Our tour guide, Javier, was absolutely fabulous. Ask for him by name if you can. His deep knowledge of art and Spanish history made the tour special. He put together a carefully curated group of paintings that made what could be an overwhelming experience (thousands of paintings) both manageable and very enjoyable. Plus - the logistics were easy. Sometimes it can be hard to find your guide.

I liked that the guide pointed out the main sections and main paintings, with a good mix of Goya, Velasquez, Italians (Raffaello, Tiziano). I liked the comment about the copy of the Monnalisa & how we can tell that the disciple painted at the same time as Leonardo. It was very interesting. I liked the technical explanation about the perspective of the table in the painting "The washing of the Feet" by Tiziano. I'd have liked to get more insights on the technical aspects and/or the reasons why a certain painting is famous, or why it is at the museum, or what makes it great and/or original. There are lots of paintings and after a while they all look the same. Lots of Madonna with Baby Jesus, it seems that every Renaissance painter had to paint his own version. So what makes one more special or valuable than the others? What heritage did they leave to the later generations of painters? Does a painting have a place here only by virtue of the fact that it is signed Tiziano?

Jose was a fabulous guide. He was extremely knowledgeable about the collection and shared the most interesting facts of the artists and art. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour. The Prado Museum has a magnificent collection. Plan to stay beyond the tour to explore independently.