Walking through historic gardens
Madrid is the greenest city in Europe
Madrid is not only an important cultural destination, it is also the greenest European city with the largest number of tree-lined streets. The beauty of the historic gardens and parks - Aranjuez, Madrid, El Escorial or El Pardo - gardens from the 16th to the 20th centuries, reflect the different eras, tastes, aesthetics and trends.
Aranjuez, Cultural Landscape World Heritage
We begin with the Royal Site whose landscape, due to its exceptional universal and singular value, was declared a World Heritage Cultural Landscape by UNESCO. A perfect and harmonious aesthetic combination of the natural enclave, the Tagus and Jarama rivers and the unique historical groves and very pleasant tree-lined walks, with the layouts, architectural, artistic and landscape works of its gardens and landscaped forests. For its admirable and astonishing beauty, an essential visit!
Further information: Visit Aranjuez
El Retiro, Madrid
The Buen Retiro gardens were created as a recreational estate in the 17th century and since the 19th century they have been a place for meeting, leisure, recreation and all kinds of outdoor activities. They are full of beautiful sculptural, architectural, landscape and fountain sets, and beautiful corners such as the Cecilio Rodríguez Rose Garden, the large pond, the statue walk, the royal astronomical observatory, the Velázquez palace or the crystal palace, both headquarters of contemporary art exhibitions at the Reina Sofía museum.
Further information: Tourism Madrid
Gardens of the Monastery, El Escorial
Different exterior gardens surround the monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, the declared historical-artistic gardens of the King, the garden of the Friars and the Convalescents. Laid out in the 16th century during the reign of Philip II following the Italian Renaissance characteristics, the best gardeners and architects of the time worked on them. Of an intimate nature, the beautiful gardens were used for walking and resting by the monks who lived in the monastery and the royal family themselves.
Further information: Tourism San Lorenzo de El Escorial
We propose four itineraries in the region: a route through San Lorenzo de El Escorial and El Pardo, another Real Site near Madrid of important forests and natural landscapes, with palace and gardens of the XVIII century; a second tour through the delicate and peaceful gardens of the Lázaro Galdiano, Sorolla and Cerralbo museums, and the romantic garden par excellence, El Capricho; the third route through the neoclassical gardens of the royal palace of Madrid de Sabatini and the Campo del Moro; and a fourth, by El Retiro, the calm and nature of the Royal Botanical Garden and Aranjuez.
