From world-famous art museums to sculpture gardens and street art, Madrid is an artist’s paradise. The city of around 3.4 million people takes artistic expression to a new level. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a Madrid local, there’s always something new to see and do. Take time to explore the museums, stroll the parks, and relax in the beautiful galleries throughout the city. Below are ten must-see destinations for art lovers. After your visit, take time to explore the surrounding neighborhoods.
1. Experience Madrid’s Museo del Prado
The Prado is one of the most important museums in Europe and a must-see for any art lover. Together with the Museo Reina Sofía and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, it forms Madrid’s popular Golden Triangle of Art. The museum is housed in an impressive neoclassical building designed in 1785 by the world-famous architect Juan de Villanueva. It was originally intended to be the King’s natural history cabinet, but was soon better used as a museum.
Today it houses over 2,300 paintings, including some of the most famous works in the world. Here you can see masterpieces such as The Countess of Chinchón by Francisco Goya, El Greco’s The Flight to EgyptAnd Judith at Holofernes’ banquet by Rembrandt.
In addition to the timeless paintings, the Prado also has an extensive sculpture gallery. This famous museum exhibits works from ancient Rome and Egypt as well as masterpieces from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
Get the latest articles in your inbox
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter
2. Visit the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
Just a short walk from the Prado in Madrid’s famous Golden Triangle lies the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. The museum was originally built as a mansion. It opened as a museum in 1992. European art collector Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza and his son Hans Heinrich began the collection. At the urging of Hans Heinrich’s Spanish wife Carmen Cervera, they brought the family collection to Spain.
This beautiful museum houses art from the 13th to the 20th century in various media. The largest collection includes works from the Baroque, Renaissance, Rococo and Romantic periods. Masterpieces such as Hans Holbein the Younger Portrait of Henry VIII of England and Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Woman with parasol in a garden are just some of the classics you can see. Works from other movements such as Pop Art, Impressionism and Avant-Garde art are also shown in permanent exhibitions. Masterpieces such as Salvador Dalí’s surrealist Gradiva rediscovers the Anthropomorphic Ruins make the museum a must for every art lover.
3. Visit the Reina Sofia
The third must-see museum in Madrid’s Golden Triangle is the fantastic Reina Sofia. This beautiful space opened in 1990 and has since become one of the most influential and popular centers for modern art in Europe. In its halls you will find Spanish masterpieces such as Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, Juan Gris‘ Carafe and book, And The face of the great masturbator by Salvador Dalí. Over 20,000 other works are on display in a variety of media. In addition to paintings by some of Spain’s most famous artists, the museum also holds priceless photographs and memorabilia from the Spanish Civil War. An important part of its mission is to record the horrific atrocities and long-term social impact of the destructive civil war.
4. Non-stop art at CaixaForum
If you’re looking for the ultimate destination for modern art and artistic expression, don’t miss the CaixaForum. Here you can experience some of Madrid’s best modern art collections, art events, and lectures. Located across from the Prado Museum, the CaixaForum hosts rotating exhibitions, events, and a vertical garden. The modern architecture and expansive grounds are home to the exhibits, which range from avant-garde to contemporary works and look deep into the social fabric and history of Spain. When you visit, remember to check out the space’s official website to see what’s going on. There are lectures, art exhibitions, film screenings, and concerts to enjoy year-round. After visiting, don’t forget to tour the iconic building itself.
5. Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
Since 1752, the beautiful and magnificent Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando has housed some of Madrid’s finest works of art. In 35 well-appointed rooms you will find some of the most famous works in Spain and Europe. The museum houses works such as Francisco Goya’s The Inquisition Tribunal and over a dozen other works by the famous artist. Other masterpieces are Still life with lemons by Juan de Zurbarán and Jusepe de Riberas dark The head of John the Baptist. In addition to its vast collection of paintings, the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando also houses drawings, sketches, prints and decorative art by European masters. If you want to enjoy classic European art in a historic setting, this is hard to beat.
6. Explore the Parque de El Retiro on foot
Retiro Park was designed with art lovers in mind, and its sprawling grounds are home to numerous ornate fountains and sculptures hidden among the trees. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park is one of Spain’s best open-air art spaces, and includes structures such as the 19th-century Fountain of the Fallen Angel and the statues of Paseo de las Estatuas. Two beautiful buildings, the cast-iron Velázquez Palace and the Glass Palace, house art collections and events from the Reina Sofia Museum. Don’t miss the palaces’ exteriors to see ceramic tiles designed by famous Spanish ceramicist Daniel Zuloaga.
7. Enjoy the light of the Sorolla Museum
The Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla was unique. He had a mastery of light and his paintings are considered some of Spain’s greatest works of art. Although he was from the Valencian coast, Sorolla lived in Madrid for most of his later life. His house is a unique and colorful place, which is now a museum dedicated to his work.
In the museum you can admire the open spaces and the lighting that seems to capture the light as he himself captured it. You will see his masterpieces such as Walk along the coast, sketch for the decoration of Hispanic societyAnd The slave and the dove. Soralla’s original furniture and objects are also on display. You’ll see portraits dedicated to his wife, Clotilde García del Castillo, his family and his native Valencia. After viewing the exhibits, take time to enjoy the outdoor spaces and the Andalusian-style courtyard.
8. Experience the city’s architecture
Madrid is one of Europe’s most famous architectural hotspots. From palaces to modern skyscrapers, the city’s buildings are a feast for the eyes. Start in Plaza Mayor, a late 16th-century square built when King Philip III moved the Spanish capital from Toledo to Madrid in 1561.
From the monumental Plaza Mayor, walk west along Calle Mayor, one of Madrid’s most famous streets. Take your time to admire the beautiful architecture and historic buildings such as the Torre de los Lujanes and the Casa de Calderón de la Barca. At the end of Calle Mayor is the baroque Catedral de la Almudena. This is the historic heart of the city, where you’ll find the original Moorish walls and the extravagant Royal Palace of Madrid.
9. See Madrid’s street art
As Spain emerged from decades of dictatorship and oppression, street art became a means of expressing frustration. Murals, graffiti, and other forms of street art proliferated throughout the capital, blanketing the city with colorful art and socially critical imagery. The most famous artist who shaped the Madrid style of street art was Muelle. Muelle’s tag was a moving arrow that floated back and forth between his works. Following in the footsteps of influential artists like Muelle, many young artists took their work to the streets and, soon, to galleries and museums. If visitors are looking for street art, they should start in the Lavapiés neighborhood. Here you can enjoy murals and endless street art. The center of the movement in the neighborhood is the Tabacalera Art Promotion, a large open museum and gallery where street artists share and create their work.
10. Visit Madrid’s private galleries
Madrid is a thriving artistic community with both local artists and internationally known superstars. From painters to fashion designers, you’ll find creative people and their spaces all over the city. Many of Madrid’s signature galleries are located in the Justicia and Salamanca neighborhoods. Here, some of the city’s best artists curate their work and host art events, lectures, and public events. Top galleries include the Álvaro Alcázar Gallery, a world-renowned contemporary art space, and La Fiambrera Art Gallery, one of the city’s best spots for artistic wares.
From the major galleries, you can head to the lesser-known private galleries to meet the city’s emerging artists and private collectors. These small but exciting places are scattered throughout the city and are well worth a visit. Madrid’s galleries are perfect for exploring on foot. If you arrive in the Justicia, Salamanca and Lavapiés districts, you can set aside a day to explore the beautiful galleries. You’ll also learn about the artists at the heart of the city’s art world and have the chance to visit them at their events.
