A Guide to Madrid's Retiro Park: Quiet Gardens, Peacocks & Picnic Spots

Madrid’s Parque del Retiro is more than just a park—it is a true urban oasis, a ‘retreat’ from the hustle and bustle of the Spanish capital conveniently located right in the heart of the city. Originally a private garden reserved for members of the royal court, the large green space was converted to a public park in the mid-19th century and has since become a favorite spot of madrileños and tourists alike. The park holds many of the city’s most recognizable landmarks as well as a number of hidden spots for rest and relaxation.

Estanque del Retiro

This artificial pond is usually the most crowded area of the park. The pond is an original feature of the park—in royal times, it was used to stage elaborate mock naval battles performed to entertain the king and queen as well as for boat rides for the royal court.

Today, the pond offers boat rides for the public—you can rent a rowboat and paddle around if you like. The pond’s backdrop is a large monument to Alfonso XII, king of Spain in the late 19th century, commissioned by his widow, the Queen Mother María Cristina.

Palacio de Cristal

Located roughly in the center of the park, the ‘Crystal Palace’ was built in 1887 as a greenhouse to display exotic plants brought back from the Philippines as part of a colonial exhibition held in the park.

The impressive structure, with a cast-iron frame produced in Bilbao, was inspired by the design of London’s Crystal Palace and the Palm House at Kew Gardens, and it has become one of the most iconic sites in the park. It sits behind a lovely pond with a fountain in its center that is home to several families of Mallard ducks as well as two black swans brought from Australia. The palace functions as a temporary exhibition space for the nearby Reina Sofía art museum.

Jardines Cecilio Rodríguez

These charming, quiet gardens in the southeast corner of the park are home to the large group of peacocks who are arguably Retiro’s most famous residents. You’re bound to see them resting under the shade of a tree or strutting their stuff down right down the central path, particularly during mating season in the spring, when the males have their beautiful tail feathers on full display.

La Rosaleda

The oval-shaped rose garden, home to more than 4,000 roses, is another lovely place for a stroll, particularly when the roses bloom in late spring. The garden was designed by Cecilio Rodríguez, the park’s chief gardener, at the behest of the city’s mayor, who wanted Madrid to have a rose garden at the level of other European metropolises in the early 20th century.

Jardín del Parterre

This is one of the oldest gardens in the park, built in the first half of the 18th century, when the park was still reserved for royal use. The gardens directly abut the Casón del Buen Retiro and the Salón de Reinos, the only remaining buildings of the original Palacio del Buen Retiro, the royal palace that served as a retreat for the king and whose gardens now form the park. The Casón was the palace’s ballroom, while the Salón de Reinos housed the royal art collection that is now on display in the Museo del Prado next door; these two buildings now serve as storage and exhibition space for the Prado.

Most of Retiro is covered in shade, which usually provides a welcome relief from the hot sun. But if you’re looking for a seat in the sun, these gardens are one of your best bets. They are also a great spot to watch the sunset, as they are one of the few open areas facing west.

Centro Deportivo Municipal La Chopera

The whole park is dedicated to recreation, but this particular spot is dedicated to sport, with a small football pitch as well as courts for tennis, pádel, and futsal. The sports complex is owned by the city and the facilities are rented out by the hour; be sure to reserve in advance, as this is the most popular of the many municipal sports centers.

Next door, you can visit the Bosque del Recuerdo (Forest of Remembrance), a memorial to the 193 victims of the 2004 Madrid train bombings, with a tree planted for each person who lost their lives.

Casita del Pescador

This small house is one of a series of whimsical structures around the park commissioned by Fernando VII in the early 19th century. The king liked to come here to relax and even to fish in the pond around the house, which looks like something out of a fairy tale but in the style of the Habsburgs, whose architecture is ubiquitous in Madrid’s historic center.

Looking for more tips on what to see and do around around the city? Visit our Madrid page here.