Three buildings, two floors, more than 100 galleries — and only three hours in your visit. How to find Las Meninas, the Black Paintings and the Bosch triptych without getting lost on the way, and the practical details that catch first-timers out.
The Prado complex spans three connected buildings — the original 1785 Villanueva, the modern 2007 Jerónimos extension by Rafael Moneo, and the Casón del Buen Retiro — with more than 100 galleries arranged across two floors. This guide walks you through the route most visitors find rewarding, the practical details (entrances, cloakrooms, security) that catch people out, and where each masterpiece sits. See also our opening hours and best time to visit guides for planning tips.
Room 12 holds Las Meninas — the painting most visitors come for. Surrounding rooms 14–16 hold equestrian portraits of Philip IV and the dwarves of the Spanish court. The Velázquez galleries reward unhurried looking; allow 45 minutes here.
The Black Paintings — including the chilling Saturn Devouring His Son — are on floor 0 in rooms 66–67. The Third of May 1808, The Naked Maja and The Clothed Maja are upstairs. Goya alone occupies more wall space than any other artist.
Hieronymus Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights (~1500) hangs in room 56A — a triptych so detailed you could spend an hour and still find new figures. Rogier van der Weyden's Descent from the Cross is in the same wing.
The Prado is at Calle de Ruiz de Alarcón 23, 28014 Madrid. The closest metros are Banco de España (line 2) and Estación del Arte (line 1), both a 5-minute walk through the leafy Paseo del Prado. From Atocha train station it's a 10-minute walk north past the Botanical Garden.
The museum has three entrances: the Goya door on Calle Felipe IV (the most famous, with the longest queues), the Velázquez door on Paseo del Prado (groups), and the Jerónimos door on Calle Ruiz de Alarcón (online ticket holders — fastest entry). With a pre-booked ticket, always head straight to Jerónimos. Coats and bags larger than a daypack must be checked at the free cloakroom (€1 lockers also available). Pick up the free floor plan and head straight to Room 12 for Las Meninas — the room is calmest in the first 30 minutes after opening.
Practical answers to plan your visit