Prado Museum Before Opening Tour: VIP Small Group

The Prado empty, lit for you alone.

This is a guided tour of the Prado Museum in Madrid starting one hour before official opening, with an English-speaking art historian and a small group. You enter when the galleries are still closed to the public, giving you uninterrupted time with masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya and Bosch. The tour lasts about 100 minutes and includes early-access entry. You walk at a moderate pace through the building itself, not just the paintings.

Step-by-step itinerary

Exclusive early access Prado tour

• Enter Prado Museum before opening
• Explore masterpieces with art historian
• See works by Velázquez, Goya, Bosch
• Enjoy quiet galleries and building

The experience

The Prado Museum opens its doors to your group alone, one hour before the public arrives. An art historian guide leads you through galleries still quiet: no crowds, no queues, no noise from other visitors. You see Las Meninas, The Garden of Earthly Delights, Goya's Black Paintings and other icons of Spanish and European art, but the real gift is time: time to stand in front of a painting without someone's shoulder in your way, time to notice the light on the canvas, time to hear what the guide is saying without raising their voice.

The tour moves at a walking pace through the building itself, not a sprint through highlights. A small group means the guide can actually see you, answer questions, and adjust the rhythm if something stops you cold. The 100 minutes covers the masterpieces but leaves room to breathe: to look up at the ceilings, to notice how the rooms connect, to absorb the scale of the place before it fills with thousands of people. By the time official opening happens, you are already done, and the museum you leave behind is the one you saw, not the one everyone else will fight through.

What’s included

• Early-access entry to the Prado Museum one hour before official opening.
• expertly guided tour led by an English-speaking art historian.
• uninterrupted time with masterpieces in quiet galleries.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday, Wednesday, Friday and SundayDeparts at 08:50Last departure this season: 30 Oct

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (2 to 14 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.Operator's directions: “Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a yellow WalksDevour sign. This tour meets at Monumento a Goya, C.”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Walks - Italy & Spain

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see the Prado's greatest paintings without crowds and with time to actually absorb them: the small group and early hour are what make that possible instead of a rushed walk through a packed museum.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 14 years); Infant (under 2): free.

What exactly do I see on the Prado tour before opening?

The tour covers masterpieces including Las Meninas by Velázquez, The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch, and Goya's Black Paintings, along with other icons of Spanish and European art selected by your art historian guide.

How many people will be on the tour with me?

This is a small group tour, so you are not walking through the galleries with dozens of other visitors. Just your group and the guide in the quiet museum.

What time does the tour start and how long does it take?

The tour starts one hour before the Prado's official opening time and lasts about 100 minutes, so you finish before the museum opens to the general public.

Is the tour accessible if I have mobility concerns?

The tour is wheelchair accessible and the museum can accommodate guests with mobility impairment. Email the Guest Experience team at booking to arrange any specific support you need, since this is a walking tour at a moderate pace.

What's included in the price?

Early-access entry to the Prado Museum, the guided tour with an English-speaking art historian, and access to the galleries before opening: hotel pickup and gratuities are not included.