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A different way to spend a winter afternoon is to learn to ice skate and even do some curling at the city's Palacio de Hielo.

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An enjoyable day with family, friends or classmates allowing your creativity to flow to the rhythm of the music or learning to balance yourself on the thin blades of ice skates. The Dreams Palacio de

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With over 30 attractions for both children and adults, the city's amusement park is one of the most popular weekend destinations for both locals and tourists.

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The Casa de Campo welcomes you to the most complete amusement park in Spain, with 32 attractions to suit all tastes and ages. There is nothing better to beat stress and boredom than spending a day enjoying what the Amusement Park has to offer. Heart-stopping roller coasters, refreshing dips in Los Rápidos, excitement and thrills, or peaceful walks in nature. With friends or family, fun and smiles are guaranteed.
One of the most complete and modern European theme parks is hidden in the middle of Campo de Casa in Madrid. One of the best and most relaxing ways to spend a day is to ride the 32 attractions (some more than once), have a drink in one of the many restaurants, and walk along the tree-lined avenues filled with exciting, magical shows. The Park is divided into four themed zones: Maquinismo, Naturaleza, Tranquilidad and Nickleodeon land.
THE WALKING DEAD EXPERIENCE
One of the park's latest attractions is The Walking Dead Experience, inspired by the settings in the TV show The Walking Dead: the Governor's house, Terminus and the prison. It's the only horror attraction based on the popular series in Europe, and the only in the world to open all year round rather than for Halloween only.
GRAN TEATRO AUDITORIUM
This theatre, which is located inside the park, reopened in 2019 with capacity for 1,862 spectators. It has state-of-the-art technical and audiovisual equipment and hosts all types of events and shows.

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The Casa de Campo welcomes you to the most complete amusement park in Spain, with 32 attractions to suit all tastes and ages. There is nothing better to beat stress and boredom than spending a day enjoying what the Amusement Park has to offer.

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The best way to take in a bit of nature without leaving the city is to head for La Casa de Campo and take time to explore, on foot or by bicycle, the myriad paths that wind among the trees and green grass.

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The largest urban park in Spain, Casa de Campo is a short drive walk from central Madrid

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Stuffed African elephants, dinosaur fossils and specimens of extinct animals – the treasures inside this museum are sure to surprise both children and adults.

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The National Museum of Natural Sciences manages and exhibits a significant collection of specimens to the public, with the goal of promoting a more complete understanding of the diversity of the natural world. This knowledge is applied to the conservation of the environment and is transmitted to the community in order to improve the understanding of science and of our natural resources.
King Carlos III created the National Museum of Natural Sciences in 1771 as the Royal Cabinet of Natural History. Throughout history it has changed its name several times. The initial collection of the Royal Cabinet of Natural History consisted of the excellent collections and library owned by Pedro Franco Dávila, a Spanish businessman from Guayaquil who donated them to the Spanish Crown.

The collection contained thousands of minerals, algae, plants, animals of all kinds, stones, and bezoars of physiological origin, tools and arms from various cultures and ages, and artistic objects made of porcelain, crystal, and precious minerals from all continents, ancient bronze pieces, sculptures, medals and headstones, works by famous painters from various schools and countries, miniatures, drawings, watercolours, and enamels. As property of the Crown, the collection increased with purchases and donations until 1984, when it was totally restructured as a modern museum. Since then, its collections have been enhanced. With great historic and scientific value, the Museum is open to the public through permanent, temporary and travelling expositions. The Museum participates in numerous research projects, of which the Atapuerca Project has the greatest international impact.

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The National Museum of Natural Sciences manages and exhibits a significant collection of specimens to the public, with the goal of promoting a more complete understanding of the diversity of the natural world. This knowledge is applied to the conservation of the environment and is transmitted to the community in order to improve the understanding of science and of our natural resources.

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The zoo and aquarium are located just a few metres from the amusement park in the Casa de Campo. Its aquarium is spectacular, and kids will have fun with the shows starring sea lions and dolphins.

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Visit the Zoo's website for information on the safety measures put in place. Here lies a fascinating world in which the fauna of the five continents can be seen without leaving the city. Elephants, gorillas, exotic and not-so-exotic birds, koalas, dolphins, sharks, giraffes, kangaroos, bears, and animals found on a farm are all found here as well. All the animals of the world are in Madrid. To get to know them, you only need go to the Casa de Campo and enter one of the most important zoos in the world.
From the smallest insect to the biggest mammal, all the species of the planet live together in the Madrid Zoo. More than 6,000 animals belonging to more than 500 species are found there: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. This piece of nature stretches almost 20 hectares and includes a dolphin tank, aquarium, and an aviary, where the best examples of fauna from the five continents are brought together.

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Visit the Zoo's website for information on the safety measures put in place. Here lies a fascinating world in which the fauna of the five continents can be seen without leaving the city. Elephants, gorillas, exotic and not-so-exotic birds, koalas, dolphins, sharks, giraffes, kangaroos, bears, and animals found on a farm are all found here as well.

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Having fun outdoors is definitely a good choice for children, weather permitting. At weekends there's a puppet theatre that always makes the kids laugh their little heads off.

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PLEASE NOTE: El Retiro and eight of the city's other parks (El Capricho, Sabatini Gardens, the Rose Garden in Oeste Park, Juan Carlos I, Juan Pablo II, Quinta de Fuente del Berro, Quinta de los Molinos and Quinta Torre Arias) may close if weather conditions are severe. On these occasions you are also advised not to visit Dehesa de la Villa and Oeste Park which have no gates and cannot be closed to the public. Covering over 125 hectares and comprising more than 15,000 trees, El Retiro Park-recently named a UNESCO World Heritage Site-is a green oasis in the heart of the city. In it you'll find all kinds of interesting monuments and gardens, including Jardín de Vivaces, Jardines de Cecilio Rodríguez (Andalusian-inspired classicistic gardens), Jardines del Arquitecto Herrero Palacios, the recently-restored Cat Mountain, the Rosaleda rose garden and Parterre Francés, which holds a Mexican conifer that is nearly 400 years old and is believed to be Madrid's oldest tree.
In addition to its role as one of the city's green lungs, it is also a popular spot among Madrileños who like to go there for a stroll, to do some sport, visit an exhibition or take the kids to a puppet show. The park is home to a large artificial , where you can rent a rowing boat, and to the Velázquez Palace and Glass Palace which are both currently used as exhibition halls by the Reina Sofía Museum. The latter is a beautiful glass pavilion built in 1887 to house exotic plants for an exhibition on the Philippines. It is one the finest examples of cast-iron architecture in Spain.

El Retiro is also filled with interesting sculptures and fountains such as the magnificent Monument to Alfonso XII, which watches over the lake and in spring of 2018 opened to the public an observation deck offering wonderful vistas. Near the Rose Garden, you'll encounter the statue of the Fallen Angel, the only sculpture in the world dedicated to the devil which curiously enough sits 666m above sea level. Other spots worth visiting are the Galápagos Fountain, built in honour of the then princess Isabella II, the Teatro de Títeres, the only theatre in Europe that stages puppet shows every weekend, and the large area known as Reservado de Fernando VII which King Ferdinand VII decided to keep for himself and his family when the rest of the park was opened to the public. In this section of El Retiro, between Calle O'Donnell and Calle Menéndez Pelayo, you'll find some of the king's "whims", small buildings or monuments designed as little retreats for the monarchs to rest and relax: Casa del Pescador, the recently reopend Cat Mountain (it had been closed to the public for twenty years)and Casa del Contrabandista, which now houses Florida Park, a former nightclub which has been turned into a multi-purpose space serving top-notch food and hosting shows and other events.

Since autumn 2023, visitors to El Retiro Park can also explore the fully restored Monkey Pit, which is part of what used to be the Retiro Menagerie, the precursor to Madrid Zoo. For a century and a half, it was home to dozens of baboons, and today, it remains as a decorative display that recalls that iconic zoo. To enjoy it up close, you can sign up to a guided tour organized by the park.
A wonderful green space where you can relax... or work out
A firm favourite with both locals and tourists, El Retiro is a great place to go rollerblading, for a long walk or a jog. Dotted with playgrounds of different sizes, it's just as popular with the little ones.

As you explore El Retiro, you could also visit the Municipal Sports Centre La Chopera, the Eugenio Trías​ Public Library, the Casa de Vacas Cultural Centre or the recently renovated area surrounding the Meteorological Observatory (one of the historic sites within the Park, which has a private area, the Castillo del Telégrafo gardens, and a pool known as El Baño de la Elefanta, where elephants once bathed).

And if you are passionate about botany, be sure to visit the ahuehuete or Montezuma cypress, perhaps one of the oldest trees in Madrid. It is said to have stood on this spot since 1630 and it is a very exotic species that does not lose all its leaves every year, just a few of them. Apparently, during the War of Independence against the French, it was one of the few specimens that were saved in the Park, which was taken over by the French as their headquarters. Apparently , Napoleon's soldiers decided to set up a huge cannon between the branches of the enormous tree and fired them from there.

However, the oldest tree in El Retiro is currently a 627-year-old olive tree dating from approximately 1396, planted in one of the meadows near the Gate of the Fallen Angel.

If you fancy pedaling around the park, you can rent a bicycle from one of the bike rentals in the area. You'll also find a number of outdoor cafés and kiosks dotted around El Retiro where you can get a drink or bite to eat.

Every year the park plays host to popular events such as the Book Fair and the fireworks display held in honour of the city's patron saint.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site
On 25 July 2021, El Retiro Park and the Paseo del Prado, known jointly as the Landscape of Light, were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.In this extraordinary site that boasts "outstanding universal value", culture, science and nature have coalesced since the mid 16 th century. The area is home to such landmarks as the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofía museums, Cibeles Palace -the current seat of Madrid City Council -, Puerta de Alcalá gate and the Botanical Gardens.

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Step away from the hustle and bustle of the city and spend a few hours relaxing in one of the Madrileños' favourite spots, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.