Secrets of the Prado Museum Private Tour

The Prado Museum is home to many of Spain's greatest works of art, but if you look deeper you’ll find a hidden world of political intrigue, religious sects and secret societies whose symbols are only decipherable to a select few. On this fascinating private tour, you'll visit the Prado Museum with a guide specialized in the hidden symbolism of art and uncover the secret and sometimes scandalous meanings behind its most iconic works.

Given the strict social norms which once prevailed in Europe, many of the continent's greatest painters were forced to embed hidden messages in their works. These secret messages went unnoticed by the public at large, but often contained references to political figures, religion or even secret societies to which the artist belonged. The placement of an object in a portrait, a barely-detectable physical abnormality...these could be the clues to unlocking a painting’s secret code.

During this tour, you'll learn about the secret motifs used by great painters such as Hieronymus Bosch, Velázquez, Michelangelo or Rubens to circumvent the prevailing order of the day and convey secret and sometimes salacious messages. After this tour, you'll never look at art the same way again.

VIP Experience

This tour is led by an official licensed guide who will work exclusively for you and your group, so that you can enjoy a flexible and personalized experience.

Transportation

With this experience, you have the option of including round-trip transfers in a private luxury vehicle with a professional driver. For groups of 2 people or less, the vehicle will be a Mercedes-Benz E-Class; for groups of 3 to 5 people, the vehicle will be a Mercedes-Benz Class V. If you do not wish to include private transportation, the supplier will contact you prior to the tour to establish a meeting point. In this case, the tour itinerary will be done by taxi at the expense of the client.

Languages

This tour is conducted in English.