Great museum, can bring water in, no photos allowed, confusing directions to taxi stand…read more The most popular painting by far was the Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch. The only painting that was hard to see due to the crowds! Consider bringing small handheld binoculars or field glasses to better see the Bosch and for some large paintings. People drank from their water bottles in the hallways. Appreciated that we could stand within about a meter (three feet) of each painting and sculpture! We felt that the people of Spain trusted us with their heritage. People behaved well and returned the trust. There is a lesson there.

Visiting the Prado Museum was an unforgettable, experience for my husband and me. Being able to…read morestand directly in front of iconic artwork I'd previously only studied in books and classes was incredible--real moments that made the trip feel special. Seeing pieces by Botticelli, Goya, Picasso, and so many other legendary artists up close was nothing short of awe-inspiring. It has given me a different perspective of art that I will certainly carry. That said, a few logistical hiccups kept it from being a full five-star visit: * Unmanageable Crowds: Navigating the space near the most famous masterpieces was a challenge. Swarms of people constantly gathered around key artworks, making it nearly impossible to pause, linger, or quietly ponder the detail in a meaningful way. * The No-Photo Battle: The docents/security guards were endlessly trying to enforce the no-picture rule, but honestly, it felt like a fool's errand. Visitors were taking photos at every turn anyway, creating a weirdly tense, cat-and-mouse dynamic throughout the galleries. We still purchased a few of the lovely art books they were offering, but I still snapped a picture every now and again. * Sheer Scale: The museum is absolutely enormous! Because there is so much ground to cover, it almost becomes overwhelming, and it's tough to fully absorb and appreciate the depth of the collection without feeling sensory overload. What saved the day for us: We opted for the audio earphone guides, which I highly recommend. They provided fantastic context and structure to help us navigate the massive layout and truly appreciate what we were seeing. The rest areas were much needed, and the bathrooms were spotlessly maintained. To wrap up our visit, we spent time in the gift shop, which was exceptional! They have thoughtful keepsakes and high-quality items at every price point, making it easy to find the perfect souvenir to mark our trip. We also grabbed a late lunch at the cafe, which was nice too. Overall, despite the chaotic crowds and strict enforcement attempts, the sheer beauty and significance of the collection make the Prado an absolute must-see when in Madrid.

The last time Jamie W and I vacationed in Madrid over 15 years ago, we made the big mistake of…read moretrying to squeeze this museum and the Prado into the same afternoon. We had to race through the Reina Sofia without allowing the requisite time to appreciate the masterworks constantly hidden by the crowds. We didn't make the same mistake last week and decided to focus a full afternoon here. There was no avoiding the long line that snaked around the plaza even though we bought the 32,8€ Paseo del Arte passes which covers all three of Madrid's essential museums. We still had to redeem our passes to get our museum tickets. It only took about 25 minutes before we made the beeline to the museum's spotlight masterwork, Picasso's "Guernica" on the second floor. Viewing was packed and unmovable, but it's still the definitive visualization of the horrors of war made striking by the monochromatic palette (Video 1). The building was once an 18th-century hospital before it became an art museum as recently as 1988. It houses Spain's most significant collection of 20th-century art. Along with Picasso, other contemporary masters are also on display here. Artists represented include Salvador Dali (Photos 3 & 5), Joan Miro (Photo 2), and Rene Magritte (Photo 7). Up on the third floor is even more contemporary art dating back only to 1975 including works by Andy Warhol (Photo 6) and Robert Mapplethorpe (Photo 4). This was our favorite of Madrid's Golden Triangle which includes the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza. Definitely take your time perusing. RELATED - Exploring Madrid? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/qwUK6nAE-z

If you're into 20th century art, pop by this famous art museum. Near many other sites in Madrid,…read morethis museum is big. It's 3-4 floors of exhibits with art from some famous artists like Picasso. On a Friday afternoon in September, I walked in, paid 12 Euros, and explored for 1.5 hours. The museum is easy to navigate with signs everywhere, elevators and stairs taking you up and down. Don't miss the courtyard in the middle. There are benches and more art there.

Of the three museums that make up Madrid's Golden Triangle of Art, this is the one people tend to…read moreforget. Indeed this was the third big museum Jamie W and I visited since we didn't have enough time until our 4th day in Madrid. The museum's unpronounceable name doesn't help much. It also houses a broad collection of art that isn't as easy to categorize as the Prado (classical Spanish masters) and the Reina Sofía (contemporary 20th-century art). The museum spans eight centuries of Western art across four floors from 13th-century medieval works on the top floor to 20th-century pop art at the bottom. Richard Estes' Telephone Booths (Photo 8) and Charles Bell's Thunder Smash (Photo 9) are personal favorites of mine. In between are works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, as well as Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, German Expressionism, and Early Avant-Garde movements. The most familiar paintings are on the middle and main floors where works by Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso, Dalí, Degas, Manet and Hopper are spotlighted. Unlike the other two museums, this one started as a private collection amassed by two generations of one wealthy Hungarian-German family, which explains why it covers multiple genres not covered by the other two. Admission is 14€ or alternatively 32,8€ for the entire Golden Triangle of Art. RELATED - Exploring Madrid? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/P0_zGgWaQT

One of the golden triangle of Madrid art museums, you need three to four hours for this one. The…read morebest order, if possible, is the Prado the first day (which takes all day) because one can learn so much from the very detailed descriptions there that will help frame the order the art here is arranged in. The collection spans from a couple of pieces from the 13th century to contemporary, with especially good collections of Spanish medieval, Dutch masters, French impressionist, expressionist, cubist, modernism, post abstract realism, and 20th century sculpture. Although we bought tickets for all three when we went to the Prado, we found ourselves in line before Noon on free day Monday. The line was daunting it was so long, but once they opened we were in within about 20 minutes. The crowd wasn't as stifling as in the Prado, but worse than the Sofia, but you just don't want to miss this amazing art musuem just because it's too popular. Lots of sick people cough and sneezing, I would mask up.

Meanwhile, the companion in some ways of the other review I just wrote, of the Palace of the Stock…read moreExchange in Portugal, this tour is definitely of a gaudy palace built by royalty with a whole *lot* of stolen gold and jewels, so I was glad to learn that it isn't *still* owned by the royal family, it's owned by the state and mostly used for state functions, other than its purpose as far as tourists are concerned, being a museum of a fraction of the riches Spain owns (and not a coincidence, presumably, that they also built a museum of *more* of the riches owned by Spain, on display right next door, for a combined, reduced price.) The self-guided tour is worth it if you like seeing a bunch of super ornate architecture, furniture, artwork, etc. We got snippets of the actual tour as we passed each other at various points - I was happier being able to walk through the route at our own pace, which took about an hour. I felt sorry for the people whose tickets were for any time the following day, though, as it was randomly closed all day the next day we were in Madrid a few months ago, which I gather isn't an altogether rare thing to happen, that they take reservations and then close last minute. We got in in the nick of time, it seemed. By the way, if you have bags, you do have to leave your bags downstairs in a locker at a small additional fee. It was small enough I do remember exactly how much it even was, though, so it clearly wasn't a big deal.

What a massive place and sooo maybe cool art displays…read more We bought our tickets same day and there was no wait time.

I love history and museums. However, I am not a huge fan of prehistory. I can't get fully onboard…read morewith the objectivity of such subjective items. Nevertheless, this was a good experience and our tour guide made it even better. The museum is packed with objects, most of which are authentic and not replicas. There are even some objects that are on display that are known fakes. There story behind them and how the museum acquired such objects is interesting. The best part was the digital display that overlays a topographical map of the Iberian peninsula. It tells the story of the Iberian migration of peoples over the centuries. Overall, not a bad museum, kind of boring in some areas but still a good experience.

One of the finest archeology museums anywhere. Every artificact here is from the Iberian…read morepenninsula or excavated by Spanish Archeologists. Good explanations from either physical or cultural anthropology, very up to date information on the evolution of humans. The descriptions and explanations are truly excellent. If you start downstairs you can work your way up in time from milliions of years ago to early modernity. Check for free concerts and lectures, I saw an interesting and talented saxophone quartet in the evening.

Amazing, from start to finish! I was greeted by a very friendly receptionist who explained…read moreeverything we needed to know to navigate the museum including the use of the audio guide. Once beginning I was so impressed with the time and detail that was put in to every explanation for each point of the audio guide. They clearly really wanted you to understand the material and took great efforts to make that happen. Once I entered the museum I was wowed by all of the artifacts that they had preserved and showcased. Again, the attention to detail paid in every display including the description of each item's significance, really helped establish a holistic understanding of the various facets of the mint and how it worked. One of the really cool things was seeing the components of how the water wheel worked form the interior of the building and then viewing it from the exterior of the building, again so a holistic understanding of the mechanism at play could be understood. Absolutely top notch museum, if traveling to or through Segovia, neglecting to come here would be a huge mistake.

This is a must see museum, but enjoyment might be a bit hampered by the crowds. In fact, there…read morewere so many people on a relatively slow winter Sunday, they had to stagger entrance and make us wait. The house is not actually El Greco's house, that was a misunderstanding, but it is a uniquely lovely structure for this art collection. You'll benefit from a prior trip to the Prado where there are excellent informational and educational posted notes. There are many important pieces here but my favorite is his depiction of Toledo.

Museo Del Greco's located in the Jewish Quarter of Toledo and is the home of El Greco. It contains…read morea significant amount of his art collection. You think it's a small exhibit, but once you get inside the museum, it's full of a ton of artwork and you can easily spend a chunk of time browsing through the history. I personally didn't take photos of the artwork only because it's scattered all over the internet as it is. I just spent the time wandering in the home. For 3 EUR, it's basically a no-brainer to visit. I enjoyed the courtyard area with all the flowers too. Just need to come here, relax, and enjoy the art.

I am not Catholic but I can appreciate a beautiful church when I see one. I've seen a good number…read moreof them and this one is lovely. Administrated by the priests of Opus Dei who you may have heard of from The Da Vinci Code book and movie. Not that there are any clues here to an adventure or anything like that. It's a church, not a Hollywood movie set. Construction began in 1739 and completed in 1745. It is in the Baroque style. Today it serves as a minor basilica. Inside, and please be respectful, it is lovely. Art and scenery that show the power of the Catholic Church. Well worth a visit. [Review 12526 overall, 2316 of 2019.]

I was just wandering around this area, and somehow I found this church, the building looked quite…read morecool, so i decided to go in and took a look. This basilica church isn't so big, But it really got the wow moment. I like the style inside as well, it reminds me some similar churches back in Germany. Well, they are the same style after all. I did saw this two huge figures lying there with flowers and other stuff, not sure how I should call it in the correct way. I asked my partner and he told me it is a tradition of procession, they will carry them around the city, during the week before Easter. We were there near Easter. I think I already saw procession celemory the other day near the Palacio Real. But these two looked even more fancy. I found the painting on the roof quite nice. The church is not so well knowing but sure it is worth to visit. And no admission fee.

The palace is absolutely beautiful, but it's currently fully under construction. You aren't able to…read moreenter and there's a lot of scaffolding blocking the beautiful views of the large glass windows.

I walked here from the Museo Nacional del Prado on nice warm summer day. While it was a nice…read morestroll, it was long and it got hot! So, upon arrival to this crystal palace, we were already hot and when entering, it was even hotter! To be honest, was it worth the long walk? Probably not, but if your sole activity of the day is to just explore El Retiro Park, then definitely make your way here to enjoy it's beauty.

I wouldn't call this museum a must see, but it is an excellent history museum with some fabulous…read moreart. The history of Madrid is largely told by art, but also maps, sketches models, artifacts, and eventually at the top, photographs. The history ends at industrialization, maybe because that's all they had room for. The grounds and entrance are picturesque. We went on a free day, but it's worth the regular admission. One to two hours, you could easily visit here and the nearby Romantic Museum in an afternoon. A good choice for after the three days of the Golden Triangle of big Madrid art museums. The neighborhood has lots of cafes, pastry shops, affordable dining, bookstores, and Michalin star restaurants so maybe make an afternoon and evening of the Chambri area. If you are staying nearby I think this is a must see stop. Very close to Hotel Sardinero and the Tribunal Metro stop.

Inside the 17th century building of an old orphanage, the Madrid History Museum is free for all…read more Walk inside and staff will direct you where to start. Over the course of three floors, the permanent collection gives a good history of the city of Madrid from the 16th century on. One fascinating exhibit is the map of Madrid from the 1500s on and how it grew from a small villa to a large capital. There are clean restrooms, places to sit, and a good gift shop.