Styles

In this section you can search all our contents throughout the different stages in the history of art in Spain, to find styles such as Baroque, Gothic, Mudejar and many, many more.

Picasso. 'Guernica' Modernism and Avant-garde movements The turn of the century brought new winds of modernity. The aesthetic sensibility of the time was marked by a different, freer attitude towards art and life.

Topics

In this section you can search among all our contents by topic to find the different resources available in Spain, such as museums, routes, destinations, monuments and many, many more.

Audience

This section provides access to all the contents in a personalised way, according to your own particular interests and socio-demographic profile.

The Art Route in Madrid

  • Share
  • Façade of the Reina Sofía National Art Centre © Ministerio de Cultura

    Façade of the Reina Sofía National Art Centre © Ministerio de Cultura

  • View of the Puerta de Goya entrance, Prado Museum. © Turespaña

    View of the Puerta de Goya entrance, Prado Museum. © Turespaña

  • Exterior of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum © Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

    Exterior of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum © Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

  

Madrid, museum capital

At the end of the 18th century, King Charles III had a large avenue built with trees, fountains monuments and palaces fit for the capital of his kingdom. These buildings have been adapted for cultural purposes over the years, lending them world renown. Alongside newer buildings, they mean visitors can enjoy an infinite experience in the world of art in just 2 kilometres.
 

Read more

It's difficult to gauge the time this route takes. It will all depend on your interest in the various styles of artistic expression to be found along the route and how long you'd like to spend exploring all the cultural venues on the Paseo del Prado and in the surrounding streets.


We recommend starting with a visit to the exhibitions in two emblematic buildings in Calle Alcalá street at the junction with the Gran Vía. The Círculo de Bellas Artes (Academy of Fine Arts) founded in 1880, is at no. 42, and keeps a close watch on all the latest avant-garde art trends. Across the street at no. 49 is the Cariátides building, today the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute, dedicated to promoting Hispanic culture.


We start heading up the Paseo del Prado from the famous Cibeles fountain. Before setting off, take a look at the Casa de América (Plaza de Cibeles, 2) in the Linares Palace. Legend has it that the palace's ghosts may surprise visitors as they tour the rococo-style rooms, browse the exhibitions or attend debates on Latin American issues.


The Thyssen-Bornemisza museum is at no. 88 Paseo del Prado, in the neo-classical Villahermosa Palace . A tour of the permanent collection offers an extensive survey of European painting from the 13th century to the present day, with outstanding works from the Renaissance, Impressionist and avant-garde movements. It also houses one of the few collections of 19th-century North American painting in Europe.


Now, we should prepare to dedicate a large part of the day to the main destination on the route: the Prado Museum. It's no surprise that it's regarded as one of the most important galleries in the world, and an absolute must for art lovers. Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Rubens, Hieronymus Bosch... and numerous other towering figures of universal art hang on the walls of the rooms in this great neo-classical building. Designed by Juan de Villanueva, a recent extension by Rafael Moneo (2007) now houses new exhibition spaces and museum services.
 

Our artistic tour continues at no. 36 with a new modern venue: the CaixaForum culture and exhibition centre designed by the architects Herzog and De Meuron. The vertical garden hanging from the façade offers an evoactive counterpoint to its neighbour across the road, the Royal Botanical Gardens, with 30,000 plant species.


We're now reaching the southernmost point and the end of the Paseo del Arte. The Reina Sofía National Art Museum (Santa Isabel, 52) was recently extended by Jean Nouvel and provides a fitting addition to our journey with a wide selection of contemporary painting. Here we can see Picasso's Guernica and the work of artists such as Miró, Dalí, Saura, Gargallo, Magritte and Max Ernst.


There's also the option of adding another three visits. First, the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts museum (Alcalá, 13, around 20 minutes' walk from the Reina Sofía National Art Museum) has a collection of paintings from the 16th to the 19th centuries. We can also stop off at the National Museum of Decorative Arts (Montalbán, 12) which houses around 15,000 pieces. Finally, the Naval Museum (Paseo del Prado, 5) contains collections on Spain's naval history.

 

Close

What to see on the route See more

Calendar

View of Feriarte Antiques and Art Galleries Fair, Madrid © Ifema

Nov 11, 2023 to Nov 19, 2023

Fair

IFEMA. Feria de Madrid - Madrid
Feriarte. Antiques and Art Galleries Fair

Antique and Second-Hand Book Fair in Madrid © Asociación de Libreros de Lance de Madrid

Sep 30, 2022 to Oct 16, 2022

Fair

Paseo de Recoletos avenue in Madrid - Madrid
Antique and Second-Hand Book Fair in Madrid

Transparent image

Nov 11, 2021 to Nov 21, 2021

Festival

Academy of Fine Arts - Madrid
Eñe Festival

Transparent image

To be confirmed

Fair

IFEMA - Madrid Exhibition Centre - Madrid
Madrid Games Week

Discover the surroundings See more

Related contents

Services

spain is culture