Museo del Prado, Madrid

This was a fantastic museum! Visited 9/9, since it was closed on Mondays. Free evenings 6-8pm, couldn't take advantage. At least it was opened, despite the regional Madrid fiesta day of the Virgen de la Cabeza or some other crap holiday, which the idiot tourist chick neglected to mention to us the day before, when we were asking about bank hours. !?! Anyway.

Like I said, fantastic. It's the friendliest touring museum I've visited so far. Surprising considering the residents. Beats out the Louvre and the London museums (gasp). No, not for treasures. €6 admission. Great map (must ask for it from the desk) that has thumbnails of their masterpieces. Plotted the most efficient way thru the museum, and got one of the audio things for €3, which wasn't really necessary. Beautiful building, airy, elegant, but full of character. I could have spent months there, but we only spent about 4 hrs. We caught works from Fra Angelico's Annunciation to Goya's Periodo Negro (Hubby really loved). We missed Durer's pieces (gallery closed) and Sorolla's Children on the Beach.

Grabbed a quick bite in the cafeteria, which had a very wide (somewhat decent) selection of cold and hot food. LOL, I was unhappy with a Gran Via vendor selling canned Cokes for €1.8 (found a great side alley guy selling for €.80), when we had to buy them for €2.65 ea!!!! That, 1 tortilla and 1 empanada was €13.70. Even funnier was the couple in front of us who got so surprised at their bill of €50. Not very good gift shop, finally found decent mug & saucer for €24.

Can't describe how happy I was to visit it. I wish I could go back again and again.

Valencia trip slideshow. Madrid trip slideshow.