Prado museum highlights at a glance
The Prado holds far more than anyone can see in one visit, so a short list helps. The 15 works below cover Spanish court painting, Flemish panels, Italian portraits and Goya's best-known pictures. Each entry gives the artist, the date where the museum states one, and the room number from the museum's own records.
This is an independent guide. It is not the website of the Museo Nacional del Prado and has no link to the museum. Room numbers can change when works are moved, lent or restored, and the museum may close a room for a time. Look at the current digital plan before you go, and use the numbers here as a starting point.
The 15 works and their rooms
Room numbers are written the way the museum writes them, including the letters.
| Work | Artist | Date | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Las Meninas | Velázquez | 1656 | 012 |
| The Garden of Earthly Delights | Bosch | 1490–1500 | 056A |
| Saturn | Goya | 1820–1823 | 067 |
| The Third of May 1808 | Goya | 1814 | 064 |
| The Second of May 1808 | Goya | 1814 | 064 |
| Nobleman with His Hand on His Chest | El Greco | About 1580 | 008B |
| The Three Graces | Rubens | 1630–1635 | 029 |
| Charles V at Mühlberg | Titian | 1548 | 027 |
| Self-Portrait | Dürer | 1498 | 055B |
| The Descent from the Cross | Van der Weyden | Before 1443 | 058 |
| The Annunciation | Fra Angelico | 1425–1426 | 056B |
| The Triumph of Death | Bruegel the Elder | – | 055A |
| The Surrender of Breda | Velázquez | About 1635 | 009A |
| The Spinners | Velázquez | 1655–1660 | 015A |
| The Cardinal | Raphael | 1510–1511 | – |
For The Cardinal, check the current plan on the day, because no room number is given here.
Our picks: tours of the highlights
Guided Prado visits, each with museum entry included.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Prado tour before opening hours
Museum entry before the public opens and an English-speaking guide are included, covering Las Meninas, the Black Paintings and the Garden of Earthly Delights. Tips and hotel transfer are extra.
Check availability →
Prado masterpieces tour in a small group
Museum entry and a guide are included, with up to seven people in the group. No exclusions are listed.
Check availability →
Prado tour with a certified guide
A certified official guide and the Prado ticket are included. Tips, food, water and hotel transfer are extra.
Check availability →Prado Museum tours and tickets
Guided visits of the Prado's masterpieces and entry tickets, with live prices and availability.
The 15 paintings, one by one
What each work is and where to look for it.
1. Las Meninas (Die Hoffräulein), Velázquez
Painted in 1656, oil on canvas, room 012. The picture shows the Infanta Margarita with her attendants, the painter with palette and brush, a mirror and a dog. It has its own guide on this site.
Las Meninas guide →2. The Garden of Earthly Delights, Bosch
A triptych on oak panel, made between 1490 and 1500, room 056A. It reached the Prado from El Escorial in 1933.
Garden of Earthly Delights guide →3. Saturn, Goya
Painted in 1820–1823 as a wall painting and later moved onto canvas, room 067. It belongs to the cycle of 14 scenes known as the Black Paintings.
Goya's Black Paintings →4. The Third of May 1808, Goya
Oil on canvas, painted in 1814, room 064. It shows French reprisals after the Madrid uprising. The event took place in 1808, so the picture was made six years later.
The Third of May guide →5. The Second of May 1808, Goya
Painted in 1814, room 064, and known in the museum's records as The Fight with the Mamelukes. It is the companion to the picture of the shootings.
6. Nobleman with His Hand on His Chest, El Greco
Oil on canvas from about 1580, room 008B. A portrait that is easy to pass quickly. Give it a few minutes.
7. The Three Graces, Rubens
Painted between 1630 and 1635, oil on oak panel, room 029.
8. Charles V at Mühlberg, Titian
Painted in 1548, oil on canvas, room 027. Titian shows the emperor at the battle named in the title.
9. Self-Portrait, Dürer
Dated 1498, oil on wood, room 055B. The museum updated its record for this work on 17 February 2026.
10. The Descent from the Cross, Van der Weyden
Oil on wood, made before 1443, room 058. A panel by one of the early Flemish masters.
11. The Annunciation, Fra Angelico
Tempera on poplar, 1425–1426, room 056B. It is among the earliest works on this list.
12. The Triumph of Death, Bruegel the Elder
Room 055A. The museum's record lists it as on display.
13. The Surrender of Breda, Velázquez
Also called The Lances. Oil on canvas from about 1635, room 009A. The record was updated on 21 April 2026.
14. The Spinners, Velázquez
Also called The Fable of Arachne. Oil on canvas, 1655–1660, room 015A.
15. The Cardinal, Raphael
Painted in 1510–1511 according to the museum's data. Ask for the room on arrival or look it up on the digital plan.
Velázquez in the Prado
Three works from the list, in three rooms.
The Surrender of Breda is in room 009A, Las Meninas in room 012 and The Spinners in room 015A. Seeing them in this order takes you from about 1635 to the late 1650s. Check the room numbers on the plan before you start walking.
If you are short of time, look at the Velázquez rooms first and Goya second. The museum itself publishes route suggestions called 1 hora en el Museo and 2 horas en el Museo. Our visit plan explains how to use them.
Las Meninas
Room, size and the details to look for.
The Garden of Earthly Delights
Panels, size and how the work came to the Prado.
Goya's Black Paintings
The 14 scenes and the story of their move to canvas.
The Third of May 1808
Date, size and what the museum says about who ordered it.
Seeing these works: practical points
Prices and times as listed for 2026.
Ticket and hours
The general ticket costs €15. The museum is open Monday to Saturday 10:00–20:00 and Sunday and public holidays 10:00–19:00. The last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Details are on our tickets page and the hours and free entry page.
Free hours
Free entry runs Monday to Saturday 18:00–20:00 and Sunday and holidays 17:00–19:00, depending on capacity. Entry is not guaranteed when the queue is long, so do not plan a full tour of 15 works in two hours.
Photography
Photos are not allowed in the collection and exhibition rooms. The exceptions named in the 2026 rules are the Jerónimos foyer, the Sala de las Musas and the cloister.
Audio guide and guided tour
The audio guide costs €5 extra and covers more than 250 works in 15 languages. The museum's own tour of collection masterpieces lasts about 90 minutes and costs €10 on top of the ticket. Check the current timetable before you go, and see guided tours for the options.
Prado famous paintings: frequently asked questions
What is the most famous painting in the Prado?
There is no official ranking. Las Meninas by Velázquez is the work most guides start with, followed by Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights and Goya's Third of May 1808.
Which rooms should I visit first?
Start with the Velázquez works in rooms 009A, 012 and 015A, then the Goya works in rooms 064 and 067. Add Bosch in room 056A if you have time. Confirm all numbers on the digital plan.
How long does it take to see these 15 paintings?
Plan about two hours for a focused route, and more if you stop for each work. The museum publishes routes of one hour and two hours that you can follow instead.
Can I take photos of the paintings?
No, photography is not allowed in the collection rooms. It is allowed only in the Jerónimos foyer, the Sala de las Musas and the cloister.
Are all 15 works always on display?
Not necessarily. Works are lent, moved or restored, and rooms can close for a time without a refund. Look at the current plan on the day.