Retiro Park

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Take a refreshing walk through Retiro Park on your next trip to Madrid

If you are staying in one of our B&B HOTELS or plan to escape to Madrid, we recommend you take a comforting walk through Retiro Park, a historic garden located in the heart of the city.

With 125 hectares and more than 19,000 trees, El Retiro park is considered one of the lungs of Madrid. Among its offer of outdoor activities, you cannot miss a walk or guided tour of its famous gardens: the Vivaces garden, the Cecilio Rodríguez gardens, the Architect Herrero Palacios gardens, the Rose Garden (rose collection) and the French Parterre. The French Parterre is known for housing the oldest tree in Madrid (the ahuehuete), which is said to be around 400 years old. It is a very exotic species that has the particularity of not losing its leaves every year, but only every other fall.

El Retiro is not only one of the lungs of the center of Madrid

It is a public park that is considered one of the main tourist attractions in the center of Madrid.

Within its domains there are figures from the 17th to the 21st century, among which stand out for their history: the Monument to Alfonso XII, the Crystal Palace, the Estanque Grande, the Felipe IV gate, the Royal Astronomical Observatory and the Alcachofa fountain. It was built in the first half of the 17th century within the landscape project developed for the Palace of Buen Retiro, an old royal possession created by the Count-Duke of Olivares for the enjoyment of Philip IV. Its use as an urban park dates back to 1767, the year in which Carlos III allowed public entry. And from 1868 it was under the ownership of the Madrid City Council. Due to the damage caused by the War of Independence (1808-1814), its current appearance is the result of the interventions carried out in the 19th and 20th centuries, although original elements of the 17th and 18th centuries survive. It is not only one of the lungs of Madrid, but it also offers culture, leisure and sports to Madrid residents, visitors or botany lovers. Since July 25, 2021, it is recognized, together with Paseo del Prado, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Everything you need to see in Retiro Park

Among its architectural elements and most important historical buildings, it is worth highlighting the visits and plans that we propose below. The visit to the Estanque Grande, which offers various activities, such as rowing boat, boat, solar classroom and the Municipal School of Canoeing for children and young people between 7 and 17 years old. You may also be interested in seeing the Velázquez Palace and the Crystal Palace, both currently used as temporary exhibition halls of the Reina Sofía Museum. The Crystal Palace, a romantic pavilion created to accommodate exotic plants at the 1887 Philippine Islands Exhibition, is one of the main examples of iron architecture in Spain. You can also take a leisurely stroll to the statue of El Ángel Caído, the only sculpture in the world that represents the devil; the water wheel located in the Huerta del Francés; the Galápagos fountain, which commemorates the birth of Isabel II; and pass by the surprising Hermitage of San Pelayo and San Isidoro. Other areas of the Madrid park that arouse great interest are the Bosque del Recuerdo, built in tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks that occurred in Madrid on March 11, 2004. And, to finish, it can be an ideal plan to visit the Puppet Theater, a unique theater in Europe with permanent cultural programming every weekend. Throughout the year, there is a morning show in winter and in the afternoon in summer outdoors and with free access.

Walking, playing sports and playing in Retiro Park

El Retiro is one of the favorite places for tourists and locals to go for a walk and practice sports such as skating. If you go with children, you can enjoy the park's play areas with them. The La Chopera Municipal Sports Center, the Eugenio Trías Municipal Public Library, the Casa de Vacas Cultural Center or the recently renovated surroundings of the Meteorological Observatory are other places to visit on your next tour of El Retiro. In the surroundings you can rent a bicycle to enjoy the park on wheels. And if you are looking for a place to take a break, you can stop to rest at one of its kiosks or terraces. In Retiro Park events such as the Book Fair or the San Isidro fireworks are held in spring. Our B&B HOTEL Madrid Centro Puerta del Sol is only 3 metro stops from the Sol stop or 20 minutes if you prefer to walk to this large park. From Retiro Park you can go nearby to visit Plaza de la Independencia next to Puerta de Alcalá, plan a cultural visit to the famous Prado Museum or take a walk through Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía, which you can also reach on foot from our hotel. Discover all our hotels in Madrid, whichever you choose, rooms that are small islands of rest and comfort await you in the best areas of Madrid.