Retiro Park Madrid

Felipe IV created this Buen Retiro (a pleasant place to retire or retreat) in the 17th century. This is where the court came to have fun, staying in the Buen Retiro Palace and watching bullfights, plays and fireworks in the gardens. A century later, Carlos III opened the royal park to the public as long as they were dressed properly. By the mid-19th century, anyone could enjoy the park, whatever their garb.

Nowadays, a Sunday stroll is a must. Madrileños promenade along the Paseo del Estanque, while children play and watch noisy puppet shows. Take in a free concert of zarzuela music at the Templete de la Musica, have your portrait sketched or try your luck at the roulette wheels, along with colourful locals in waistcoats and caps. There are pathways for cyclists and roller-blades, shady spots for picnicking and formal parterres with botanical nameplates to identify the species.

Important landmarks include the elaborate 1922 memorial and statue of Alfonso XII, EI Pacificador (the Peacemaker), which overlooks the estanque (lake). Check whether there are any exhibitions in the two glass halls, the Palacio de Cristal and Palacio de Velazquez, both built in the 1880s, or the restored Casa de Vacas (House of Cows) which is on the site of an old dairy. La Rosaleda (Rose Garden) is at its best in May.