| . Whether you are visiting the city for the first time | | | | distance, the Banco de Espana metro stop provides |
| or the fifth, here are three must-see museums for | | | | close access to the museum. The Prado is open 9 |
| your itinerary. | | | | am to 7 pm Tuesday Saturday; on Sundays, the |
| #1. The Prado Museum is the world's large art | | | | museum closes at 2 p.m. The museum is not open on |
| museum and one of the most visited sites in all of | | | | Mondays. |
| Spain. Built during the 18th century by King Charles | | | | #2. The Reina Sofia National Center of Art is home |
| III, the Prado, which means meadow in Spanish, was | | | | to Spain's permanent collection of Spanish |
| originally built to serve as a monument to the city. | | | | contemporary art, as well as a host of temporary |
| The Prado first served as a natural history gallery, | | | | exhibitions in diverse disciplines. The museum is |
| but under Ferdinand VII it became the royal art | | | | located at Calle Santa Isabel 52, less than a block |
| gallery. | | | | from the Atocha Metro stop. The gallery is open daily |
| At the turn of the century, the Spanish government | | | | from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays from 10 a.m. |
| was nationalized and took over many cultural | | | | to 2:30 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays. |
| institutions in the country, including the Prado. Today, | | | | #3. Palacio Real (The Royal Place)Once the home of |
| the Prado displays the works of many of the world's | | | | the Spanish royal family, the Palacio Real is no longer |
| finest past and present artistic masters, such as | | | | used as the residence but continues to serve as a |
| Rembrandt, Goya, Rubens, Velazquez, Raphael and | | | | public attraction. The palace is one of Madrid's finest |
| Murillo. There are more than 2,000 works on | | | | examples of Spanish architecture. The gardens, |
| permanent display at the Prado, and another 8,600 in | | | | including the Jardines del Moro and the Sabattini |
| storage. | | | | Jardines, are the best tended in the city. The palace |
| The Prado is situated in the Villahermosa Palace area | | | | also features a art gallery, with frescos by Tipolo, |
| of Madrid, a neighborhood known for its fashionable | | | | and paintings by Spanish greats like Goya, Velazquez, |
| restaurants, bars and world-class hotels. For visitors | | | | El Greco, and Juan de Flandes. |
| whose guest accommodations are not within walking | | | | |