The Paseo del Prado: the museum mile
Three of the world's great galleries, two fountains, and a wall that breathes. This is a Claude-drafted route awaiting the editor's walk.

1. Fuente de Cibeles
Start at the goddess in her lion-drawn chariot, the fountain Real Madrid fans climb to celebrate. Stand on the central island if the lights let you, then walk south down the tree-lined promenade with the traffic on either flank.

2. Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
The collection that fills the gaps the other two leave — early Italians, the Dutch, the Impressionists, a great room of Americans. Smaller than the Prado and easier to do in one visit. If you only have an hour, spend it here, not queueing.

3. Fuente de Neptuno
The sea-god with his trident in the middle of the square, the fountain Atlético de Madrid claim as theirs. A two-minute pause on the way down; cross carefully, the roundabout is busy.

4. Museo del Prado
The big one — Velázquez's *Las Meninas*, Goya's black paintings, Bosch's *Garden of Earthly Delights*. Don't try to see it all; pick three rooms and let the rest go. Enter by the Jerónimos door at the north end to skip the worst of the queue.

5. CaixaForum and its vertical garden
An old power station reskinned in rusted iron, floating on a recessed base so it seems to hover. Next to it, the living wall — thousands of plants on a blank gable, designed by Patrick Blanc. Free to stand and look up; the exhibitions inside are usually worth the ticket.

6. Real Jardín Botánico gate
The botanic garden's railings mark the end of the mile and the edge of Atocha. You don't have to go in here — that's a walk of its own — but the green wall of it closes the promenade well before you drop to the station.

The Paseo del Prado: the museum mile