Buen Retiro Park, Madrid: All Year

The Buen Retiro Park, often shortened to just El Retiro, is, as its name suggests, a welcome retreat from the buzz and rush of Madrid's city centre.

The Buen Retiro Park, often shortened to just El Retiro, is, as its name suggests, a welcome retreat from the buzz and rush of Madrid's city centre. The park spreads out over 125 hectares, making it one of the largest parks in Madrid. It is also the oldest park, opened to the public in 1869, but at that time it had already been in use by the royal family since the mid-17th century.

Buen Retiro features several distinct gardens and monuments that are worth a visit on their own, in particular the Rosaleda, a sumptuous rose garden with several thousand different varieties of roses, the Palacia de Cristal, which features regular art exhibitions, and the expansive lake which circles the monument of Alfonso XII, the centrepiece of the park. Also of note is the statue of the Fallen Angel, drawn from Dante's Inferno, which is the only known public monument to Lucifer, as well as the oldest tree known to exist in Madrid, a cypress which is thought to be nearly 600 years old.

Parque del Buen Retiro

Plaza de la Independencia, 7, 28001 Madrid

Opening Hours

1 April-30 September:

Every day 6.00-00.00

1 October-30 March:

Every day 6.00-22.00

Buen Retiro Park, Madrid: All Year
Buen Retiro Park, Madrid: All Year
Buen Retiro Park, Madrid: All Year
Buen Retiro Park, Madrid: All Year

Opening Hours

Monday:
18:00 - 21:00
Tuesday:
18:00 - 21:00
Wednesday:
18:00 - 21:00
Thursday:
18:00 - 21:00
Friday:
18:00 - 21:00
Saturday:
10:00 - 14:00
Sunday:
10:00 - 14:00
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