If you visit just one of Madrid’s museums and galleries, it should be the Prado Museum. Home to art by greats such as Goya, Murillo, Rubens, and El Greco, it’s best to head straight to the most popular paintings so you don’t miss them. A skip-the-line tour ensures you’ll see all the most important paintings. Make sure to look out for some famous artwork here, including Hieronymous Bosch’s wild and complex Garden of Earthly Delights and Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez.

If you’re a fan of modern art, the Reina Sofia Museum has more than 23,000 works of art (yet only 5 percent is on display at any given time, so you’ll have to keep coming back as exhibitions change). The museum is full of must-see art in Madrid from artists including Dalí, Picasso, and Miró, but many head straight to view the enormous and intriguing Guernica, a black-and-white painting by Pablo Picasso which depicts the horrors of the Spanish Civil War.

The third museum that’s part of Madrid’s Golden Art Triangle, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, has a varied collection for art lovers who really just love it all. Wander through airy halls and admire works by artists such as Rembrandt, O'Keeffe, Hopper, Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, and many more—the museum has a collection of nearly 1,000 paintings. This is also an excellent space to enjoy Madrid art exhibitions, as the Thyssen often curates special events.

Not all of the city’s best art is housed in massive museums or top art galleries in Madrid. Many smaller museums that fly under the radar have some of the city's most interesting art, including the Sorolla Museum, which is located in a mansion that was once the artist’s home and workspace. The museum has more than 1,000 of Sorolla’s paintings, as well as works from other artists. Don’t miss a walk through the mansion’s charming courtyard, home to a quaint fountain and blooming florals.

The 17th-century Cerralbo Museum is a palace that was once the home of the Marquis of Cerralbo. Today, it features some of the 50,000 items the Cerrablo family collected, from sculptures, paintings, and ceramics to coins, clocks, furniture, armor, tapestries, and so much more. The ornate palace’s decor is fun to admire, and it’s located near Madrid’s Templo of Debod, making it ideal for a dose of culture after a walking tour of Madrid.

The Museum of Romanticism is housed in a palacete, a small former palace that showcases the daily life and traditions of the wealthy and royal during the Romanticism period (from 1833 to 1868). Beyond a large collection of paintings, sculptures, and drawings, you can also admire decorative Spanish fans, photographs, furniture, and even clothes and accessories worn during the period. The museum also puts on special events such as workshops for children, concerts, and one-off exhibits.

The Lázaro Galdiano Museum is in Madrid’s upscale Barrio de Salamanca, making it perfect for a cultural break after a shopping tour of the city. The museum has paintings from artists such as Bosch, Goya, Velázquez, El Greco, Murillo, plus Spanish fans, ceramics, jewels, furniture, textiles, glass, and much more. Some of the most famous artworks by Francisco Goya, a few of which come from his black period where he depicts the darker parts of humanity, such as Las Brujas (The Witches).

If you’re wondering where to see art in Madrid beyond museums and galleries, head to the hipster neighborhood of Malasaña. Here, you’ll find a large portion of the city’s ever-evolving street art. Pay a visit to Malasaña after a sightseeing tour, and wander around, and don’t miss the graffitied wall near Yasta Club on Calle Valverde. Because the art changes frequently, it’s best to take a street art tour of Madrid so you can check out the most recent additions.

Madrid is home to three large sculptures by Colombian artist Fernando Botero, known for his voluminous artistic interpretations. One actually sits just outside Terminal 1 of the Madrid Barajas Airport, El Rapto de Europa, depicting a large woman on a large horse. The next is a massive hand, La Mano, located near the Plaza San Juan de la Cruz off of Paseo de la Castellana. Finally, admire La Mujer del Espejo, a large woman lying down with a small hand mirror, in Colón, just off of Recoletos.