Prado vs Reina Sofía: Which Madrid Museum Should You Visit?
The Prado is five centuries of European masters. The Reina Sofía is Guernica and everything that came after. They're 15 minutes apart. Here's how to choose — or how to do both.
The Prado and the Reina Sofía sit 700 metres apart on the same boulevard. They're both essential. They share almost nothing in common.
One covers five centuries of European painting — Velázquez, Goya, Bosch, Titian, Raphael. The other starts roughly where the Prado ends: the 20th century, Picasso's Guernica, Miró, Dalí, and the contemporary art that followed. Choosing between them depends entirely on what you're actually here to see.
The core difference
The Prado is the canonical collection of European classical painting, built around the Spanish royal collection. Velázquez's Las Meninas is here. Goya's Black Paintings are here. Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights is here. If you care about pre-20th-century European art, there is no better single building on the continent.
The Reina Sofía is the national museum of 20th-century Spanish art — with significant international holdings. The reason most people come is Guernica. Picasso painted it in 1937 as a response to the bombing of a Basque town during the Civil War. It's 7.8 metres wide, black and white, and nothing prepares you for the scale of it. The museum also holds significant Miró and Dalí collections, and a strong programme of temporary exhibitions.
Where to book (both museums)
Our take: Prado rarely sells out but queues 20+ min on weekends — GYG skip-line is worth it. Reina Sofía never sells out and the official site is friction-free. If you want flexibility on both, use GYG for both.
Prices and free hours
Prado: €15 adults, €7.50 reduced (students, 65+). Free Monday–Saturday 6:00–8:00 PM and Sunday 5:00–7:00 PM. Under 18 always free.
Reina Sofía: €12 adults, €6 reduced. Free Monday and Wednesday–Saturday 7:00–9:00 PM, and Sunday 1:30–7:00 PM. Under 18 always free.
The Reina Sofía's Sunday afternoon free window (1:30–7:00 PM) is the most generous free slot at any major Madrid museum. It includes the permanent collection and most temporary exhibitions. It's also the busiest — Guernica gets crowded. The Prado's free evening slots are shorter but calmer, especially on weekdays.
Both museums require timed entry during free hours. Book in advance on the official sites. Planning to visit both cities? Check our Barcelona vs Madrid comparison for art lovers deciding between the two cities.
How much time you need
The Prado is larger and denser. Two to three hours covers the main highlights: Velázquez, Goya, Italian Renaissance, Flemish masters. A full visit is four to five hours. Most people leave exhausted before reaching the upper floors — which have some of the best Goyas and a room of Bosch that fewer visitors reach.
The Reina Sofía is more manageable. An hour and a half to two hours covers the highlights: floors 2 and 4 hold Guernica, Picasso's preparatory studies, Miró, and Dalí's The Great Masturbator. Floor 3 is temporary exhibitions. Floor 4 picks up from the post-war period through to the 1980s.
If you have one day
Start at the Prado when it opens (10:00 AM). Spend the morning. Walk to the Reina Sofía after lunch. You'll arrive early enough to see Guernica without the worst of the afternoon crowds, and still have time before closing. The walk between them along the Paseo del Prado takes about 12 minutes.
| Prado | Reina Sofía | |
|---|---|---|
| Art | Classical European (13th–19th c.) | Modern & contemporary (20th c.–) |
| Key works | Las Meninas, Goya, Bosch | Guernica, Miró, Dalí |
| Price | €15 adult | €12 adult |
| Free hours | Mon–Sat 6–8 PM · Sun 5–7 PM | Mon+Wed–Sat 7–9 PM · Sun 1:30–7 PM |
| Time needed | 2–3 hrs (highlights) | 1.5–2 hrs (highlights) |
| Distance apart | 700 m · ~12 min walk | — |
| Prado tickets | GetYourGuide · museodelprado.es | |
| Reina Sofía tickets | GetYourGuide · museoreinasofia.es |
Prices and free hours verified March 2026. Confirm on official sites before you go.
Last verified: March 2026
Frequently asked questions
Should I go to the Prado or the Reina Sofía?
If you love classical European painting (Velázquez, Goya, Raphael), go to the Prado. If you want modern and contemporary art, and specifically Guernica, go to the Reina Sofía. If you have a full day, do both — they're a 15-minute walk apart on the same boulevard.
Which is better for a first visit to Madrid?
The Prado, if you only have time for one. It's the reason people come to Madrid specifically for art. The Reina Sofía is essential if Guernica is on your list, but the Prado's permanent collection is harder to replicate anywhere else.
How much time do you need for each museum?
Prado: 2–3 hours minimum for the highlights (Velázquez, Goya, Bosch). A full visit is 4–5 hours. Reina Sofía: 1.5–2 hours for the highlights including Guernica. The collection is large, but most visitors focus on floors 2 and 4.
When are the Prado and Reina Sofía free?
Prado: free Monday–Saturday 6–8 PM and Sunday 5–7 PM. Reina Sofía: free Monday and Wednesday–Saturday 7–9 PM, and Sunday 1:30–7 PM. Both require timed entry during free hours — book in advance.
How far apart are the Prado and Reina Sofía?
About 700 metres — a 10–15 minute walk along the Paseo del Prado. Doing both in one day is realistic if you start early. For a full walking route including the Thyssen, see our Golden Triangle itinerary.