Skip-the-Line Prado Museum Tour in a Small Group

Meeting just outside the Prado Museum, near the statue of the Goya, your tour begins with skip-the-line entry to help make the most of your 2 hours inside. Soon you’ll be following your knowledgeable art guide on a curated tour through the Prado’s most famous works and hidden gems, discovering their meaning, influence, and the stories of the European masters who created them.

Skip-the-Line Prado Museum Tour Description

Your 2-hour art tour includes:

• Skip-the-line Prado Museum tickets

• Guided tour of the museum's great works and hidden gems

• See works by Goya, El Greco, Bosch, and many more

• Engaging, English-speaking art historian guide

• Maximum group size of 30

The Incredible Prado Museum

Designed by Juan de Villanueva and opened to the public back in 1819, the Prado Museum has grown to house one of the world's finest art collections. Your guide will explain some of the building's history as you head inside, and your skip-the-line ticket lets you start exploring without the sometimes long wait to get in.

Built to house the masterpieces of Spain under the orders of King Ferdinand VII, the Prado proudly displays works by Spanish greats from the early days of Bartolomé Bermejo and Pedro Berruguete, through Zurbarán and Murillo, and on to 19th-century masters like Federico and Madrazo.

You'll also find pieces from beyond Spain, with the collection spanning some of the true European greats. From Renaissance masters like Botticelli and Titian to incredible Dutch painters like Rembrandt and Rubens, your Prado Museum tour will take you on a journey through the history of art.

Goya, the Master of Spanish Art

Up until the Napoleonic Wars, Francisco Goya was the top artist in the court of the King Charles IV, and he's widely regarded as one of Spain's all time greats. It's no surpirise that Goya's work is a major freature of the Prado, with 140 of his pieces on display in the Goya Galleries. See the development of the great artist from his royal portraits of the 18th century to the emotional and intense works as the 19th century began.

Two of the many great works by Goya you will see are The Third of May 1808 and Saturn Devouring his Son. Your guide will tell stories of Goya's different eras and themes from the horrors of war to the mythological intensity of his later years. An icon of Spain, see why Goya is so beloved across Iberia.

El Greco, the Greek beloved by Spain

Born in Crete, Domenikos Theotokopoulos is known to history by his understandable nickname El Greco (the Greek). El Greco spent the first half of his life around Venice. and eventually settling in Rome, where he was inspired and influenced by the Italian Renaissance.

Once El Greco moved to Toledo in 1577, he became the symbol of the Spanish Renaissance. Over his 35 years in Spain, El Greco became world-famous for his portraits of noblemen including the impressive Nobleman with Hand on his Chest. Though many of his great works are found in his city of Toledo, over 40 of his paintings and sculptures are found only in the Prado.

Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights

Arguably the most stunning work in the Prado is Hieronymus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights. The massive three-paneled landscape measures nearly 7 feet by 13 feet, and it took over two decades for Bosch to paint his masterpiece, which has been on display in the Prado since 1939. Your guide will describe the controversy and scholarly discussions that have caused many discussions among art historians for centuries.

With other famous depictions like The Haywain Triptych and The Last Judgement, Bosch's intentions and symbols have been studied for over 500 years.

After your 2-hour tour comes to an end, your guide will say goodbye but you're welcome to stay for longer in the museum if you'd like to keep exploring independently.