El Retiro Park/ The Royal Park -Madrid

Address:  Between C. Alfonso XII and Avenida de Menendez Pelayo, Madrid, Spain. If you are using the subway, the nearest stations are Retiro (line M2) and Ibiza (line M9). But we walked to mostly all of the attractions in Madrid as it was close enough.

There is no fee to enter the park. I would recommend to spend atleast 3-4 hours to enjoy this 320 acre green oasis in the middle of the city.

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Highlights of the Garden: 

• The Museo del Ejército- an army museum
• King Alfonso XII Monument
• Boating in the lake
• Visit its prestigious gardens like the Jardín de Vivaces and  the Jardines de Cecilio Rodríguez (classical gardens of an Andalusian style),
• Palacio de Velázquez- used for temporary exhibitions
• The Rosaleda- Rose Garden
• Palacio de Cristal- Crystal Palace,originally built to house the exotic plants from philippines, now used for exhibitions
• El Angel Caido- Fountain of the fallen angel

As well as all the above, you can also enjoy

• Fun family picnics- there are dedicated picnic areas
• People watching/ reading/ meditation – plenty of benches to sit, relax and enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this marvellous place
• Coffee and cake/ Gelato by the lake. There are various of cafe/ restaurants situated at different areas of the park. We had churros and hot chocolate from here:)
• Go for a run/cycling- The park has running circuits and bicycle hire services
• Botanical trails to engage kids and adults alike
• Guided tours lasting 90min- please check for pricing and availability in advance.