Madrid Art Triangle: Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofía
Less than a kilometre apart, the Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofía make up the so-called Art Triangle, one of the most densely packed museum corridors in the world. Exploring all three is a journey through five centuries of painting and sculpture, from Renaissance masters to 20th-century avant-garde art. With a single day you can combine two of them; with a weekend you can see all three at a comfortable pace.
The three museums of the Art Triangle
Museo Nacional del Prado
The Prado is the reference museum for classical European painting and the most visited in Spain, with around 3.5 million visitors per year. Its collection spans from the 12th century to the early 19th and brings together masterworks by Velázquez (Las Meninas, The Spinners), Goya (The Third of May 1808, Black Paintings), El Greco, Raphael, Titian, Rubens and Bosch (The Garden of Earthly Delights). A visit can easily last three to five hours if taken at leisure. It stands on the Paseo del Prado, next to the Buen Retiro Gardens, and forms the northern point of the triangle.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
The Thyssen completes the triangle with an encyclopaedic collection ranging from the Italian primitives to pop art and American abstract expressionism, taking in Impressionism, Fauvism and German Expressionism along the way. Located in the Palacio de Villahermosa, opposite the Prado, it is the museum that best covers the 19th and 20th centuries before the post-war avant-gardes. The collection is more manageable than the Prado's: in two and a half hours you can comfortably cover its three floors. The reference website is the Thyssen Museum.
Museo Reina Sofía
The Reina Sofía is the great museum of Spanish and international modern and contemporary art. Its collection begins in the late 19th century and extends to the present, with Picasso's Guernica as its central work, alongside Dalí, Miró, Juan Gris and Jorge Oteiza. Next to Atocha station, it forms the southernmost point of the triangle. The reference website is entradasreinasofia.es.
The Paseo del Arte Card: benefits and savings
If you plan to visit all three museums, the Paseo del Arte Card is the most cost-effective option. It is priced at ~€38.60 (verified Jun 2026), compared with the more than €46 the three individual tickets would cost: a saving of around 20–25%. The card is valid for one year; once purchased, you have a year to use all three entries. It can be bought at the ticket offices of any of the three museums or through online platforms.
For the Prado, you can also book in advance through Civitatis, which includes skip-the-line access and booking management.
- Savings: 20–25% discount compared with three individual tickets.
- Flexibility: one year of validity; you can visit each museum on different days.
- No ticket-office queues: with your ticket reserved you can go straight in.
- Complementary: does not replace tickets for temporary exhibitions with their own admission price.
Book the Paseo del Arte Card
Access all three Art Triangle museums with a single pass and save up to 25%.
See Paseo del Arte Card →⏳ Time-slot places are limited. Lock in your time · free cancellation.
Suggested itinerary for the three museums
The layout of the museums allows them to be organised as a linear walking route. This is the itinerary we recommend for anyone with two days or a marathon single day.
- Morning — Prado Museum (3–4 h)Start when it opens (10:00) to beat the midday queues. Focus the visit on Velázquez (room 012, Las Meninas), Bosch (room 056A) and Goya's Black Paintings. Leave before noon to avoid coinciding with school groups in the afternoon.
- Lunch in the Barrio de las Letras or by the RetiroFive minutes from the Prado via Calle Felipe IV or the Paseo del Prado: tapas bars, set-menu restaurants and quiet terraces.
- Early afternoon — Thyssen Museum (2–3 h)The Thyssen is directly opposite the Prado, across the Paseo. The chronological top-to-bottom route is the most logical: from Gothic art to pop art across three floors.
- Second morning — Reina Sofía (2–3 h)Devote the second morning to the Reina Sofía, with Guernica as the main destination on the second floor. Allow time for the Miró and Dalí rooms and for the Nouvel Building courtyard if there is a temporary exhibition of interest.
- Free afternoon — Retiro or AtochaTwo minutes from the Reina Sofía, the tropical garden of Atocha station and the entrance to Retiro Park are the perfect close to the route.
Practical tips
- The Prado does not close on Mondays (open every day except 1 Jan, 1 May and 25 Dec). The Reina Sofía closes on Tuesdays. Plan accordingly.
- Best time for the Prado: first thing in the morning (opens at 10:00) or during the free evening slots (18:00–20:00), when there are fewer visitors.
- On foot: from the Prado to the Reina Sofía is about 800 metres along the Paseo del Prado; perfectly walkable even in summer if you go early.
- Metro: the Prado is near the Estación del Arte stop (Line 1) and Banco de España (Line 2). The Reina Sofía is next to Atocha Renfe (Cercanías).
- Cloakroom: all three museums have a free cloakroom; use it to keep your hands free in the galleries.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Art Triangle?
It is the popular name for the axis formed by the Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofía, all three located less than a kilometre apart in the area around the Paseo del Prado.
Is the Paseo del Arte Card worth it?
Yes, if you are going to visit all three museums. The saving is around 20–25% and the card is valid for a year, so you can visit each museum on different days without rushing.
Can you see all three in one day?
It is possible but exhausting. The ideal approach is to spread them across two days: Prado and Thyssen on the first day, Reina Sofía on the second. That way you enjoy each collection without overloading yourself.
Content reviewed by the Ticket Visit team · June 2026.
