El Retiro Park’s Rise, Ruin and Redemption: A Tour of the Former Royal Retreat

At the heart of Madrid’s picturesque Retiro neighborhood is the much-loved El Retiro Park. Long before it became a public park, it was a royal retreat. On this walking tour, you’ll explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site and hear its fascinating 500-year-long history. Our tour starts in front of the Monument to Goya, where you’ll hear about the famous painter and the Prado museum's collection, before moving on to San Jerónimo Real church where you'll learn about how Philip II made Madrid Spain’s capital when he moved his court here in the 1500s. You’ll stroll through the Retiro neighborhood, passing the remains of the splendid pleasure palace - the El Casón del Buen Retiro and the Salon de los Reinos - built for Phillip IV as a place for him to relax away from the public eye. From there you’ll wander through the park, past the Great Pond of El Retiro and the former enclosures of the Antiguo Zoo de Madrid to the Fountain of the Fallen Angel where our tour ends. As you walk, the park’s history will sweep you up, taking you through the ages, from the decadence of this playboy king, to the destruction wrought by Napoleon’s army and into the present day, giving you an insight into modern Spain. On this Madrid walking tour, you’ll have a chance to: • Discover how the spiritual retreat of San Jerónimo el Real church was later transformed into an enormous pleasure palace • Find out how Retiro’s oldest tree survived the ravages of Napoleon’s invasion • Hear the hair-raising history of the House of Beasts where lions and tigers fought for the entertainment of Spain’s kings • Learn about the rebellious Nobel prize-winning Ramón y Cajal by a monument to the neuroscientist • Take a peek at the peacocks strutting around a hidden walled garden at the far reaches of the park • See the lake in front of Palacio de Cristal where Pizarro the elephant used to bath By the end of this hour-long tour, you’ll have discovered another side to Madrid’s most famous park, gaining an insight into its hidden history and often overlooked sights.

Price: £9.99 from VoiceMap