Of all the European capitals you might not have imagined as such before you visit, Madrid remains the greenest at heart. In fact, statistically it is one of the greenest cities in the world thanks to its magnificent and lovely parks, which create ample breathing room within its most busy and central neighborhoods. And Madrid’s major thoroughfares are also not without their tree-lined sidewalks that often create shaded canopies of greenish light you pass under.
Once you have had an eyeful of museums like the nearby Prado or Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the weather is still too fine to ignore, spend the rest of the day walking or relaxing in the Retiro park. The Retiro is Madrid’s own intimat
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Once you have had an eyeful of museums like the nearby Prado or Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, and the weather is still too fine to ignore, spend the rest of the day walking or relaxing in the Retiro park. The Retiro is Madrid’s own intimate version of New York’s Central Park; it gives you a natural green glimpse of how this capital might have looked and felt during its days of glory as the center of an empire. If you are up for a long walk to take in this atmosphere, start from the Puerta del Sol and continue to the Plaza Mayor. Then make your way further to the Austrias neighborhood, and finally end up at the Plaza de Oriente, near the exterior of the Royal Palace. Another option for experiencing the Retiro is to access it for some outdoor exercise, as I was able to do since my hotel was only minutes away on the other side of the Paseo del Prado. Running here on even a cool October morning, you won’t be entirely alone as Madrilenos have the same idea too: in fact, runners are interspersed with the occasional bicyclist or skater taking advantage of the paved stretches.
If the pace you need is slower or you have young family members in tow, then consider a Sunday afternoon spent with much of the city, just promenading around the park, where kids are welcomed by life-size Mickey Mouses and characters from Winnie the Pooh. Keep the little ones and yourself enchanted with a rowing boat excursion out onto the centerpiece lake, then treat yourselves to at least one ice cream while strolling around the tree shaded gardens. Now, if your interests are more specialized, but just as leisurely, you might also consider a visit to the Botanical Garden of Madrid (Plaza Murillo, 2), located in front of the Prado, and designed in the neoclassic style and dating back to the eighteenth century. For even more relaxed pleasures in the Retiro, you can find yourself a table at the enclosed Florida Park for dinner or a drink while enjoying some fine Spanish ballet or flamenco Monday through Saturday evenings, 9pm to 3am.
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