Retiro Park Madrid: Crystal Palace, Lake and Rowing Boats

Updated on October 1, 2026

Retiro Park (Parque del Buen Retiro), a 17th-century royal garden opened to the public in the 19th century, is the great park of central Madrid, a short walk from the Prado Museum. The main entrance is at Plaza de la Independencia, 7, opposite the Puerta de Alcalá. The park is free and open every day from 06:00 to 24:00 from April to September and from 06:00 to 22:00 from October to March. On the Great Pond, a rowing boat costs €6 on weekdays and €8 at weekends and on public holidays. Since 25 July 2021, the Retiro and the Paseo del Prado have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name "Landscape of Light".

Highlights

The Great Pond and the boats

The Estanque Grande is overlooked by the monument to King Alfonso XII, a colonnade topped by an equestrian statue. Rowing boats are rented for 45 minutes, with up to 4 people per boat. This is the liveliest spot in the park, with musicians and strollers on the monument's steps.

The Crystal Palace

This iron-and-glass pavilion, built in 1887 by the architect Ricardo Velázquez Bosco, is reflected in a small lake lined with bald cypresses. It normally serves as an exhibition hall for the Reina Sofía Museum, but it is closed for the restoration of its structure, with works scheduled until 2027. During the works you can see it from outside, sometimes partly covered by scaffolding or tarpaulins.

The Rose Garden

The Rosaleda, in the south of the park, gathers rose beds around fountains and pergolas. Flowering peaks in May and June.

The Velázquez Palace

Another pavilion by Velázquez Bosco, in brick and ceramic, it hosts free temporary exhibitions of the Reina Sofía Museum. It opens every day from 10:00 to 21:00 from April to September and from 10:00 to 18:00 from October to March, except 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 25 December and while exhibitions are being installed.

The Fallen Angel Fountain

In the south of the park, this 19th-century fountain is topped by a statue of Lucifer falling from heaven, a rare depiction of the devil in a public space. Nearby, close to the Puerta de Felipe IV, stands the Ahuehuete, a Montezuma cypress about 400 years old, considered the oldest tree in the park.

Opening hours and prices

The park is free and open every day from 06:00 to 24:00 from April to September and from 06:00 to 22:00 from October to March; some areas or the whole park may close during weather alerts. Boats: €6 per boat Monday to Friday, €8 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, for 45 minutes and a maximum of 4 people; 70% discount for over-65s on weekdays before 14:00. Rental every day from 10:00 to 14:00, then from 15:15 until sunset (ticket office closes between 17:15 and 20:30 depending on the season); no rental on 24, 25 and 31 December or 1 January. Velázquez Palace free; Crystal Palace closed for works (prices as of October 2026).

Infos pratiques

Tips

Book your boat up to 12 hours ahead with the city's Madrid Móvil app to skip the weekend queue. Enter by the Puerta de Alcalá or from the Prado, then cross the park from north to south: the Great Pond, the Crystal Palace, the Velázquez Palace, the Rose Garden and the Fallen Angel make a loop of about two hours. The park combines easily with its neighbours, the Prado or the Royal Botanic Garden.

How to get there

Plaza de la Independencia, 7, 28001 Madrid (main entrance, Puerta de Alcalá). Metro Retiro (line 2), Ibiza (line 9), Atocha or Estación del Arte (line 1) for the south of the park. Cercanías: Madrid-Atocha station. Buses 1, 2, 9, 15, 19, 20, 26, 28, 51, 52, 74 and 146.