Madrid parks and gardens. Parks in Madrid, Spain

Parks and Gardens in Madrid

In the south of Europe, where in the summer it can get really hot, parks and gardens are a perfect refuge during the hottest time of the day. In Madrid, you can find shelter from the searing heat in Parque del Buen Retiro which not by accident translates to 'a park of pleasant retreat', or in the Sabatini Gardens honouring the great architect, with plenty of sculptures and fountains. Near the famous Prado Museum you'll find the Madrid Botanical Garden; with greenhouses and interesting plant exhibitions it's a site where you can learn something new about the flora of Spain, enjoying the beautiful surroundings at the same time. Throughout the city you'll find many more green areas, old and new, big and small, where you can do sports, walk around, simply relax.

Real Jardin Botanico
Phone: +34 91 420 30 17 e-mail: inforjb@rjb.csic.es
Website: http://www.rjb.csic.es/infov_eng.php
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Central Madrid has a lot to offer in terms of green spaces and Buen Retiro Park is not the only famous urban park in this part of the city; so is the Botanical Garden (Jardin Botanico), which rightly deserves its place among the often visited gardens. It owes its fame to its location in the vicinity of attractions such as the renowned Prado Museum and the Buen Retiro Park, as well as to its own qualities. The Botanical Garden stretches out over 8 hectares filling them with over 30,000 samples of diverse species of flora from America and the Pacific. These plants were gathered in specially organised expeditions and every plant is tagged with its name and origin so that the main purposes of the Garden, to educate, is fulfilled.
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Parque del Buen Retiro
Phone: +34 9 15 88 63 18 e-mail: infomadrid@munimadrid.es

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Los Jardines del Buen Retiro (Gardens of the Pleasant Retreat) is a wonderful park facility in the very urban heart of the Spanish capital which provides numerous delightful pastime activities to its visitors. It is not only the best-known city park in Madrid but it is also the largest one with an area of 1.4 square kilometres of greenery. The Buen Retiro Park, as it is most commonly called, is the perfect place for a relaxing family stroll in the afternoon or for a romanitc walk. The park has a wide range of hot spots such as the glorious Crystal Palace and the magnificent Monument of Alfonso XII, as well as a spectacular collection of statues and other pieces of art. Moreover, the Buen Retiro Park is very close to some interesting sites like Prado Museum (a museum of fine European art) and the Alcala Gate (a historical monumental gate).
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Casa de Campo
Phone: +34 91 588 29 00 e-mail: jocasacampo@yahoo.es

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The citizens who live in the westernmost part of Madrid have a huge advantage over the ones that live in the urban heart – they have at their disposal one of Madrid's largest green areas called Casa de Campo (House of the Field). Situated on the right bank of the Manzanares River, just outside the city, next to the ring that goes around Madrid, it is easily accessible which makes it one of the most popular places to spend one’s weekend. Because of its vicinity to the city and its seclusion at the same time, visitors are offered one of the greatest vistas upon the urban part of Madrid; especially from the park's hill, Monte de el Prado. Covering more than 1,700 hectares, Casa de Campo is not only a green pearl in the crown of Madrid’s parks and gardens, but also offers various attractions, such as row-boating in the lake or visiting the zoo and the amusement park that can also found within the boundaries of Casa de Campo. In administrative terms the park is located in the Moncloa-Aravaca district but it stretches further to the district Latina on the south and the municipality Pozuelo de Alarcon on the west.
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Parque Quinta Fuente del Berro
Phone: +34 91 588 29 00 e-mail: infomadrid@munimadrid.es

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One of the best-known parks in Madrid, and one of those with an interesting history is the Quinta de la Fuente del Berro Park (Villa of the Watercress Fountain). It can be found in the western part of the Spanish capital next to the M-30 (a main transport artery in Madrid, also called La Paz Avenue). This park neighbours other green areas such as Elipa Park and Roma Park, which also present the ideal conditions for a nice afternoon or just a few hours in peace. The park of the Watercress Fountain prides itself on a source of water that is said to have been the one of best quality in Madrid for a long time. The shadowy trees and the winding pathways crossing the lawns lure visitors to sit on the ground and enjoy the sun, but this is not the only thing that the park has to offer. There are many statues and an old mansion on the park’s premises that are also of significant interest.
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Parque del Oeste
Phone: +34 91 588 29 00 e-mail: infomadrid@munimadrid.es

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Situated near the left bank of the river Manzanares that passes through Madrid, the Parque del Oeste is a wonderful green area that is a part of the rich green system of western Madrid. Park del Oeste is actually connected to Park de la Bombilla, Park de la Montana (which is placed on a small hill, hence its name) as well as to the Rosaleda (‘Rosary’), which is said to be a part of the Western Park. This green space was constructed in 1906 by the initiative of Madrid’s Mayor – Alberto Aguilera, who commissioned the task of landscaping the park to Celedonio Rodriganez. The result is a well-structured English-style park that is very suitable for children with its spacious lawns and many shady trees, as well as serpentine alleys for pleasant strolls. The Rosaleda hosts the annual International Rose Competition which enjoys great fame all around the world and is surely an event of particular interest.

Campo del Moro
Phone: +34 91 54 200 59 e-mail: infomadrid@munimadrid.es

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Madrid is said to be one of the greenest capitals and biggest cities in the world with over 40 urban parks. Yet there are greener spaces within the city itself and its eastern part is truly one of the most natural territories with its multitude of smaller and larger parks and gardens. An essential element of this system is the 20 hecatre large park Campo del Moro (Field of the Moor) that is situated on the right, eastern bank of the river Manzanares that crosses Madrid. An important feature of Campo del Moro is the fact that it belongs to the system of gardens adjacent to the Royal Palace, along with other well-manicured gardens such as the Sabatini Gardens. Campo del Moro is located behind the impressive edifice of the Palacio Real (Royal Palace), whereas the Sabatini Gardens enclose it from the north. The name of Campo del Moro is derived from the historical past of the land; in 1109 the Muslim leader Ali Ben Yusuf and his men camped there for about a century in an attempt to recapture Madrid from the Christians.
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Jardini Sabatini
Phone: +34 91 588 53 42 e-mail: parques@munimadrid.es

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Jardines de Sabatini (Sabatini Gardens) have their own charm, including the fact that they are a part of the Royal Palace's premises. Located in the western urban part of Madrid, these gardens cover about 2.5 hectares beside the Palace on site of former stables. The Sabatini Gardens honour the name of Francesco Sabatini, an 18th- century Italian architect who contributed his work to the development of the Royal Palace. The garden, laid out on the site of Carlos III’s stables, designed by Sabatini himself, was constructed in the 1930s.
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Parque de la Dehesa de la Villa
Phone: +34 91 588 29 00 e-mail: ortiz-ma@terra.es

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Dehesa de la Villa (Meadow Villa) is a peaceful place situated in the north-western part of the capital of Spain in the administrative district of Moncloa-Aravaca. Its main characteristic is that it still resembles a forest, as it wasn't subjected to a lot of gardening manipulations. Thus, the Meadow Villa attracts many visitors, citizens of Madrid and tourists who want to find a bit of an escape from the bustle of the city in this well-looked after woods. This is the reason why this public green space has kept its almost wild look, thanks to the numerous protests and petitions of its protectors against it being asphalted or changed in any other drastic way.
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