Prado Museum Tour

Tour Details

About the Tour

Category: Art
Duration: 3 hours
Location: Madrid

Photos & Highlights

See highlights of the Prado Museum, including Bosch and Goya, with skip-the-line tickets
Led by a professional art historian
Prado Museum

Tour Description

During this 3 hour Prado Museum tour with skip-the-line tickets, we will explore the Prado Museum, famous not only for works by such major Spanish artists as Velazquez and Goya, but also for a wide range of Flemish, Italian, and French art representative of the far reach and influence of the Spanish Empire. Under the tutelage of an art history expert, we’ll gain a broad, contextual understanding of this exciting collection while visiting some of the most significant paintings in one of the world’s greatest art museums. Our Prado Museum tour is offered daily for both small groups and private tours.

Interested in further exploration of Madrid's art museums? We recommend our Private Thyssen Museum tour.

Sites Visited

Prado Museum

Included

3 hour with a PhD or MA-level guide
Skip-the-line tickets

Itinerary Details

We’ll begin our tour by looking at the paintings that once formed part of the private collections of Spanish monarchs. These works are the initial core of the Prado Museum and account for the presence of such masterpieces as The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch and The Descent from the Cross by Roger van der Weyden, two of the most important paintings in the Prado. Next, we'll turn our attention to the advent of the Habsburg dynasty in Spain. Brought upon by Charles V, who, along with his son Philip II, became prominent patrons of Venetian artists, chiefly Titian. We may dwell for a while with this artist's powerful portraits of both regents. We’ll also discuss how a fascination with Italy—specifically Venice—infused the work of Velazquez, whom King Philip IV (grandson of Philip II) sent to Italy in order to acquire paintings.

Next we’ll look at Rubens, who sojourned at the court in Madrid and who provides a unique contrast to Velazquez, in particular Velazquez's famous Las Meninas. We'll finish in the Goya rooms, where we can review the relationships between artists and their royal patrons as we study such works as The Family of Charles IV. We'll conclude with a deep appreciation for the variety of masterpieces contained within the Prado, and how this museum serves as a capsule of European history from the Renaissance to modernity

FAQ

What is a private tour?

Our private tours are limited exclusively to travelers in your party. They are designed to provide a learning experience that is completely tailored to you and your traveling companions. Private tours give you more flexibility with scheduling (you decide when the walk best fits in your trip), the ability to tailor your itinerary (we'll work to match the itinerary to the interests and dynamics of your group), and more personalized time with your guide.

What is a small group tour?

Our small group tours cover many of the same itineraries as our private tours, but they place you with other travelers in groups of 6 or less. They operate on a pre-scheduled calendar, and are designed to provide an opportunity to engage with and learn from other travelers.

Can you focus in depth on a specific theme?
We can organize this tour on a private basis around a special theme such as the Italians, Flemish Painting, or Peter Paul Rubens.

Will you purchase skip-the-line tickets for me?
Yes, though we will still need to wait in the small security line which is required of all visitors to the museum.

Is this tour wheelchair-accessible?
The museum is accessible to wheelchairs with the exception of certain areas connected to the Villanueva building due to its design. Please contact us to discuss in more detail your mobility concerns so that we can best advise; we are also happy to design a private, customized tour for visitors with mobility concerns.

Where You'll Start

Tour Experts

Andrea

Andrea Van Houtven received her Ph.D. in art history at the University of Maryland. Her dissertation was on the relationship between art and humanism at the Spanish court in the early 17th century, which inevitably led her to Madrid. She has lived in Madrid for 12 years where she has been teaching art history and art-related courses at various universities and private centers. She also participates in special events at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.

Clara

Originally from Equatorial Guinea, Clara moved to Spain when she was 2 years old. She holds degrees in geography and history and a Master’s in art history from Sorbonne University in Paris. With more than fifteen years experience in museum education and public programs, Clara has worked at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice (Italy), the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C, and a number of institutions within the cultural department of the Ministry of Culture in Spain. She also has designed art and cultural tours for groups for more than 10 years. At present Clara works as a Public Programmes and Communication Coordinator at the Museo del Traje (Costume Museum) of Madrid, organising events, lectures, group visits and educational programmes. An avid traveller, she has lived in Seville, Bilbao, New York City, Washington, D.C., Venice, Florence, London and Paris. Interested in different aspects of Spanish cultures, she also has been developing her other passion: food. She has certificates in wine tasting from the Spanish School of Wine Tasting and the Basque Culinary Center and in Gastronomy from the Complutense University. At the present she enjoys combining her research in Spanish Art History and Spanish Museums with her passion about food in Madrid and in the Basque Country.

Itziar

Itziar Mesanza obtained her first degree in tourism in the Spanish city of Bilbao, famous for its wonderful Guggenheim Modern Art Museum. She continued her studies with a Masters in History and has been living and guiding in Madrid. Passionate about travel, Itziar lived in Dublin for one year and shares Spanish history and culture on specialized tours around Spain.

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243 Reviews – (4.85)

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Our guide Barbara was amazing. She has a PhD in art and led us on a selective and informed tour of the Prado. She not only told us about the paintings, but she was able to place them in Spain's context: what was going on, the political climate, events occurring in the artists' lives, the significance of the art in modern times, etc. The tour flew by. A truly wonderful immersion in the art of the Prado!

Pamela

Mar. 16, 2020

Andrea is an excellent guide.

Linda

Feb. 24, 2020

Michael was an amazing tour guide! It was amazing to tour a museum with an artist and art scholar - brought such a well-rounded and insightful perspective to the works. Thank you, Michael!!

Catherine

Feb. 23, 2020

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