125 hectares, 15000 trees (including the oldest in the city) and 4000 roses are the impressive numbers of the Retiro Park (also called Buen Retiro Park), the place most loved by the people of Madrid for a relaxing stop.
These are figures that fail to convey the importance that the Buen Ritiro holds in the daily life of the people of Madrid, who from early spring to late summer elect it as a favorite destination for their weekends.
Come here for a break between a cultural visit and another: you can stroll for hours among its tree-lined avenues, photograph elegant architectural structures, have a coffee on an outdoor terrace or rent a rowboat for romantic hours. spend on artificial lake most famous of all Spain.
Ideal for escaping from the scorching heat of the Madrid summer, the Retiro Park is not only the green lung of the city but also an important cultural center. From late June to mid-July its tree-lined avenues are filled with book stalls for the tenth anniversary book Fair, the most important literary event in the city; other important events are organized throughout the year.
Open all year from early morning to late evening, the Retiro Park will give you some of the most beautiful hours of yours holiday in Madrid.
What to see in the Retiro Park
The broad Retiro Park it is a riot of elegant constructions and decorative elements. You could spend a whole day inside, stopping to admire all its attractions! Below we point out those not to be missed.
Statues, monuments and fountains
Numerous are the sculptures, fountains and decorative elements that adorn the Retiro park. The symbolic image of the park, which you will find on all postcards and guides in Madrid, is the artificial lake (pond) dominated on the eastern side by the Monument to Alfonso XII.
It is a grandiose marble colonnade decorated with numerous sculptures; at the center of the composition stands the bronze statue of the king. 30 meters high, 86 long and 58 wide, the monumental colonnade seems to embrace the lake and become one with it.
Its stairways are a popular meeting place for the people of Madrid, especially in summer, while the lakes of the lake are crossed by numerous rowing boats. Rent one too: you will feel like you are in Cambridge, but with many more degrees!
