Madrid’s late-night dining culture has a bonus for culture lovers: many of the city’s major museums stay open later than in other cities, so you can enjoy world-class art after work. The three leading institutions sit close together along the Paseo del Prado in the Golden Triangle of Art, making it easy to plan an evening of museum visits.
At the center is the Prado Museum, one of the world’s premier art collections. Open until 8 p.m. daily, the Prado showcases European painting from the 12th century through the early 19th century and holds the finest collection of Spanish art anywhere. Its holdings include the definitive works by Francisco Goya along with masterpieces from other European schools.
The Reina Sofía Museum focuses on 20th-century art and houses remarkable collections by artists such as Picasso and Salvador Dalí. Its most famous work is Picasso’s Guernica, and the galleries also display important pieces by Miró, Kandinsky, Magritte, Man Ray, Paul Klee and Richard Serra. On weeknights (except Tuesdays) the museum remains open until 9 p.m., offering plenty of time to explore modern and contemporary highlights.
Completing the trio is the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, which bridges the chronological and stylistic gaps between the Prado and the Reina Sofía. The Thyssen’s varied collection spans many schools and periods and is open until 7 p.m. most days (closed Mondays). As you move between these museums, pause to see the striking vertical garden on the wall of CaixaForum, a contemporary arts center open daily until 8 p.m. The living facade features more than 200 plant species—about 15,000 individual plants—creating a vivid, textured hanging garden that is as surprising and delightful as the artworks inside the nearby museums.