Place · Paseo del Arte: Prado, Reina Sofía, Atocha

Reina Sofía MuseumMuseo Reina Sofía

Guernica on the second floor is the reason to go: 60–90 minutes; check which days it is closed before you plan.

goadmission: unknownNot field-verified

Add to a day →

Key facts

Time on site: 75–90 min; p95 150 min
Price: about €12 (≈ US$14); adult, 2026 estimate
Hours: 10:00–21:0010:00 AM–9:00 PM; typical, check · closed Tue
Best time: 10:00 or 17:00; desk crowd estimate
28″ bags: Painful; Paseo del Arte: Prado, Reina Sofía, Atocha: painful
Getting there: Calle Santa Isabel entrance

Guernica
Closed Tuesday
Free evening slots
Timed ticket: book ahead
Queue: switch at 25 min
Works with kids

Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.

Rules in force · 12Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…June to August

Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
Iberia ↗Plan meals on the Iberian clock: Spanish kitchens serve lunch from about 13:30–14:00 and dinner from 20:30–21:00; Portugal eats an hour or so earlier. Early evenings are for tapas or petiscos, not full meals.
Iberia ↗Inland Spain and Portugal (Seville, Córdoba, Madrid, the Alentejo) pass 40 °C in heatwaves from late June to August: sightsee before 11:00 and after 18:00, and keep July–August for the coasts and the green north.
Iberia ↗Andorra and Gibraltar have their own border and customs rules and are reached only through Spain (or France for Andorra); read their pages before adding them, especially if you hold a limited Schengen visa.
Spain ↗Spain is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
Spain ↗High-speed trains have airport-style baggage screening at the station and boarding gates that close a few minutes before departure: arrive early.
Spain ↗Carry your passport or ID: police may ask for it, and hotels must register every guest's document.
Spain ↗The Alhambra in Granada and the Sagrada Família in Barcelona sell timed tickets that sell out weeks ahead in season; book on the official sites before you fix your dates.
Madrid and Central Spain ↗Book fast-train tickets for Toledo and Segovia ahead on weekends and in spring: return seats can sell out.
Madrid ↗June to August: plan museums and the palace for the morning or the AC hours; the streets between 14:00 and 18:00 can pass 35°C.
Madrid ↗Many restaurant kitchens close between about 16:00 and 20:00: lunch at 13:30–15:30, dinner from 20:30.

Actions

Usually 10:00–21:00 · closed Tue

Map & directions

Google Maps Apple Maps Street View

Directions

From where I am

Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.

Plan

Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes

Go now?

hours and prices: check on the day

Open: Usually 10:00–21:00 · closed TueUsually 10:00 AM–9:00 PM · closed Tue
Crowds: Quietest around 10:00 or 17:00
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Quietest Tue · busiest Sat · desk estimate
Tickets: Adult: about €12 (≈ US$14) (2026 estimate)
free for under 18 (check)
Time to spend: 75–90 min · up to 150 min if you linger

Directions Add to a day →

Know before you go

Closed on Tuesday.
Guernica is behind a rope and a guard; photography is not allowed in that room.
Free entry runs on several evenings and on Sunday afternoons; check the hours on the official site.
The museum is large; skip the top floors if you are short of time.
Bags are checked at the door.

Best time of day

Plan 75–90 min inside.

quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate for an ordinary weekday; add one level on weekends and holidays

Weather here, next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Time on site

minutes

Minimum

45min

Worthwhile

75min

Typical

90min

p95

150min

Opening hours and last entry change by season; not printed until verified.

Tickets & entry

2026 estimate · check the posted board

Where to buy: Timed entry: book a slot on the official site; walk-up slots can run out.
Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
Official site ↗
Queues: Book online and check which weekday the museum closes.
Free days: Every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday · 19:00–21:00 — Closed Tuesdays.
Every Sunday · 12:30–14:30 — Closes at 14:30 on Sundays.
Free entry days in Madrid (pick Madrid in the tool; check)
What's closed: TuesdayClosed all day.
Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25checkUsually closed.
SundaycheckShorter hours in the afternoon.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.

Ticket	Price	Note
Adult ticket	about €12 (≈ US$14) (2026 estimate)	Free entry slots exist.
Free entry slot	free, on set evenings and Sunday afternoons (check)	Crowded; go at the start.
Audio guide	about €4–6 (≈ US$5–7)	Useful for Guernica.

How to do it well

1Book online and check which weekday the museum closes.
2Go straight to Guernica (second floor) before the rest.
3Use the glass lifts if the stairs are busy.

Facilities

toilets: On every floor.
tickets: Online ahead; check free-entry hours.
shade: Indoor; AC.

On the ground

Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work

Getting in

Stop: Calle Santa Isabel entrance
Exit: —
Ticket: timed advance official · official site
Stairs: none of note
Shoes: Shoes on.

Crowds and switching

Crowd clock: Guernica room is packed mid-day; the evening free-entry slot is crowded.
Sensory load: 3/5
Exposure: medium
Queue rule: Switch if the queue passes 25 min; come back when under 10.

Bailouts

heat
Atrium café (AC)
rain
Inside the museum

Nearest rescue anchor: B — Reina Sofía atrium (AC, WC)

Step-free check

wheelchair: ok

Step-free entrance: yes · yesnone of note
Lifts: yes · yes
Accessible toilet: yes · yes
Wheelchair: yes · yesLoan chairs at the desk (check).
Stroller: yes · yesAllowed in the galleries; folding preferred.

Lifts throughout; the old building and the new Nouvel wing are both step-free.

Combine with

nearest first

6 minAtocha station and its tropical garden
8 minCaixaForum
10 minLavapiés
14 minPrado Museum

Walk the Paseo del Arte: Prado, Reina Sofía, Atocha area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes

Best photo time today

Sun times for today load in your browser.

Red lines

No photos of Guernica; bags in the cloakroom.

More on the groundWho it suits · Skip it if · With kids3 parts

With kids

kids: okstroller: ok

with kids: Modern art holds older children; young ones tire fast.
child price: free for under 18 (check)

Who it suits

Traveler	Fit	Why
Art lovers	good	Guernica and the 20th-century collection.
Rainy days	good	A big indoor collection.
Kids	ok	Older children.

Skip it if

It is Tuesday.
You have only time for one museum and prefer the old masters.

Deep dive

Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources

Questions and answers

answered by Voykit editors · dated

Do I need to book?

For the opening slot in high season, yes; free evening slots are first come, first served.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk

Is there a café?

A ground-floor café and a terrace.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk

Where is Guernica?

On the second floor, room 206.

When is it closed?

Tuesday and some holidays.

How long do I need?

About 90 minutes for the highlights.

Answers come from Voykit editors, not from other travellers.

Nearby

Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.

Sources

officialMuseo Reina Sofía (official)