The Best Beautiful Parks and Gardens in Madrid

The Spanish capital can boast of having the best bars and restaurants when it comes to Spanish cuisine but it's not all about food. We can also find the best parks in Madrid to visit. These parks have plenty of green spaces to take a break and disconnect from the city. In these parks and gardens you can do many activitiesFrom boating, sports, to simply going for a walk alone or with your loved ones.

They say that all roads lead to RomeBut I do not believe that, I think it is better to say that all roads lead to Madrid to visit its beautiful gardens. Many of them contain the essence and the many years that they have been doing business there for so many years. history.

Madrid Parks: El Retiro

We are possibly talking about the Madrid's most historic park since it was built at the beginning of the XVII century. The enclosure is around 120 hectares and with more than 16,000 trees is one of the most important most frequented of the capital thanks to its famous lake.

El Retirohides spaces and corners of dreams such as The Crystal Palace, the Velazquez Palace, the Vivaces garden, the Great Pond. The following are also found the gardens of Cecilio Rodriguez, We will talk about some of them later on. This park is famous for being one of the best parks Madrid that offers culture, leisure and sportsis also one of the Europe's most important.

In this park you will be able to enjoy a boat ride The park's lake, see actors in costume touring the park to entertain people, artists playing the best music according to the situation of the park. These and many other curiosities full of adventures, will make you think about having fun or disconnecting from the traffic of the big city that never stops when you are in the Retiro.

In the surrounding area, you can rent a bicycle to take a ride and enjoy the park in general on wheels. Throughout the route you will see many kiosks and terraces where you can take a break.

Undoubtedly, if you are going to travel to Madrid whether or not you are a lover of parks and gardens you can not miss the luxury of visiting the Retiroone of the most recommended routes for all foreigners. If you wish, to have a souvenir of your trip you can talk with photographers who will do a photo session with your partner, group of friends or alone.

You will remember it as something different, original and funThis is the Retiro Park. There are three routes for a visit to the park but the most famous is the one by the Puerta de Alcaláthe Independence Gate.

Madrid Parks: El Capricho

This park is one of the green areas that make up the artistic heritage natural of Madrid. It is listed, along with others such as one of the most beautiful in the city. Interestingly, this park is not so well known as it is located in Alameda de OsunaThe 14-hectare site is located in a neighborhood belonging to the district of Barajas. The 14-hectare site was born at the end of the XVIII century when the Duke and Duchess of Osuna acquired the estate and thus leaving their artiststo create a real paradise with the help of gardeners and scenographers of the time.

El Capricho offers three different landscape stylesthus forming the parterre or French garden, the English landscape and the giardino Italian. This makes a combination that gives the park a different essence from the rest. It contains temples, chapels, fountains, small squares and the old palace of the dukes. Currently used for conference rooms, exhibitions and generally an interactive space where the figure of the duchess is the protagonist. We can also contemplate the estuary with its lake and island, the houses of reeds and more. wonders hidden in this garden that you will only be able to see for yourself if you visit it.

A secret The great thing about El Capricho is that it contains a hidden bunker. It comprises a place in which housed the Army Headquarters Republican of Madrid when Spain was during 3 years in a Civil War. This cache of 2.000 located at 15 meters underground was able to withstand bombs of up to 100 kg. It was an ideal site to create a bunker because with the nature of the landscape ideally camouflaged.

The Cultural Heritage of the Madrid City Council offers free guided tours on Saturdays and Sundays. So, if you are in Madrid and plan to visit this park you know what to do if you want to see a bunker that for a long time housed people to save themselves from the bombings and shootings in the capital.

In short, El Capricho invites you to experience many sensations. relive stories in each of its corners. Its forests with spring trees provide a beautiful garden. In its tours you can observe the natural wealth with numerous animals such as squirrels, wood pigeons, voles, field mice, shrews and others. In short, you can not miss the opportunity to visit this park if you are in Madrid.

West Park Rose Garden

As its name says, this garden is a unique corner of the city visitors can not miss. The reason is that at the end of spring, the Rose Garden contains more than 500 varieties of rose bushes from all over the world. It is a place perfect for walkingIt is very romantic and it is the ideal place for photographers who do photo shoots in which the atmosphere and nature are a great accompaniment.

This park is the only one that goes over its schedule, ie, is always open more hours than usual, it involves a greater care with what creates a good interaction with the public.

Also famous for creating a contest called "Rose Popular Contest"This is celebrated every year in the month of May. This is the time when the rose bushes are in full bloom and the idea is that visitors vote for the most beautiful roses.

It is one of the gardens lesser-known Madrid, where people living in the big capital city will have passed by many times without noticing its presence.

The Rose Garden was created in the style of other rose gardens in the rest of Europe, such as the one at VersaillesThe work of the gardener Mayor of the City Council of Madrid. This has been a very successful initiative to draw the attention of visitors. It has a surface of 32.000 and in the central part we will be able to see a pond with water lilies. It contains the so-called "Fountain of Youth"where there is a very beautiful sculpture of a nymph.

In its surroundings, it has arches and galleries in which you can enter, where you will see that its underground paths and walls are formed by green leaves, colorful flowers and roses.

The Sabatini Gardens

In front of the Royal Palace one of the most important most beautiful gardens in Madrid. They are so named because of an Italian architect named Francesco Sabatini contributed greatly to the design of the Royal Palace and the gardens were named in his honor. With a little more than 25,000 hectares, this garden has a neoclassic style that makes it very original.

This garden tends to be more crowded at dusk and at night, as it is a spectacular place in which witness the twilight. It has a large pond in the center of the garden surrounded by fountains, trees and sculptures of architectural character. As extension of the Royal Palace, makes viewers contemplate the viewers as the tones are varying. Thus, from a yellow and red tone, it changes to the gray colors of the palace itself, making its marble sculptures white highlight after the sun goes down.

Joined mainly by the Campo del Moro, another large garden in which the Royal Palace is a very visited place.

Campo del Moro

A fabulous garden that was driven by and supported by the XIX century by the Queen in the English style, declared as Historic and Artistic Monument a centenary later.

Because of their concept of romanticism, these lands were not created to be a garden. However, several gardeners of the time came together to take advantage of the land and turn it into a beautiful place where people could visit and enjoy.

El Campo del Moro, is characterized by the unevenness of the ravine located between the palace and the banks of the Manzanares River. It did not become a garden until the Queen Elizabeth II decided to give the signal for several workers residing in his Palace to get to work to create that.

The curious name of this garden has a lot of history behind it. When a very important Muslim warlord tried to reconquer Madrid after the death of the king, he attacked the Royal Palace and other monuments. Legend has it that his troops and he encamped in the place that these gardens occupy today. Some time later, in the face of a rather heavy defeat, they were unable to seize power.

Cecilio Rodriguez Gardens

Known mostly for its peace of mindThe gardens are located inside the Retiro Park. Few people frequent this garden created by Cecilio RodriguezIt was very well cared for until 2010 when it was closed to the public. This measure was taken to to preserve all its beauty without vandalism or accidents.

Cecilio Rodriguez was a gardener born in Valladolid, learned to be a gardener in the City Council of Madrid from a very young age. With all this, little by little through hours of work he climbed the ranks and launched this great project. It is at the height of many well-known gardens, such as The Rose Garden for example.

In fact, when people make long waits to be able to visit it, only a dozen people enter. This action allows the guides to pay more attention to the users, as well as to give more detailed explanations of the place. The most usual thing is that the visits are always included in a climate of silence and nature.

We can find in the Cecilio Rodriguez Gardens many sculptures and curious elements, such as small ponds, water fountains, pergolas. Likewise, you can appreciate hedges, secret corners and some peacocks that show their colorful feathers to the visitors. At the north entrance, there is a very slender figure of Venus, with one shoulder uncovered and a lost look, missing an arm and you can see that the dirt soils the white stone. Even so it preserves the originality and classicism in the garden.

The Botanical Garden of Madrid

Being one of the most visited gardens in MadridAlthough it is not surprising at first glance from the outside, inside the garden is home to a huge and varied content of species. It is located in the heart of Madrid. Ideal for a different kind of tourism.

It is a plant museumThe Botanical Garden, in which a pleasant service is offered to the visitor's stroll. In the middle of the great capital, it is grateful to make a small break in which we can disconnect through the vegetation and the peace that resides in this Botanical Garden. It also has a showroom and a cafeteria to sit for a while and have a quiet chat before or after the visit.

It is very large, has four floors containing four terraces and one great view of the Paseo del Prado. At the same time, in its interior we will find grids full of species with information. This garden is not only based on vegetation, it also contains ornamental fountains and several sculptures..

It was created in the middle of the XVIII century by order of the king, located near the Manzanares River, the Botanical Garden, nowadays open during all seasons of the year, although its schedule may vary. Access is from the north side, next to the square shared with the Prado Museum.

Temple of Debod

We cannot skip this great park when it comes to comment on the best parks in Madridis a great treasure hidden in Madrid.

The Temple of Debodis located in the west of Plaza España, next to the Parque del Oeste and is simply a ancient Egyptian monument in the heart of the capital.

It is characterized for being one of the most visited and more careful, it also offers views towards the Royal Palace through the trees. The place exudes magic because going there at sunset is a magical place. perfect for relaxing.

But how this temple arrives to a place like Madrid? Well, because the Egyptian government made a gift to Madrid City Council. The reason is that they built the Aswan DamThe size of the area could have flooded it, which would have meant that it would have had to be treated.

It is very original, since the Temple of Debod is one of the most photographed monuments by foreigners and locals. At all hours you will find people taking pictures and posing on the monuments. It is special late at night, due to the illumination that the monument itself gives off, being able to turn a photograph into a very nice postcard.

This original temple is consisting of a main building with two portals stone wall on a road in front of its façade. In itself it's a small thingwith things to see inside, but mainly it attracts more attention because of its surroundings.. Visits to the interior of Debod are free of charge. although many times at peak hours, the wait to get in is very long because of the capacity is limited.

West Park

The West Park is full of charming corners and history. What stands out is mainly in its famous cable car that connects the Paseo del Pintor Rosales with the Casa de Campo. In addition, it offers stunning views, especially recommended. visit when the day fallsat sunset. It comprises one of the Madrid's main attractions.

Speaking of fun facts, is that even the twentieth century this park was mainly used for disposal and storage of garbage. After some time, the mayor of Madrid City Council decided to contact some designers to create a unique and beautiful place where you can take a walk or just relax.

They did so and eventually transformed the site that served as the city's dump to a a beautiful and romantic park. Also during the Spanish Civil War, the Parque del Oeste became a large battlefieldThe trenches and bunkers that people can see today were built.

With an area of about 100,000 square meters, this green space is located between the road to A Coruña and the Moncloa area. It is highly recommended to visit it to see the sculptures it contains. Also, you can observe its great Source of Juan Villanuevalocated in the center that rises on a large pylon measuring about 20 meters high.

Thinking and comparing how this beautiful park was once a garbage dump and a battlefield can cheer us up and inspire us to change positively.

Madrid Río

Madrid Ríois one of the largest parks in Madrid; it was built in the XXI century It is a pedestrian and recreational area. It is located parallel to the Manzanares River.

Thanks to its remodeling and care for nature, it has once again boasted a surprising fauna.

The busy roads of the M-30 highway run underneath this park.

With a long distance of 10 km, they contain many green areas, sports areas and picnic areas. In these areas, the people of Madrid can enjoy a calm moment while strolling.

It has many historical monuments, as well as leisure and cultural facilities, such as the Matadero Madrid. It is a former slaughterhouse converted into a cultural space, where people can enjoy the you can visit it free of charge. In short, it is one of those parks that brings together several different and fun activities.

It is curious because before this park was created, there was a lot of car traffic and nowadays you can notice the big change. Eating or having a drink in the shade of the pine trees is a common practice. As well as sunbathing or crossing bridges that will lead us to a "artificial "beach to cool off in summer.

In fact, he received a award in 2016The Veronica Rudge Green Prize from Harvard where they congratulate and recognize the value of building a project that changes the urban lifestyle for the better. It is also recognized for creating a space of tranquility just a few steps away from the great mass of movement in Madrid.

In Madrid you can visit many parks and gardens in which each one brings something different. However, Madrid Rio has become an everyday urban park. It is frequented by university students, people practicing sports or simply seduces to take a walk. It also has several children's areas with swings so that the little ones can also enjoy.

You already know which are the best parks and beautiful gardens in Madrid: Visit them!

Madrid is one of the most beautiful cities to visit, without a doubt. you cannot miss to visit all the parks and gardens I have told you before. Most of them are free of charge although in some cases we may have to pay a small token fee.

And the truth is that its climate is very nice but before traveling I advise you to look at the weather because in winter it is usually a dry cold. I reiterate that it does not usually go below zero degrees, even so it is very good in the street. In spring there are usually storms and in summer it can be very hot, above 30ºC in July and August.

Visiting the large parks and gardens made up of monuments and figures makes the Madrid is an ideal destination. For the above reasons, you should include a visit to these parks in your plans with children and family at any time of the year.