The Museo Reina Sofía is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest museums. Its collection covers the history of modern and contemporary art from the time of Picasso onwards, featuring masterpieces not only by Picasso himself but also by giants such as Dalí, Magritte and Miró, as well as remarkable female artists like Ángeles Santos and María Blanchard.
However, thinking that the Museo Reina Sofía is only about art would be a mistake. In this article, we’d like to give you four more reasons to visit the museum (besides the obvious one, of course).
Café NUBEL
One of the coolest places to enjoy a coffee in Madrid is undoubtedly the café inside the Museo Reina Sofía: Café NUBEL. Its striking design makes an impression the moment you walk in, and its food is every bit as stylish as the space itself.
It’s the perfect place to take a break during an intense museum visit. After all, your eyes are muscles too, and they eventually get tired. And if Café NUBEL isn’t quite your style, you’re just a few steps away from Lavapiés, one of Madrid’s most vibrant neighbourhoods, full of restaurants and cafés serving food from all over the world.
The Museo Reina Sofía Building Itself
Sometimes we forget that, before you can hang a painting, you first need a wall.
The building that houses the Museo Reina Sofía is itself an eighteenth-century masterpiece. Whenever we say that King Charles III was “the best mayor Madrid ever had”, we usually think of the Puerta de Alcalá, the fountains along the Paseo del Prado or his many urban improvements. Rarely do we remember this remarkable building, even though it fulfilled one of the city’s greatest needs at the time.
Before becoming a museum, it was the Hospital of San Carlos. During the twentieth century, the hospital eventually became obsolete as Madrid built the modern hospitals that are still in use today.
In 1992, the building was transformed into the Museo Reina Sofía that we know today. Visitors can now admire not only masterpieces such as Guernica, but also one of the finest examples of Spanish Neoclassical architecture.
The Views from the Top Floor
Does the Museo Reina Sofía offer views from its upper floors? Yes—but probably not the ones you expect.
When we think of viewpoints in historic cities, we usually imagine panoramic views of the old town or the most picturesque landmarks. The Museo Reina Sofía challenges that expectation. Its terraces overlook the southeast of Madrid, particularly the district of Arganzuela.
Rather than showing you the city’s historic centre, they reveal the Madrid where most locals actually live. It’s a different perspective on the city—one that’s well worth appreciating.
The Museo Reina Sofía Garden
The museum’s garden is another hidden gem, provided it’s open during your visit.
As we mentioned when talking about Café NUBEL, taking a break doesn’t necessarily mean stopping at a café. You can simply sit on one of the garden benches and enjoy a few moments of peace. Thanks to the building’s architecture, it’s surprisingly quiet despite being in the heart of Madrid.
Most visitors try to see everything in one go, but that can be exhausting. Sometimes the best thing you can do is sit down, take a deep breath, recharge your batteries and continue exploring.
Would You Like to Visit the Museo Reina Sofía?
Join The Guides You Need!
Our tours are limited to a maximum of six people, allowing for a much more personal experience. If your group is larger, that’s absolutely fine—we’ll simply organise a private tour for you.
Another question we often receive is: Are tickets included? Absolutely. All entrance tickets are included in the price of our tours.
And do we offer skip the line access? Yes, we do. However, we recommend reading our article (click here) about what skip the line really means before booking. We don’t want to create unrealistic expectations.
You can book your Museo Reina Sofía tour by clicking here.
