easy
5–6 hours
Basic fitness is sufficient; expect moderate walking and standing throughout the day.
Explore two of Madrid’s most famous museums on a private 5.5-hour tour. Experience legendary masterpieces and personalized insights away from the crowds.
5.5 hrs | Daily | SKIP-THE-LINE | Most popular!
Embark on a captivating 5.5-hour private tour of Madrid's artistic gems, the Prado and Reina Sofía museums. With an expert guide, delve into masterpieces like Bosch's "The Garden of Earthly Delights" and Picasso's "Guernica," exploring the rich tapestry of Spanish art from the Renaissance to modernism. Experience art like never before!
5.5 hours (including a lunch break)
Meet your guide by the Goya statue at the main entrance, outside of the museum Prado museum
With so much to do in Madrid, don’t waste a minute in lines and gawking at art without a clue of what it all means. This 5.5 hour private guided museum combo tour of Madrid’s most visited museums will allow you to understand and enjoy both the Prado and the Reina Sofia, two sites that you simply must experience.
Begin at the Prado Museum, one of the most visited monuments in Madrid, and not just because the breathtaking neoclassical facades. Built in the late 1700s, the Prado began showcasing art in the early 1800s. Predominantly featuring paintings, it also has sculptures and prints among thousands of works dating from the 1200s. The most famous pieces include “Las Meninas” (The Maids of Honor), an inventive self-portrait by Spanish-born Velázquez, and “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” a triptych from Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch. The Prado houses the largest collection of Italian masterpieces outside of Italy, featuring works like “The Annunciation” by Fra Angelico and “David and Goliath” by Caravaggio. With your expert guide, you’ll hear all about the stories and scandals behind artists including Goya, Rembrandt, El Greco, and others.
Next, enter the Reina Sofia Museum, housing one of the largest collections of modern and contemporary art in the world. In the 1990s, a former hospital was renovated and turned into the Reina Sofia, home to 20th century art mostly from Spanish artists. Your expert guide will discuss the various artistic movements on display here, including abstractionism, cubism, surrealism, and modernism. You’ll learn all about Spain’s most famous artistic export, Pablo Picasso, while standing in front of his world-changing painting, “Guernica.” You’ll see works by Joan Miró, like “The Man with a Pipe,” as well as Salvador Dali’s “Face of the Great Masturbator,” learning about the techniques and stories behind these sometimes offbeat works of art. Your guide will situate all of these works in their larger social and political contexts, allowing you to understand how events like the Spanish Civil War shaped these artists’ lives and works. By the end, you’ll have experienced one of Spain’s, and the world’s, most exquisite collections of contemporary art, which no trip to Madrid should go without.
Reserve your private tour and museum entry ahead of time to ensure availability and avoid long lines.
You’ll be walking and standing for several hours, so comfortable footwear is important.
Pack light with essentials like water, a phone, and a camera while complying with museum bag size restrictions.
Check and adhere to each museum’s no-flash photography policies to respect the art and other visitors.
Madrid’s cultural growth as a capital city led to the foundation of these iconic museums, housing Spain’s artistic evolution from Renaissance to contemporary eras.
Both museums actively participate in art preservation initiatives, using climate-controlled environments and sustainable practices to protect cultural heritage.
Necessary for navigating museum galleries and walking between locations comfortably.
Provides warmth during cooler indoor air conditioning or outdoor walking.
fall specific
Stay hydrated while exploring during warmer months.
summer specific
Useful for keeping your devices powered during your full-day tour.