About this experience
At Prado, you will encounter the famous paintings personally collected by Spanish monarchs. With me as your guide, you won't get lost wandering the halls and in just 2.5 hours, you will see the main masterpieces of the collection: works by Velázquez, Rubens, Goya, El Greco, Bosch, and other artists. You will discover not only the beauty of the paintings but also the cultural context of different eras. And you will understand how wars, changing social moods, and the entire history of Spain are reflected in high painting.
What to Expect
Prado - the house of art
Of course, I will introduce you to the history of the museum itself. You will learn how the Prado was created and hear about attempts to steal it. Each king of Spain considered it an honor to add to the Prado's collection - I will tell you about the most valuable exhibits and the monarchs' preferences. For example, who among the master painters was a favorite of Philip IV.
Treasures of the collection and cultural code
In the museum halls, you will find paintings not only from the Spanish school of painting but also from the Italian, Dutch, German, and even English schools. I won't let you get lost in the diversity of styles and will show you the most important works: paintings by Dürer, Titian, El Greco, Velázquez, Bosch, Raphael, and other painters. We will talk about the creative style of different masters, about the paintings - not only from an artistic point of view, and about interesting facts. For example, you will learn why one artist depicted the same model in 12 completely different paintings that have nothing in common.
The fate of Prado's paintings
You will discover the prehistory of the seen masterpieces, as well as learn about the influence of specific paintings on other artists and vice versa - and you will learn to notice such things in painting. We will also discuss the museum's life during the Spanish Civil War and the journey of the paintings around Europe for their safety. And I will reveal the name of a little-known person who made a lot of effort to return the masterpieces to their home.
Organizational Details
The tour can be conducted for a group of up to 4 people.
Important to know before booking
- My experience working in the Prado Museum is 5 years, during which I have studied more than 150 paintings. Of course, in 3 hours, you can't tell everything. On average, only about 50-60 paintings. There are around 2000 paintings in the museum. But we will talk about the main masterpieces and other equally remarkable works.
- If you book a 10-hour tour and did not buy tickets in advance, please note that people start queuing at 9:00. If you come at 10:00, you will have to spend 20 minutes of the tour time in the line (most often I have another tour after Prado, and I cannot be late for it). If you have bought electronic tickets but did not print them, you will also have to stand in line for about 20 minutes. Thank you for understanding!
Additional expenses
- Tickets to the Prado Museum: for adults - 15 euros, for people over 65 years old - 7.5 euros. Under 18 - free entrance with ticket issuance.
- You need to get to the starting point of the tour on your own. I can also pick you up from your hotel: the cost of this service is 20 euros.
