Sorolla Museum (Museo Sorolla)

The Basics

For arts enthusiasts visiting Madrid, the Sorolla Museum offers a singular way to experience an artist's life and process. To get the most out of your visit, consider booking a guided museum tour. You see more than 300 of the artist's paintings, and tour the garden he designed himself. Several Madrid sightseeing tours—including hop-on hop-off bus tours—pass near the museum, but you need to come back on your own to visit the galleries.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Art history enthusiasts shouldn't miss the Sorolla Museum, which is one of the best-preserved artist homes in Europe.

• Architecture fans enjoy the museum's building—a 20th-century Andalusian style mansion that served as the Sorolla family's home from 1911.

• The museum's manicured gardens are a perfect place to take a break from the bustling streets of Madrid.

How to Get There

Several bus lines run to the museum, but the metro is the easiest way to reach the museum. Take line 1 to the Church station, line 5 to the Rubén Darío station, or lines 7 or 10 to the Gregorio Marañón station. Find the museum set back on a tree-lined block, at Paseo del General Martínez Campos, 37.

When to Get There

The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday, with limited hours on Sundays and holidays. The museum is closed on Mondays. To avoid the crowds, plan to arrive during the week, after 6pm. Enjoy Madrid's most pleasant weather in fall and spring, since summer months—between June and August—tend to be uncomfortably hot.

Visiting Lázaro Galdiano Museum

Visitors can continue a culture-filled afternoon with a visit to the Lázaro Galdiano Museum, Just a 10-minute walk from the Sorolla Museum. Often likened to the Wallace Collection in London, the Lázaro Galdiano Museum features numerous Spanish artworks and an impressive collection of Old Masters paintings, including works by Goya and Bosch. Visitors enjoy the museum's ornate interior, historic building, and lovely gardens.