Plan on two hours at the Prado Museum in Madrid: long enough for the museum’s own 30-work route, short enough to leave energy for the Retiro afterwards. The Prado publishes three routes, 15 works in one hour, 30 in two and 54 in three. General admission is €15, and the collection is free from 6pm to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 5pm to 7pm on Sundays. The catch is that doors close to new visitors at 7.30pm, or 6.30pm on Sundays, so arriving late cuts what you can see.
The Prado Museum is Spain’s national art museum, and it opens 10am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 7pm on Sundays and holidays.
How long should you spend at the Prado Museum? Two hours at the Prado Museum covers the museum’s own 30-work route and suits a first visit; the one-hour route has 15 works and the three-hour route 54. Free entry runs 6pm to 8pm Monday to Saturday, but last entry is 7.30pm, so the three-hour route needs a €15 ticket.
What time should you arrive for the free evening?
Your arrival time decides the route. The free slot is two hours long on paper, yet the Prado closes its doors 30 minutes before closing time, and every half hour you arrive late costs you a route. Walk in at 6pm and you have 120 minutes inside; at 6.30pm, 90; at 7pm, 60, which is exactly the one-hour route.
Is two hours enough, or should you pay for three?
| Who you are | Route | Best ticket |
|---|---|---|
| First visit, one day in Madrid | 2 hours, 30 works | €15 in the morning, or free walking in at 6pm |
| Travelling with children | 1 hour, 15 works | Under-18s free with ID at the desk |
| Serious about painting | 3 hours, 54 works | €15, arriving before 5pm |
Two hours is the right call for most visitors: it doubles the one-hour route to 30 works while leaving the afternoon free. Pay the €15 if you want to choose the day and the pace, or if the three-hour route is the plan, since it never fits the free slot. Go free if the essentials are all you want and you can be at the door at 6pm.
Which paintings to see first
- Las Meninas, by Velázquez.
- The Third of May 1808, by Goya.
- The Garden of Earthly Delights, by Bosch.
- The Annunciation, by Fra Angelico, painted for the monastery of Santo Domenico in Fiesole.
- The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest, by El Greco.
- Charles V at Mühlberg, by Titian.
All six sit on the Prado’s one-hour route, which also takes in Juan de Flandes, Ribera, Raphael and Tiepolo. Pick up a floor plan at the entrance for room numbers, because paintings move when temporary shows open.
Getting to the Prado and getting in
From the airport, Cercanías line C-1 runs from Terminal 4 to Recoletos and Atocha, both a short walk from the museum, and skips the €3 charge explained in the airport Metro supplement guide; from Terminals 1, 2 and 3 the Metro adds it to the single ticket.
From Puerta del Sol, Metro line 1 runs direct to Estación del Arte; line 2 stops at Banco de España, a walk down the Paseo del Prado. A single Metro ticket costs €1.50 to €2.00 depending on the number of stations, as set out in the Madrid Metro ticket price guide.
- No booking needed. Tickets can be bought online for the same day, according to the Prado, and an online ticket takes you straight in without the desk.
- Goya entrance, on Calle Felipe IV, has the ticket desks. Use it if you have nothing booked.
- Jerónimos entrance, on the same street, leads to the collection and temporary shows, with priority for wheelchair users and pushchairs.
- Murillo entrance is for school groups only.
- Backpacks go in the cloakroom, which also lends wheelchairs and pushchairs.
What catches first-time visitors out
- No weekly closing day. The Prado opens every day, while the Reina Sofía next door shuts on Tuesdays.
- Last entry is 30 minutes before closing, in the free slot as at any other time.
- Night openings are not a shortcut. On the first Saturday of each month the Prado reopens free from 8.30pm to 11.30pm through the Jerónimos entrance, but the rooms open change every edition.
- The collection cannot be done in a day. Picking a route is the point, not a compromise.
Pairing the Prado with the rest of the Paseo del Arte
The free-slot rules are laid out in Prado free evening hours, and the neighbours run their own: the Thyssen free on Mondays and the Reina Sofía free hours.
The Royal Botanical Garden is next door for a break, the Prado slots into Madrid in one day, and it anchors a rainy day in Madrid.
Prado Museum visit FAQs, time, tickets and entrances
Is two hours enough for the Prado Museum?
Two hours is enough for a first visit at the Prado Museum. It covers the Prado’s own 30-work route, or the one-hour route with Las Meninas, The Third of May 1808 and The Garden of Earthly Delights at an easy pace. The museum also publishes a one-hour route of 15 works and a three-hour route of 54, and nobody sees the whole collection in a day.
What time should I arrive for free entry at the Prado?
Arrive at 6pm sharp from Monday to Saturday, or 5pm on Sundays and holidays. The free slot lasts two hours, but the Prado stops letting people in 30 minutes before closing, so walking in at 7pm leaves time only for the one-hour route.
Do I need to book Prado tickets in advance?
No. There is no need to book ahead, and tickets bought online can be for the same day. With an online ticket you show it at the door and skip the ticket desks at the Goya entrance. General admission is €15, and under-18s go free with ID shown at the desk.
Which paintings should I see first at the Prado?
Start with Las Meninas by Velázquez, The Third of May 1808 by Goya and The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch. The Prado’s one-hour route adds El Greco’s Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest, Fra Angelico’s Annunciation and Titian’s Charles V at Mühlberg.
Can I take a backpack into the Prado?
Backpacks go in the cloakroom at the Prado Museum, which also lends wheelchairs and pushchairs to visitors who need them. Leave the bag there before starting a route, and pick up a floor plan at the entrance, since paintings change rooms when temporary shows open.
Two well-timed hours at the Prado beat three tired ones, so let the clock pick your route before the paintings do.