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The Mariana of Austria exhibition will open at the Prado on 1 December 2026 and run until 28 March 2027. It will bring together around one hundred works in rooms A and B of the Jerónimos building, with a full-price ticket announced at €15. None of the tours in this selection guarantees access to the temporary exhibition: I chose them to help you understand the queen beforehand, then follow her trail to the Royal Palace, El Escorial or Toledo. I would start with a small-group Prado tour.
You know her face without knowing her name. That widow in a dark gown and white headdress, with a guarded gaze, is Mariana of Austria (Marie-Anne of Austria in French collections): niece and then wife of Philip IV, mother of Spain’s last Habsburg, Charles II, and regent from 1665. Velázquez and then Carreño de Miranda painted her again and again. From 1 December 2026, the Prado devotes a full exhibition to her for the first time, and it is also its first monographic show dedicated to a patron rather than an artist.
The exhibition has not opened yet, so I won’t tell you anything I haven’t seen, and I write everything in the future tense. What I can do right now is help you prepare your visit. My selection brings together 12 experiences in and around Madrid, all rated 4.8 or higher, led by the small-group Prado tour with an art historian guide, which you can book directly on Viator if your dates are already set.
Two clarifications before we start. First, none of these tours guarantees entry to the temporary exhibition: they cover the Prado’s permanent collection, the Royal Palace, El Escorial or other towns. Book your exhibition ticket separately on the museum’s official website. Second, availability varies a lot from one tour to another: each card shows the number of bookable days out of the exhibition’s 118 days, an estimate to confirm on the booking page.
Why this exhibition: the queen everyone looked at
Mariana of Austria (1634-1696) was the daughter of Emperor Ferdinand III. She married her uncle Philip IV in 1649 and, when the king died in 1665, ruled as regent during the minority of Charles II (Wikipedia). Her widow’s portraits, with the white toca, show her at her desk in the Alcázar, painted by Carreño de Miranda or Claudio Coello (Prado collection).
The exhibition, curated by Noelia García Pérez, will bring together around one hundred works: paintings, sculptures, medals, textiles, illuminated manuscripts and prints. It is part of the Prado’s « Year of the Three Queens », alongside Elisabeth Farnese and Christina of Sweden (2026 programme). The idea I take away: seeing how a queen crafted her own image in a monarchy in crisis. Fundación AXA is announced as the exhibition’s sponsor, though I could not confirm this with the museum.
Here is what has been announced to help you plan your visit, to be reconfirmed on the Prado’s official page before you go:
- Dates: 1 December 2026 to 28 March 2027.
- Venue: Museo Nacional del Prado, Jerónimos building, rooms A and B (Paseo del Prado).
- Usual museum hours: Monday to Saturday 10 am to 8 pm, Sundays and public holidays 10 am to 7 pm.
- Announced prices: €15 full price, €7.50 reduced price, audio guide extra.
- Free entry: announced at the end of the day (6 pm to 8 pm on weekdays), with long queues to expect.
I could not verify whether the exhibition ticket is included in the museum’s general admission: check the Prado website before you buy.
The 12 Best Experiences in Madrid to Go with the Mariana of Austria Exhibition
1. The Prado in a small group with an art historian guide
Seven people at most: this is the format I would pick to get to know the Velázquez rooms before the exhibition. The guide, an art history graduate, teaches you how to read a court portrait, a habit that will help when you stand in front of a queen’s official image. It is the highest-rated tour in the selection, but it only runs on some days: check the dates. The tour covers the permanent collection, not the temporary exhibition.
- Group of 7 people maximum
- Guide with an art history degree
- Museum entry included in the price, meeting point at the Goya statue
2. The Prado in 1 h 30 with a skip-the-line ticket
The short and most flexible option, with more than 1,900 reviews and a 4.93 rating. Six people at most, a professional guide and a tour through the museum’s big names, including the Velázquez rooms, a few steps from the rooms where the exhibition will be installed. The listing is written in English: check the tour language when you book. It does not cover the temporary exhibition.
- Prado Museum entry ticket included
- Professional guide, small group
- Bookable almost every day of the period
3. The Prado, then lunch at Botín
This is my « Habsburg Madrid » half-day: the Prado in the morning, then a table at a restaurant that Guinness recognises as the oldest in the world. The price varies a lot depending on the option (Prado only or with lunch), so read the listing carefully before choosing. The tour starts at Plaza de España, not in front of the museum.
- About 1 h 30 min tour of the Prado Museum
- Three-course lunch and two drinks depending on the option
- Local guide, meeting point near the Calderón de la Barca statue
4. The Royal Palace, where the queen lived
The Royal Palace stands on the site of the former Alcázar, where Mariana lived and ruled before the fire of 1734. You won’t see her apartments as they were, but you walk on the seat of her power, and the meeting point is in front of the equestrian statue of Philip IV, her husband. The Palace closes on some days for official ceremonies: confirm the dates on the listing.
- Skip-the-line ticket for the Royal Palace of Madrid
- Professional guide, six people maximum
- Meeting point at Plaza de Oriente, in front of the Philip IV statue
5. El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen from Madrid
According to the Prado’s documentation, Mariana rests at El Escorial, in the Pantheon of the Kings. The description of this excursion does not say the burial vault is part of the route: if that is your goal, check the listing before booking. The excursion itself is very well run (more than 3,000 reviews), with an air-conditioned coach and monastery tickets included. The Valley of the Fallen has been renamed Valle de Cuelgamuros.
- Air-conditioned luxury coach with Wi-Fi from Madrid
- Entry tickets to the monastery and the valley included
- Professional guide, departure at 9 am (check-in at 8:30 am)
6. Toledo in a day: cathedral, synagogue and Santo Tomé
Toledo was the imperial city of the Habsburgs before Philip II moved the court to Madrid in 1561. This day trip is the most complete in the selection, with 7,860 reviews and a 4.82 rating: it includes the cathedral, the Santa María la Blanca synagogue and the church of Santo Tomé, home to El Greco’s masterpiece. Plan for the whole day, so a day without the exhibition.
- Tickets to the cathedral, the synagogue and Santo Tomé included
- Panoramic coach tour of Toledo
- Departure from Madrid at 9 am, back at the end of the day
7. Private Toledo tour with a licensed guide
If you want to set your own pace, this is the version I would take: a licensed guide just for your group, who can explain the interiors of the monuments. The 4.99 rating from 983 reviews speaks for itself. The displayed price is based on two adults and drops as the group grows; the transfer from Madrid is a paid option.
- Private walking tour of 3 or 6 hours depending on the option
- Licensed local guide, with your group only
- Round-trip transfer from Madrid as an option
8. Ávila and Segovia in one day
Two walled cities for the price of one excursion: the walls of Ávila in the morning, then the Roman aqueduct and the Alcázar of Segovia, a residence of the kings of Castile. It is the longest day on the list (about 11 hours), so schedule it on a day when the exhibition is not on your programme. The guide is bilingual in English and Spanish.
- Excursion from Madrid to Ávila and Segovia, about 11 hours
- 45 minutes of walking in Ávila
- Free time to explore both towns
9. The Reina Sofía in a small group, Guernica included
To widen your art day without redoing the Prado: here you move from the court portrait to the 20th century, with Picasso’s Guernica as the highlight. Six people at most, a skip-the-line ticket and a meeting point at the Sabatini door. The Reina Sofía has no link with the exhibition; it is a complement.
- Skip-the-line ticket for the Reina Sofía
- Professional guide
- Group of 6 people maximum
10. Tapas and historic taverns in a small group
A 3 h 30 min stroll between the city’s oldest tapas bars, with a guide who tells the story of Habsburg Madrid via the Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol. It has the best rating in the selection after the small-group Prado tour (4.95 from more than 3,500 reviews). The options change the price: read the listing.
- Four drinks included (wine, beer or a soft drink)
- Small group, guide with the yellow sign
- Dinner at Botín option, see the listing
11. Paella workshop with bottomless sangria
The right plan to recover from a morning at the museum: three hours at the stove, a paella you cook yourself and sangria. You leave with the recipes. It can be booked almost every day of the period, which makes it handy when the rest of your schedule is tight.
- Cooking class and paella
- Bottomless sangria
- Recipes to take home
12. A flamenco show in a small venue
To end the day on something other than portraits: 70 minutes of flamenco in an intimate venue on Calle de la Cruz, one drink included. It is not a bridge to the exhibition, just a lovely way to finish a museum day.
- Show of about 70 minutes
- One drink included (sangria, beer, wine or soft drink)
- Small venue, a stone’s throw from the Puerta del Sol
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See flightsPractical tips on the ground
The exhibition falls in the middle of Madrid’s winter: expect temperatures between 5 and 15 degrees Celsius (about 41 to 59 °F), with possible rain and short days (esMadrid). Christmas, New Year and Epiphany, with the Three Kings parade on 5 January as far as Cibeles, bring big crowds: book the time slots for the tours on your list early.
For the exhibition itself, I would aim for a weekday morning at opening time, 10 am, rather than the free end-of-day slots, which are the busiest. The Prado is a 5-minute walk from Atocha, the high-speed train station, and from Retiro Park. If you arrive by train, have a look at our article on the new AVE lines in Spain. The Royal Palace and the Plaza de Oriente are farther away: allow 30 minutes on foot, or take the metro to Ópera.
A simple two-day itinerary: the first for the Prado and the exhibition, with a guided tour in the morning then rooms A and B in the afternoon, and a tapas dinner. The second for the Royal Palace, then an excursion on another day, as departures are around 9 am and last from 5 hours (El Escorial) to 11 hours (Ávila and Segovia). We have covered excursions to Toledo, those to Segovia and, to end the evening, La Latina, its tapas and its flamenco.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Mariana of Austria exhibition at the Prado?
It will open on 1 December 2026 and run until 28 March 2027, in rooms A and B of the Jerónimos building. The dates come from the programme announced by the museum: reconfirm them on its website before booking your trip.
How much will exhibition entry cost?
The full price is announced at €15 and the reduced price at €7.50, with free entry at the end of the day. These amounts remain to be confirmed on the Prado’s official website, which is authoritative.
Do the guided tours in this selection give access to the exhibition?
No, nothing guarantees it. The Prado tours cover the permanent collection, like the small-group Prado tour or the 1 h 30 min option. Get your exhibition ticket separately on the museum’s website.
Where is Mariana of Austria buried?
According to the Prado’s documentation, she rests in the Pantheon of the Kings at the monastery of El Escorial, as the mother of Charles II. The El Escorial excursion does not specify that the burial vault is part of the route: check the listing.
Can you combine the exhibition with Toledo or El Escorial?
Not on the same day: the excursions last from 5 hours (El Escorial) to 8 hours (Toledo) and leave around 9 am. Plan the exhibition for another day, preferably a weekday morning.
Which tour has the best rating in the selection?
The small-group Prado tour with an art historian guide scores 5.0 out of 5 from 364 reviews. However, it is bookable only on part of the days in the period: check the dates before locking in your trip.
Sources
- Museo del Prado: Mariana de Austria exhibition, accessed on 2026-09-21
- Museo del Prado: 2026 programme, accessed on 2026-09-21
- Museo del Prado: Mariana of Austria, Queen Regent (collection), accessed on 2026-09-21
- Museo del Prado: Queen Mariana of Austria (collection), accessed on 2026-09-21
- esMadrid: Mariana of Austria at the Prado Museum, accessed on 2026-09-21
- esMadrid: Madrid in winter, accessed on 2026-09-21
- Hoy es Arte: the Prado presents its 2026 programme, accessed on 2026-09-21
- Moncloa: Mariana de Austria, the regent, accessed on 2026-09-21
- Wikipedia: Mariana of Austria, accessed on 2026-09-21
- Louvre Museum: Queen Marie-Anne of Austria, accessed on 2026-09-21
- Wikidata: Mariana of Austria, accessed on 2026-09-21
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