What to see in El Retiro: the park, its palaces and the district around it

The essential sight in El Retiro is the Parque del Buen Retiro: the Estanque Grande (Great Pond) with the monument to Alfonso XII and its rowing boats, the Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace) and the Palacio de Velázquez, which host exhibitions from the Museo Reina Sofía, the Rosaleda (rose garden), the Ángel Caído (Fallen Angel) fountain and the Cecilio Rodríguez gardens. Next to the park stand the Puerta de Alcalá and, in the Jerónimos neighbourhood, the Museo del Prado and the Real Jardín Botánico (Royal Botanic Garden). The Paseo del Prado and the Buen Retiro form the “Landscape of Light”, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Once a royal pleasure garden, El Retiro is today Madrid's best-loved park. You can explore it in a leisurely morning, but it is worth coming back in different seasons: autumn and spring are especially beautiful.

Estanque Grande and the Alfonso XII monument

This is the park's best-known image: a large pond surrounded by walkways, with the monumental tribute to Alfonso XII on one side. Hiring a rowing boat, sitting on the steps of the monument or watching the buskers and street artists is part of the Madrid weekend ritual.

Crystal Palace and Palacio de Velázquez

Two gems of nineteenth-century architecture that now serve as exhibition spaces for the Museo Reina Sofía. The Crystal Palace, made of iron and glass beside a small lake, is probably the most photogenic spot in El Retiro; the Palacio de Velázquez, of brick and ceramics, is very close by.

Rosaleda, Fallen Angel and Cecilio Rodríguez

• The Rosaleda: a rose garden with fountains, at its best when the roses are in bloom.
• Fallen Angel fountain: famous because its sculpture depicts Lucifer at the moment of his fall, something very unusual for a public monument.
• Cecilio Rodríguez gardens: a more secluded corner, with pergolas, clipped hedges and peacocks.

The Retiro district goes far beyond the park. In its north-western corner, the Puerta de Alcalá presides over the plaza de la Independencia. To the west, in the Jerónimos neighbourhood, you will find the Museo del Prado, the Casón del Buen Retiro, the church of San Jerónimo el Real and the Real Jardín Botánico. From here, the Thyssen and the Reina Sofía are a short walk away: our guide to the Paseo del Arte helps you plan it.

To the east and south, residential neighbourhoods such as Ibiza, Niño Jesús, Pacífico, Adelfas and Estrella show everyday Madrid: markets, café terraces and local shops. Calle Ibiza and the streets around it are good places to eat after your walk.

• Go first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon in summer: at midday the heat is intense and there is less shade on the main avenues.
• At weekends the park fills up; on weekdays you can enjoy it at a calmer pace.
• For safety reasons, the park may close some areas or restrict access on days of strong wind or storms: check the City Council's notices.
• If you are looking for more green spaces, see our selection of Madrid's parks and gardens.

El Retiro borders the Salamanca district to the north, so you can link your walk with shopping or museums: we tell you about it in what to see in the Salamanca district.

By Metro, Retiro (line 2) and Ibiza (line 9) stations leave you next to the park, and Atocha lies to the south of the district. If you are flying into Madrid and staying in this area, a taxi is the most comfortable option with suitcases: the Retiro district is inside the M-30, so the Inside M-30 fixed fare of €33 applies to any terminal, at any time and at the same price on the way back. You can book it on the taxi in Retiro page or, if you are leaving from the station, on the taxi from Atocha page.