
  • jumpingnorman
  • Updated By jumpingnorman on November 29, 2008
  • Madrid Page by jumpingnorman
  • Prado Museum, Madrid - Madrid
    Prado Museum, Madrid
    by jumpingnorman
    The Prado Museum was right across my hotel (the Westin Palace), and so it was easy to explore this very huge collection of artworks, most notably those of Diego Velazquez whose Las Meninas painting (Maids in Waiting) attracts a lot of attention. Diego himself is in the picture in the lower left corner, with the highlight being the Infanta Margarita (child of King Felipe - also seen in painting, can you find him?) with her maids and two dwarfs.

    Other artists whose works I remember include those of Goya at the ground and first floors, Raphael (The Holy Family with Lamb, Portrait of a Cardinal), Rubens (Three Graces) and Rembrant's Artemis. But I am not much of an art buff, but still I enjoyed this museum a lot!

    Leave a Comment

  • Directions: Metro: Banco de espana or Atocha
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Prado Museum: Art, Anyone?
  • Tip Rating:
  • Urzu
  • Updated By Urzu on January 12, 2008
  • Madrid Page by Urzu
  • Monumental Prado - Madrid
    Monumental Prado
    by Urzu
    The Prado Museum is one of the most complete and visited museums in the world, it's of course one of my favourite. The collection consists mainly of classical paintings and sculptures... what I like the most are the paintings, it's amazing how one room can give you goose bumps because of it's darkness and creepiness, and the next is so beautiful you think you could cry. The Prado has so many different styles that anyone will find something that s/he likes there. In any case it's great to see for example paintings from Goya or Velazquez or the temporary expositions which are usually great. Don't miss the chance if you have it. Also recentrly the Prado Museum had gone through some new additions, there are many new rooms with art works that were waiting to be put up on the walls. I haven't had the chance to visit the new part, but it sure looks interesting! The architecture is a lot more contemporary and it makes quite some contrast with the art pieces.
    The entrance is EUR 6.- The museum is opened Tuesday-Sunday from 9:00 to 20:00. The entrance will be for free from Tuesday-Saturday if you go from 18:00 to 20:00, and on Sundays from 17:00 to 20:00.

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: Paseo del Prado
  • Phone: (+34) 91 330 28 00
  • Directions: Atocha Zone
  • Website: http://www.museodelprado.es/index.php?id=50
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

    Visiting Madrid?

    Read reviews about Madrid Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Prado Museum: Museo del Prado (Prado Museum)
  • Tip Rating:
  • Redang
  • Updated By Redang on February 3, 2008
  • Madrid Page by Redang
  • Museo del Prado (Madrid, Spain) - Madrid
    Museo del Prado (Madrid,
    Spain)
    by Redang, 1 more photos
    The best museum of the world about painting.

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: Paseo del Prado s/n.
  • Phone: Tel.: (+34) 91 330 28 00
  • Directions: How to get there: - Metro: Atocha (line 1) or Banco de España (line 2) - Bus: 9, 10, 14, 19, 27, 34, 37 and 45 - Train: Atocha station
  • Website: www.museoprado.es
  • Other Contact: museo.nacional@prado.mcu.es
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Prado Museum: One of the best art museum in the world
  • Tip Rating:
  • fachd
  • Updated By fachd on May 26, 2009
  • Madrid Page by fachd
  • Prado Museum - Madrid
    by fachd, 1 more photos
    Kim and I have been to many art museums. We both agreed that El Prado Museum is amongst the best we’ve seen so far. The tour director only allows us two hours, naturally as an art lover that’s not enough. Anyway we did our best try to see and read the info of the individual paintings, sculptures as much as we can. For obvious reasons we did not get to see much of the collections.

    We did manage to see many of Goya collections. I was very impressed with Francisco Goya work during his dark period, his painting ‘Saturn Devouring His Son’ very haunting indeed; hmm he must be on drug. I always like ‘The Naked Maja’, ‘The Clothed Maja’ and his well known painting “The Shootings of May 3rd”. I had a good look at ‘Las Meninas’ by Diego Velazquez, he’s on the paintings. I had a quick browse of El Greco and others paintings.

    To see these paintings live is so much different seeing from a book. To absorb everything at the museum you need at least two days. I also noticed there are master copies of paintings exhibits done by students; I must admit there are very good.

    El Prado is the most visited art museum in Spain and one of the best in the world. It has more than 8,600 paintings. Anyone who likes art will know El Prado. It has many collections from artists around the world, to name a few artists like Goya, El Greco, Velazquez, Rembrandt, Rubens, Raphael, Bosch, Rafael. Not only exhibit paintings but also exhibits sculptures, drawings, coins and other works of arts.

    Tuesdays to Saturdays: 9am-7pm
    Sundays, holidays, 24th and 31st december: 9am-2pm
    Mondays: closed

    Price: 6 € full-price

  • Address: Paseo del Prado, 28014, Madrid
  • Phone: 91 330 28 00
  • Directions: Next to Real Jardin Botanico (Botanical Garden). Walking distance from Atocha station.
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Prado Museum: Museo del Prado
  • Tip Rating:
  • andal13
  • By andal13 on December 17, 2003
  • Madrid Page by andal13
  • Las Meninas - Madrid
    Las Meninas
    by andal13
    Museo del Prado surely is one the most important museums of fine arts of the world; it houses an amazing collection of paintings of the masters. The masterpieces of the greatest Spaniard painters like Velázquez, Goya, Murillo, Zurbarán, are here; the vedettes of the museum are "Las Meninas" by Velázquez (see picture) and "La Maja desnuda" by Goya.
    Remember that the visit takes several hours, so put your most comfortable shoes on.

    El Museo del Prado seguramente es uno de los museos de artes plásticas más importantes del mundo; aloja una impresionante colección de pinturas de los maestros. Las obras maestras de los más destacados pintores españoles tales como Velázquez, Goya, Murillo, Zurbarán, están aquí; las vedettes del museo son "Las Meninas" de Velázquez (ver foto) y "La Maja desnuda" de Goya.
    Recuerda que la visita lleva varias horas, así que ponte tus zapatos más cómodos.

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: Pº del Prado s/n (Madrid)
  • Website: http://museoprado.mcu.es/
  • Other Contact: museo.nacional@prado.mcu.es
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Prado Museum: Paseo del Prado
  • Tip Rating:
  • evona
  • Updated By evona on June 7, 2004
  • Madrid Page by evona
  • Prado Museum - Madrid
    by evona
    in front of this building there is the sculptur of Velazquez.....
    There are in exposition 2000 pictures. There are of cours very wealthy colloection of spanish painting. You can see here the pictures of Goya, Velazquez, Ribera, Murillo, El Greco, Zurbaran and many more.The italian painting represent among others: Tizian, Veronese, Tiepolo, Fra Angelico, Botticelli, Tintoretto, Caravaggio, Rafaello... The french - Poussin, Lorrain, Watteau..... The another great masters wich works can you admire are: Rubens, Bosch, Rembrandt, Cranach, Duerer, Brueghel, Teniers, Van Dycke.......and many more.... one day this is too little time to see all....

    Leave a Comment

  • Address: Paseo del Prado
  • Phone: (91) 420 28 36
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Prado Museum: Prado Museum
  • Tip Rating:
  • roamer61
  • By roamer61 on October 14, 2003
  • Madrid Page by roamer61
  • Family of Charles IV - Madrid
    Family of Charles IV
    by roamer61
    The Prado is one of the great Art Museums of the world and is a must see for any visit to Madrid. It has the worlds greatest collection of works by the Spanish Masters. Goya, Velazques and El Greco. There are also masterpieces by other european artists such as Albrecht Durer, Heironymous Bosch, Peter Paul Ruebens and others. A visit here should include the Spanish masters and include the more famous works by the other european masters. In any case, plan to spend at least 2-3 hours here. More if you have the time. This painting is by Francisco Goya and is one of his most famous portraits. It is called "The Family of Charles IV".

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    More Madrid Tips
    Overview
     
    Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 539 - Photos: 496
    Things To Do
    Tips: 2,231 - Photos: 3,144
    Nightlife
    Tips: 371 - Photos: 315
    Transportation
    Tips: 439 - Photos: 368
    Restaurants
    Tips: 703 - Photos: 633
    Shopping
    Tips: 212 - Photos: 180
    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 368 - Photos: 459
    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 63 - Photos: 39
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 171 - Photos: 65
    Local Customs
    Tips: 301 - Photos: 299
    Packing Lists
    Tips: 48 - Photos: 27
    Sports Travel
    Tips: 76 - Photos: 89
    General Tips
    Tips: 546 - Photos: 537
    Flights
    Tips: 61 - Photos: 0

    Best Madrid Travel Deals

    250 Hotels in Madrid
    Good availability and great rates. Book online now, pay at the hotel!

    Fly New York to Madrid
    Book a Great Deal to Madrid on the Air France Official Site Now

    Madrid Cheap Hotels
    Sleep in Madrid from 13€/night Compare Prices, Pics & Book Online!

    Flights to Madrid
    Book now at Continental Airlines official site. Low fare guarantee.

    Cheap Madrid Hotels
    Up to 70% Off Hotels in Madrid. Best Rate Guaranteed. Book Online!

    Sponsored Links

    More Madrid Travel Deals

    Madrid Hotels
    Landmark hotel in Madrid. Discover Serrano Street and cultural gems.

    Living Madrid
    The services of a hotel in the quiet and comfort of home

    Madrid Apartments
    Short Term Rentals in Madrid Best Prices, Best Locations

    Sponsored Links


    Madrid Hotels





    About VirtualTourist |  10 Great Things to Do On VirtualTourist |  Contact Us |  Press Center |  Help |  User Agreement |  Privacy Statement
    Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2009 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.