Europe

[Visited: September 2001 and many times before]

Madrid lies at more than 600 metres above sea level, and its surroundings are mainly barren. Still, the city boasts some beautiful parks which come in handy on a particularly hot day (Madrid is one of the hottest capitals of Europe), for a stroll, or just to retire from the urbane attractions. Near Plaza España, you will find the Sabatini gardens next to the Royal Palace, which actually stands close to the ciry's limits.
This park is well kept, undoubtedly because it belongs to the Royal Palace. White statues reflect in the central pool. On the other side of the palace, you will find another, much smaller park, with a statue of one of the many Isabel's the Spanish royal family has known. It is close to one of the best known and chiquest bars in Madrid, Cafe del Oriente.
On the other side of the city centre, you can go to Parque del Retiro, a huge park conveniently located just behind the famed Prado museum. Here, you can stroll down one of the dusty avenues, sit on one of the many benches, or rent a boat on the central lake and enjoy the illusion of being outside the city. This is also the park where many Madrilenians go running.

Around the World in 80 Clicks

Personal travel impressions both in words and images from Madrid Parks (Spain). Clicking on the pictures enlarges them and enables you to send the picture as a free e-card or download it for personal use, for instance, on your weblog. Or click on the map above to visit more places close to Madrid Parks.
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