# A family day in Madrid: a paella class with a market visit, a boat at the Retiro and the Prado in its free hours

A paella class with market shopping and lunch, a rowing boat on the Retiro lake, the Prado's two free hours and an early dinner at Casa Alberto, in Las Letras.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/community-of-madrid/madrid/itineraries/paella-boat-and-free-prado · Revisado: 2026-11-13

## El día
- 10:00 · Paella class with shopping at the Antón Martín market (Cooking Point · €85, children aged 5 to 12 €45 · lunch included · in English) · Cooking Point, From €85 adult
  - 15 min on foot
- 15:15 · El Retiro and a rowing boat on the Great Pond (boat on the big pond · €6 per boat on weekdays · 45 min)
  - 15 min on foot
- 18:00 · Prado Museum, with a ticket or in the free last two hours (free 18:00 to 20:00 Monday to Saturday · queue at the entrance)
  - 10 min on foot
- 20:00 · Casa Alberto (early dinner · croquetas and tripe · open until 23:00) · Casa Alberto, €€€

A long day but without the metro: Antón Martín, the Retiro and the Prado are less than twenty minutes' walk from each other. The children cook, row and, if they still have the energy, see Velázquez without your paying admission.

## The day from start to finish

10:00 · Cooking Point. The morning starts with shopping at the Antón Martín market, 200 metres from the school. Then each pair cooks its paella, with sangria and a starter, and at the end you sit down to eat it. It is four hours, in English, for €85 for adults and €45 for children aged 5 to 12. You take the recipe booklet home.

15:15 · Retiro. Twenty minutes on foot, climbing towards the Puerta de Alcalá. The boats on the big lake go out from 15:15 until sunset, in 45-minute slots: €6 per boat on weekdays and €8 at weekends. Under-14s go with someone over 18.

18:00 · Prado Museum. Walk down the Cuesta de Moyano. From Monday to Saturday, the last two hours, from 18:00 to 20:00, are free. With children, choose a room or two: an hour and a half is enough.

20:00 · Casa Alberto. Ten minutes' walk to Calle de las Huertas. Early tavern dinner: home-made croquettes, tripe or cod. Closed on Mondays.

## If tiredness comes sooner

The Prado can be skipped without guilt: it is a stroll away and the free hours repeat every day. If the children are worn out after the boat, come back another day just for the museum.

## Cómo llegar

### Without a car
Metro L1 to Antón Martín in the morning; return from Atocha or Banco de España.

## Consejos

### Do not have a heavy breakfast
The class ends with you eating what you have cooked.

### Arrive at the boats at 15:15
In November the sun sets early and the jetty closes with it.

### Arrive at the Prado before 18:00
In the free hours a queue usually forms before opening.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### From what age can children do the paella class?
Cooking Point has a price for children aged 5 to 12; it does not publish a minimum age.

### How much does the day cost?
€85 the class per adult, €45 per child, €6 the boat, the Prado free in those hours and between €35 and €60 dinner.

### Does it work on Sundays?
No: the paella class is Monday to Saturday and Casa Alberto only opens on Sundays at midday.