The Prado Museum, Madrid

Since its grand opening to the public in 1819, the Prado museum has been celebrated for its fantastic collection of Spanish art. Over the years the royal collection has expanded greatly to include many other pieces from artist all around the world. However, it still remains as the best museum for Spanish art with the works of Goya, Velazqeuz and El Greco, to name but a few, on display.

I must admit that I am an art person, and so, I was always looking forward to visiting this world famous museum. That said, I will tell straight off, that it was not my favourite – as someone who is more interested in more modern art, I personally preferred the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofia. For me, it was still pretty good though.

The majority of the artwork at the Prado tends to be very traditional with a lot of religious imagery. For some people (who are not into that style of art), you might even find that you keep seeing the same painting, when in actual fact they are different but share a lot of similarities. It does not help that due to the layout of the museum, you might find yourself wandering into a gallery that you have already visited. Then again, this is easily resolved: simply make sure you take a map from the front desk to avoid repeating yourself!

The museum if very large but this can also be a great advantage. Because of the spacious rooms and the high ceilings, you can look at the very big canvasses without being overly close. You can observe them from a distance, and take the entire thing in.

In my opinion, each gallery is very interesting, especially as they all have a particular theme. Each painting or sculpture is interesting to observe and you gain a lot from the tour guide (in the form of a headset) which explains certain symbols and the history of some pieces. I am also interested in history and so, in some cases, the history of the painting was more interesting than the art itself. On this note, you can get a headset, available in several languages from the front desk – there is even a headset specifically for children, where the language and explanations are put in simpler terms. I would recommend it as it can be a great aid.

My favourite piece is The Garden of Earthly Delight by Hieronymus Bosch which is, and has been, subject to many interpretations. Judging from what I have heard and read, I believe that it is a painting with the intent to warn people about the temptations in life. Moreover, it demonstrates the potential consequences to giving into such temptations – remember that this was painted in an era when Christianity has great influence.

As I said, a lot of the artwork involves Christianity in some way but noticing the different symbols, or in which light the faith is presented is what marks the difference.

If you are passionate about art, I reckon you spend a full day in this museum. Otherwise, I would put 1-3 hours aside you wander around the galleries. I would recommend a visit to the Prado to anyone – even if you are disinterested in art. The Prado is a must-do whilst you are in Madrid. But, perhaps in this case, you might want to spend as little money as possible.

A standard ticket is 14 euros and a reduced ticket is 7 (although I am not sure what gives you this discount). However, if you are student between the ages of 18-25, you can get in free. You do have to show your student card, but I had no problems using my uni card from the UK. Furthermore, the museum is free for all should you visit during the last 2 hours before closing on any day. This might work nicely for anyone who wants to go, simply in order to say that they have been.

Although, do bear in mind that it gets very busy on the weekends. Likewise, it is also quite crowded during the holidays so might want to prepare for a queue. You can always buy tickets online in advance to skip the queues, but if you would like a keepsake (like I do) and get a pretty ticket, head to the front desk.

It is easy enough to get to. Walking from the city centre is a perfectly reasonable idea (maybe 20 minutes from Puerta Del Sol) and in doing so you get to enjoy the wonders of the city. But if you are further out, the closest metro stations are Atocha and Banco de Espana.

You’ll know it when you see it: not only is it well sign-posted, there are normally some very big crowds (just follow them). And the architecture is just amazing! I would say just look for the stunning building but there are too many of these in Madrid to count.

Another thing to note is that if you have a particularly big bag, you must check it in to the cloakroom. This is not really a problem but once you have just entered the museum having waited in line for some time, it is kind of frustrating when you discover that you have to wait in line to check in a bag. They give you a card and when you hand it back you can retrieve your things. It is actually much nicer walking around with little baggage so I would suggest do this even if you do not have huge bag.

Finally, as every good museum should have, the café in the Prado is excellent. It has a very pleasant atmosphere and offers a variety of food and beverages – although these are at museum prices. It is a nice area though to sit for a little, either before or after your tour. I would suggest maybe have a cup of tea (like a true Englishman) beforehand, so you can use the time to plan where you’d like to go.

But, still it’s up to you. Hope this have been useful, if you have visited the Prado/going to the Prado, let me know what you think of it.

Hasta luego.