The Retiro Park is the favourite spot of many people who visit Madrid. This park is a paradise located right in the city centre. A labyrinthine greed of majestic threes and pretty flowers, secret ponds and fairy-tale waterfalls. We will guide you through the Retiro Park and will reveal you its beauties.
The park has been created in 1680 and it belonged to the Monarchy. Today, it occupies a surface of 350 acres, a great space to run, have fun, etc. The Retiro Park is located in the district named after it and it is close to some of the best neighbourhoods in Madrid, such as Salamanca or Barrio de las Letras.
Needless to say, a room close to the park is an amazing housing solution! If you are still looking for a room or a flat, have a look at the areas close to the park. We definitely suggest you to take into account any of the enchanting districts close to the Retiro Park: they are in the city centre, there are many services and you have plenty of choice when it comes to free time. The main museums in Madrid are located close to this park: the Botanical Garden, the Reina Sofia, the Museo del Prado, etc.
Let’s discover now all the pretty corners treasured in the Retiro Park: not just plants, but also architecture and romantic spots.
This palace, built in 1887 by Ricardo Velázquez Bosco, hosts several contemporary art exhibitions. The building itself is a magnificent construction and the location is even better. The wood and the artificial pond create a unique atmosphere and the sunsets there, you can’t put it into words!
This majestic monument located on the edge of an artificial lake was inaugurated in 1922: it is a colonnade with several sculptures that surround the king statue. This is a lovely part of the Retiro Park and the pretty boats contribute to create a particularly suggestive atmosphere. Lovely during summer, special during fall, the monument is worth a visit throughout the year.
The same architect of the Crystal palace has designed this palace in 1881. This breath-taking building is surrounded with nature and very close to the big lake. Interesting fact: it was built with the bricks of the Royal Factory. Needless to say, it’s worth a visit!
A great building and a great resource if you are new in Madrid and you don’t have anything to read or anything to watch. The library is modern and with huge windows to look outside during the long afternoons in a book. The beauty is not its only strength: you can borrow book and movies to spend the evening with your flatmates or alone.
The Rosaleda is a rose garden with plants from all over the world. If you go there at the right time, the nature will show you its amazing colours and you will take amazing pictures for your Instagram! This is one of the first places we’ve visited in the park, so we’re particularly affectionate to its perfumes, colours and symmetries. Take a note, this garden is worth a visit.
This memorial garden commemorates the 2004 victims. This forest, Bosque del Recuerdo in Spanish, comprises 192 trees, one for each victim of the train bombings. It is located on the left side of the Puerta del Ángel Caido and you’ll notice it immediately: it’s shape catches easily people’s attention.
These are only few of the several beauties treasured in the Retiro Park. It is impossible to list them all, but the fountains, the monuments and the beautiful gardens will knock your socks off! Beside the sightseeing, what can you do in the park? Let’s see together some entertaining activities.
Retiro Park activities
A park is a great resource, especially if you live in a big city like Madrid. Traffic jam, chaotic streets, frenetic life may be stressing after a while. For this reason a walk or a physical activity may help people to have a break, a green healthy break. The Retiro Park offers many options for those people who want to relax or exercise.
Jogging is not the only option to exercise. Football, tennis and other sports can be played in Retiro Park. You can play football with your colleagues or skate with your flatmates. If you prefer the gym, you can enjoy an open-air training in one of the equipped areas located in the park. There is nothing better than sport to spend an entertaining afternoon.
Yoga and other activities are available, too. If you’ve already been in the park during the summer season, you may have noticed groups of people following their instructors. There are zumba, yoga and jogging groups around the park. We think that this is a great way to meet new people and stay connected with nature.
We love food and you? Take a sunny day, a park, add some friends and mix some tasty food: the perfect picnic is waiting for you! And, after a siesta, it’s time to play volleyball or read a good book… this is pure relaxation.
Those are just some of the many things you can do in this amazingly beautiful park. Are you ready to enjoy it?
Now you know everything you had to know about the park. The main attractions, the beautiful gardens, the activities that take place there and the closest neighbourhoods.
No way to get tired of the Retiro Park. Could you imagine having the fortune to see it every day? The trees, the flowers, the parrots, the squirrels… a dream, isn’t it? If you’re still looking for a room, we suggest you to check some of the districts close to the park. Salamanca district, for example, is a great location to live in. Many services and a direct access to the park are good reasons to look for your room there.
Well, it’s time for us to have a walk… see you there?