Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid Avenue of Olives. Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid. Teleferico cable car
Like any southern city, the capital of Spain has many parks and gardens, all of them fragrant with flowers and surrounded by greenery to the delight of vacationing townspeople. And one of these oases is the Royal Botanical Garden (Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid).
The botanical garden was laid out in the middle of the 17th century by the decision of King Ferdinand II near the Manzanares River. More than two thousand plants were planted and looked after by botanist José Querom. The next ruler, Charles III, moved the garden to the city center, where it remains today - next to. And in 1781, the garden was opened in a new location, and one of the landscape architects was the famous Francesco Sabatini. From year to year, rare and outlandish plants were brought to the botanical garden of Madrid from all over the Spanish empire, many of which began their spread throughout Europe in Spain. Later, the first greenhouse was built in the Royal Garden, but the hurricane of 1886 destroyed most of the plantings and buildings. Serious reconstruction took place only after almost 90 years, thanks to which the Royal Botanic Garden regained its original appearance and layout.
The garden stretches over several hectares, and its area increases periodically. Currently, it already has five greenhouses, about 1.5 thousand different trees grow on its territory, and in total there are about 90 thousand plants. Over the years of the garden’s existence, employees have collected a unique herbarium, which today houses more than one million specimens. In one of the greenhouses, the modern climate system supports the climatic zones of the subtropics, tropics and desert.
The Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid boasts:
- an olive alley made of ancient trees, they were restored after the hurricane;
- a huge collection of all kinds of cacti, incl. poisonous;
- a collection of 109 outlandish bonsai trees, which were given free of charge as a gift by former Spanish President Felipe Gonzalez;
- a magnificent collection of rare aquatic plants.
You can get to the Royal Botanic Gardens:
- take L1 to and go through Paseo del Prado (where the world famous Prado Museum is located, which is part of the “Golden Triangle of Arts”) to Plaza de Murillo;
- city buses No. 10, 14, 19, 24, 26, 27, 32, 34, 45, 57, 140;
- by car, follow the coordinates; there is a parking lot near the park.
The Botanical Garden of Madrid is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00 during the season, except Christmas and New Year's holidays. An adult ticket will cost you about €2.
Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid (Madrid, Spain): detailed description, address and photo. Opportunities for sports and recreation, infrastructure, cafes and restaurants in the park. Reviews from tourists.
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It is not for nothing that the Botanical Garden of Madrid has the prefix “royal”: crowned persons took a direct part in its fate. In the 18th century, King Ferdinand VI ordered the creation of this beauty in the main city of Spain, and Charles III moved the garden to where it welcomes guests to this day.
At the end of the 19th century, a hurricane swept through the garden, destroying most of the plants and buildings, but thanks to the skillful actions of botanists and landscape designers, the object was restored to its original form.
What to see
The garden is divided into several zones: numerous flower beds, beds and flower beds, a small pond, an alley of olive trees and 5 greenhouses. In one of them, the climatic conditions of the tropics and subtropics are recreated, which makes it possible to display plants that are not typical for Europe all year round.
The Botanical Garden of Madrid boasts an impressive and very interesting collection of flowers and trees. During the spring and summer months, dahlias, azaleas, rhododendrons, daffodils, lilies, and camellias fill the air with intoxicating aromas and delight the eye with hundreds of color combinations. The special pride of the object is the rose garden, where wild roses, hybrids and varieties that bloomed in Spain during the reign of the kings coexist. The best time to appreciate its splendor is in May. Those who come to Madrid in April are treated to a colorful tulip festival.
In mid-summer and early autumn, fruit-bearing crops attract attention: pumpkin, corn, grapes, peppers. In winter, exotic orchids bloom, but it is impossible to guess when the cacti will bloom, but this “collection” is definitely worth a look - it contains very rare and even poisonous specimens.
The collections are constantly being replenished: in 1996, one of the former chairmen of the Spanish government, Felipe Gonzalez Marquez, donated more than 100 bonsai to the garden; they can be seen in a special section. And in 2005, the alley of ancient olive trees was restored here. The herbarium grows almost every year - today it contains more than a million specimens of all kinds of plants.
Practical information
Address: Madrid, Retiro district. GPS coordinates: 40.411245, -3.691045 Website (in English).
How to get there: first metro line to the station. Atocha, the second - to Banco de Espana, then walk to Plaza Murillo. Buses No. 10, 14, 27, 34, 37, 45 to Paseo del Prado, buses No. 6, 19, 26, 32, 59, 85, 86 to the Plaza Emperador Carlos V stop.
Opening hours: January-February, November-December - from 10:00 to 18:00; March, October - from 10:00 to 19:00; April, September - from 10:00 to 20:00; May-August - from 10:00 to 21:00. Ticket price - 4 EUR, for students and large families - 2 EUR. Prices on the page are as of November 2018.
In winter, Madrid is lively: with the onset of cold weather, the number of tourists does not decrease. From the bustling streets and squares, guests of the Spanish capital move to clubs, restaurants, museums and shops. Where can you go in Madrid?
Intersection of Alcalá and Gran Vía streets (photo: Dmitry Shakin)
Here are 5 options for tourists traveling in the Spanish capital in winter.
1. Botanical Garden
Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid (photo: Liber Yddos)
Thirty thousand plants are collected in the Royal Botanic Garden. In cold weather, the alleys of Real Jardín Botánico are empty, only evergreen plants and islands of emerald mosses stand out. At this time, it becomes especially cozy in tropical greenhouses - in the kingdom of huge cacti and endless vines, among a riot of greenery of all shades. All year round, park employees conduct excursions, lectures, and educational master classes.
The garden is located behind the Prado Museum. During the day, you can visit the temple of art and relax your soul among the picturesque greenery. If you want to escape from the bustle of the capital in a quiet corner of nature, go to the Retiro gardens. A walk among quiet alleys with two-hundred-year-old trees and ancient statues will be wonderful and romantic.
2. In the footsteps of Hemingway
Aleman's beer hall in Madrid (photo: Pearlhuhn)
Artists, painters, and writers have always gravitated to Madrid. The freedom-loving spirit and luxury of the Spanish capital have long attracted the intellectual elite from all over the world. The iconic Rock Cafe and Círculo de Bellas Artes, the famous Gijon coffee shop - these establishments have become places of attraction for modern bohemia. The famous Museo Chicote bar was loved by Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly; Ernest Hemingway also came there. However, the writer generally loved to visit drinking establishments in Madrid. Many old taverns and bars in the capital are in one way or another connected with his name.
Stop by the Cerveceria Alemana in Piazza Santa Ana. The writer visited her almost every day. They will show you Hemingway's marble table: it still stands on the right, near the window. The establishment still greets guests today with a peculiar aura of the beginning of the last century; The owners have completely preserved the historical interiors of the pub.
3. Shopping and discounts
Ulíhua Jose Ortega y Gasset in Madrid (photo: Marta Ribeiro)
Shopaholics flock to Madrid in January. Shopping in winter in the capital of Spain is both pleasant and profitable. Fashionistas all over the world flock to Calle Serrano - prices in the Golden Mile stores are reduced by half or more during the sales season. If Calle de Serrano attracts with special chic and haute couture goods, then Calle Preciados impresses with the scope of large chain stores.
The Salamanca area has the best (and most expensive) branded goods, and nearby is the “democratic” Chueca. Connoisseurs of avant-garde fashion, bohemian chic, and outrageous things come to Chueca.
4. Teleferico cable car
To see the capital of Spain from above, it is worth taking the Teleferico Madrid cable car. In winter there are practically no queues here, the weather is clear and visibility is excellent. In the evening you can admire the stunning Madrid sunset. The cable car travels 2.5 km in eleven minutes, reaching a maximum height of 40 meters. The end point of the Teleferico road is Casa del Campo. During your walk you can see all the main Madrid attractions.
5. Oldest restaurants
Restaurant Sobrino de Botin (photo: rtimm)
Sobrino de Botín is a restaurant opened in 1725. This establishment is recognized as worthy of the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest in the world. It is located in the heart of Madrid - on Cuchilleros Street, next to Plaza Mayor. Over three centuries, celebrities from different eras have visited here. They say that Goya himself worked in this restaurant. In his early youth, even before he became an artist, Francisco washed dishes here.
Over the course of three centuries, Sobrino de Botin has not lost, but increased its former glory: the establishment is always full of visitors. Here they prepare delicious suckling pig, tender lamb, and signature airy pies. Inside the restaurant, ancient semicircular vaults made of rough brickwork have been preserved, and the windows display models of 16th-century interiors.
The restaurant La Pinilla (Casa Marta), operating since 1946, always offers a warm welcome. Opera music lovers gather in this elegant establishment. His signature dish is Cochinillo Asado - Roast Pig. If you want to appreciate traditional Madrid cuisine, visit La Bola Taberna. In an old tavern that has preserved the authentic atmosphere of the 19th century, you will be served the best cocido in Spain - a mixed stew of several types of meat and vegetables, cooked over charcoal.
Beer Cerveceria Alemana
Intersection of Calle de Serrano and Calle de Jose Ortega y Gasset
Calle Preciados
Plaza de Chueca
Casa de Campo – second station of the cable car
Restaurant Sobrino de Botín
Restaurant La Pinilla
Restaurant La Bola Taberna
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Historical reference
In 1755, by order of King Ferdinant VI, the magnificent Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid was created. In 1781, Carlos III located the garden in a new location, where it is now located - on Prado Avenue. Now, in the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid, the natural beauty of several climatic zones is amazing. The Spaniards brought this unique opportunity to life in 1993. They opened an exhibition complex in Madrid, visiting which you can imagine with your own eyes the exotic nature of the desert, subtropics and tropics.
Modern look
The Royal Botanic Garden now occupies several hectares. Its territory is divided into three sectors: the Villanueva pavilion, the Graells greenhouse and the exhibition greenhouse. In any sector of the Royal Botanical Garden, you will be fabulously impressed by the unique fantastic landscape of the park, where about five thousand varieties of greenery are grown. On the “Terrace of Squares” in the park, bushes grow in an unusual neighborhood with bright, blooming and fragrant roses, numerous flower beds delight and immerse tourists in a fairy-tale dream, and next to the decorative trees there are also cultural plantings and fruit trees, so that excursionists can admire their unusual fruits. On the terrace of the Botanical School at the Royal Botanic Gardens you have the opportunity to study the evolution of the flora of the entire globe, from primitive to highly developed.
The Royal Botanic Garden's Plane of Flower Pond will amaze you with aquatic plants that are difficult to find in the natural environment.
All data from thousands of plants contains information plates, each of which contains the name of the plant represented. But if, for example, you visit a rich collection of cacti in the park, and you are lucky enough to find a blooming cactus, then be sure to make your deepest wish.
Felipe Gonzalez, former President of Spain, donated a unique collection of bonsai to the Royal Botanical Garden in 1996, each tree of this collection is a work of art. Currently in Madrid this fantastic collection of 109 plants can be seen by anyone. In 2005, a restored, ancient collection of olive trees was brought to a park in Madrid. Thanks to her, the popular “Olive Alley” was created.
The parks of Madrid are a special type of attraction that should be dedicated to a separate trip. You can admire them and return here repeatedly.
