Madrid boasts a long list of parks where you can enjoy your free time. Strolling, doing sporting activities or simply relaxing on a bench or on the grass when the weather is good. In spring or autumn. When you want to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the capital, escape to one of the parks we suggest. You can find a green space in almost every neighbourhood in Madrid. Choose the one you like best or the one closest to you. We suggest the following.
El Retiro Park
Let's start with the most emblematic of Madrid's parks: who hasn't been to El Retiro? This giant lung of the city is home to gardens, palaces such as Velázquez and Cristal, fountains, ponds, children's areas, a spectacular rose garden, several artificial lakes where you can take a boat ride, the Casa de las Vacas cultural centre, and even a municipal library, the Eugenia Trías library. Throughout the year, the Retiro also witnesses important events such as the Book Fair or the fireworks on the day of San Isidro.
What can you do in El Retiro?
Lots of activities: sporting activities such as running, cycling, skating, rowing, canoeing thanks to its municipal school; as well as visiting exhibitions, attending the puppet and marionette theatres in front of the Great Pond on weekends, listening to spontaneous musicians that you can find in the park and, above all, going for long walks.
Useful information
Address: Independence Square, 7
Timetable: Open daily
Free access
Metro: Retiro (L2)
Bus: 1, 2, 9, 14, 15, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 51, 52, 61, 63, 74, 146, 152, 202
West Park
Between the Coruña road and the Moncloa neighbourhood is another great public park in Madrid. Right next to the Temple of Debod The West Park begins and inside we can enjoy a lot of activities. Here you will find the Cable car The rose garden, which runs to the Casa de Campo, the School of Ceramics and the Rose Garden, covers an area of 15,000 square metres and has 600 different varieties of roses. It is open to the public every day of the year.
The park, which is characterised by its slopes and meadows, has areas dedicated to children, as well as restaurants and cafés. At weekends, it is common to find joggers and cyclists along the paths that wind through the park.
Useful information
Address: Paseo Moret, 2
Timetable: Open all year round
Metro: Moncloa (L3, L6), Plaza de España (L2, L3, L10) and Príncipe Pío (L6, L10, Renfe).
Bus: 21, 46, 74, 160, 161
Madrid Río
On the banks of the Manzanares, as it passes through the centre of the capital, is this extensive park of very recent creation. It is 10 km long and runs from the district of Arganzuela with its emblematic cultural building of Matadero to the Príncipe Pío roundabout. Along the way you'll come across bridges, viewpoints, playgrounds, fountains, climbing walls, terraces and restaurants. Madrid Río, as a park, stands out for its multitude of services. It has several sports areas where you can enjoy basketball, paddle tennis, tennis, petanque, cycling, skateboarding, football, running and even a fishing area.
Useful information
Address: Puente de Segovia s/n
Timetable: open every day of the year
Free access
Metro: Príncipe Pío, Puerta del Ángel, Pirámides, Marqués de Vadillo, Legazpi and Almendrales.
Bus: Lines 25, 31, 33, 36, 39, 50, 65, 138
Casa de Campo
It is the city's largest lung. With more than 1,700 hectares, the Casa de Campo is not only a public park, it also houses other facilities such as the Amusement Park, the Zoo-Aquarium, the Cable Car, the Madrid Arena or the fairgrounds with several buildings where national events are held. It also has sports infrastructures, a municipal swimming pool, tennis courts, several children's play areas and a plant nursery next to the Paseo del Rey.
This gigantic park dates back to the time of King Felipe II, and successive kings have added more space and uses such as hunting, livestock and agriculture. Nowadays it is a family space where you can see people running, cycling or practising other sports every day. If you feel like rowing, go to the artificial lake where you can take a boat ride or eat in the various restaurants inside the Casa de Campo.
Useful information
Address: Paseo de Puerta del Ángel, 1
Timetable: open every day of the year
Free access
Metro: Batán (L10), Casa de Campo (L5, L10), Lago (L10)
Bus: 31, 33, 36, 39, 65
Santander Park
Located in the Chamberí district, this park is eminently sporty, as more than half of its extension is dedicated to the practice of activities such as paddle tennis, football, running, petanque and even has areas for playing chess.
Built over a Canal Isabel II water tank, it was inaugurated in 2007. It has a cafeteria, fountains and public services.
Useful information
Address: Avenida de Pablo Iglesias, 9
Timetable: Open all year round
Free access
Metro: Guzmán el Bueno (L6 and L7)
Bus: 2, 3, 12, 37, 44, 45, 149
Fuente del Berro Park
It is located in the Salamanca neighbourhood, next to the M30. It has more than 13 hectares and is made up of meadows where people usually lie down. What can we find in this park? Walks and green spaces, fountains, waterfalls, ponds and a small palace that remains of what this space meant in the time of King Felipe IV as a Royal Site.
Useful information
Address: calle de los Peñascales s/n
Timetable:
April to September: 6.30 a.m. - 24 hours
October to March: 6.30 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Free admission
Metro: O'Donnell (L6)
Bus: 2, 30, 56, 69, 71, 143, 156, C2
Berlin Park
Between Concha Espina and Príncipe de Vergara is another Madrid park from the late 1960s. It is so called because in a fountain there are remains of the fall of the Berlin Wall and a sculpture of a bear symbolising the German city.
Undoubtedly, it is a green area that at weekends is full of families who come to have a picnic, to practice some sport, to go for a walk or to take the little ones to the children's areas with swings. It also has several terraces where you can have an aperitif.
Useful information
Address: Avenida de Ramón y Cajal, 2
Timetable: Open to the public all year round
Free access
Metro: Concha Espina (L9) and Alfonso XIII (L4)
Bus: lines 16, 29, 43, 52 and 120
Quinta de los Molinos Park
We move a little away from the centre and arrive at this park hidden behind an extensive wall that overlooks Calle de Alcalá (formerly Avenida de Aragón). It is an urban estate with agricultural areas where we can find a large number of olive, pine and eucalyptus trees. But the star of the park, undoubtedly, are its almond trees. During its flowering period, hundreds of Madrilenians come here to contemplate this spectacle of colour. There is another part of the park with romantic-style architecture that is well worth a stroll.
Useful information
Address: Calle Alcalá, 527
Timetable: Open daily from 6.30-22 hours
Metro: Suanzes (L5)
Bus: 77, 104, 105, L5
Capricho Park
This park, considered one of the most beautiful in Madrid, is located in the Alameda de Osuna neighbourhood. It was created in the 18th century by the Dukes of Osuna, lovers of nature and gardening. Strolling through El Capricho is a landscaping experience, as we find different styles within the same park; among cypresses, tree-lined labyrinths, fountains, hedges, statues and flowers, there are English, Italian and French style gardens. The 4 parts you can't miss are:
- The labyrinth
- The Duelists' Parterre
- Emperors' Square
- The lake and the estuary
One of the peculiarities of this park is that during the civil war air raid shelters were built here and today an impressive bunker can be visited 15 metres underground.
Useful information
Address: Paseo Alameda de Osuna, 25
Timetable: Only open on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
From October to March: from 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.
April-September: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Price: free admission, with a limited capacity of 1,000 people.
Guided tours are available, by prior reservation. They have a capacity of 20 people per group and last half an hour.
Metro: El Capricho (L5)
Bus: 101, 105 y 151
Attention! Bicycles, scooters and animals are not allowed in the park. You are also not allowed to eat inside the park or play ball.
Juan Carlos I Park
Next to the M40 and in the Campo de las Naciones is this immense public park of 160 hectares (21 of which are dedicated exclusively to olive trees). It has a multitude of services and activities outdoor activities: running, canoeing, fishing areas, skating, cycle paths and free bike hire. And for the little ones, there are several recreational facilities with swings and zip lines. There is also a little train runs through the entire park free of charge. It takes 30 minutes and the timetable varies depending on the time of year.
The Juan Carlos I Park was inaugurated in 1992. It also has several walking trails, the Garden of Three Cultures, a large auditorium, an activity centre, a giant lake and a collection of outdoor sculptures.
Useful information
Address: It has several entrances. Via Avenida de Logroño, 26 or Glorieta de Juan de Borbón s/n Campo de las Naciones.
Timetable: open every day of the year
From June to September: from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.
From October to May: from 7 a.m. to 24 a.m.
Free parking. They are located right at the two entrances to the site.
Metro: Feria de Madrid (L8)
Bus: 104, 112, 122
Enrique Tierno Galván Park
Unmistakable because of the enormous dome of the Planetarium inside the park. The Enrique Tierno Galván Park is a walk among trees and paths. An ideal place to go jogging or cycling. It has a sports circuit and several children's areas where the little ones can run around to their heart's content.
Address: Calle Meneses, 4
Timetable: open all year round
Metro: Arganzuela-Planetario (L6), Méndez Álvaro (L6)
Bus:148
Cerro del Tío Pío Park
If you want to see the best sunsets in the city, come to this park in the Vallecas neighbourhood. It is also known as “the park of the seven tits” because of its hills. It is characterised by its slopes, extensive meadows and tree-lined walks. It has sports areas, a bicycle lane, cafeteria and children's areas. During the summer months the terraces are full of people looking to contemplate the city from one of the highest points in Madrid.
Useful information
Address: Calle de Benjamín Palencia, 2
Timetable: open every day of the year
Metro: Buenos Aires (L1)
Bus: 54, 141, 143
