The city of Madrid has charms that not everyone knows, special places full of peace and beautiful views that leaves us perplexed by its beauty, both natural and artificial places. The creation of man is certainly endearing, and along with nature we can fully enjoy it.Madrid, for its location in the center of Spain, lacks the natural beaches so famous in the country, but there are small oases scattered around the city where we can protect ourselves from the heat. To freshen up and spend a pleasant day outdoors, the city has a huge variety of places that are at our disposal such as gardens, parks, an artificial beach, hotels and swimming pools to enjoy the summer without the agglomeration of the coast.Throughout the capital there are countless terraces of different bars and restaurants where we can stay very comfortably at the end of the afternoon, as we drink something and observe the daily life of the city. It is usually the first choice to stay with friends, start the night out or end the workday. They are sometimes pretty full, but there are many other alternatives.
Parks and gardens
Madrid, like many other capitals, is a large cluster of buildings (not very high in general) and among them we can find various green “islands” where to relax in contact with nature:
Retiro Park
The best known in the city, being close to the Prado Museum and other tourist areas. It has ponds, fountains, rides for the little ones, and some interesting buildings such as the Palacio de Velázquez and the Crystal Palace. Nearby there is the Botanical Garden, with many plant species and a cozy green atmosphere.
Tropical Garden Atocha station
Who knew that within a station could have a small forest? This greenhouse has over 4,000 m2, with more than 7,000 plants of about 260 species, including some originating from distant places like India, Australia, America, Asia or China.
Quinta de los Molinos park
A public garden that grows from a farm of urban rustic playground with important agricultural areas, buildings and architectural features of great interest. It has large tracts of woodland, where the characteristic are the almond trees that captivate people between February and March, when they bloom. Romantic and landscapers can come and enjoy everything it offers.
Casa de Campo
On the other side of the town, we’ll find the Casa de Campo Municipal Sports Center. It is a sport outdoor unit, with from which we can enjoy swimming pools, green areas and practice sports in its lake, such as fishing, Kayak Polo, Rowing and Canoing.
Campo del Moro
Located on the east facade of the Royal Palace, conditioned by Philip IV, who built fountain and planted various trees is another splendid place to cool off on hot days. This field, after a few years, was transformed to provide some peculiar features as today: The Tritons and the Concha fountains were installed.This place was transformed into a landscaped garden of romantic character from 1890 and is now considered a National Heritage.Nearby you can also visit the Sabatini Gardens, located on the north facade of the Palace, built in the 30s by Italian architect Francesco Sabatini.
Read also: Top 8 parks and gardens in Madrid.
Playa de Madrid
Yes, it sounds weird, but Madrid has a beach! Not an ocean beach as we know, but something that resembles an artificial beach where you can sunbathe and get a little wet, while enjoying the views. It is within the great leisure complex Madrid Rio, which hosts several other enjoyable attractions for our free time. A good choice for those who are in the south of Madrid.
Hotel roofs
If you are visiting Madrid, you have refreshing options to choose in the hear of the city. A famous and symbolic motto of the city of Madrid is “from Madrid to Heaven” and some places definitely have some of the best views of the sky. Some hotels have swimming pools on the roofs or terraces, among which are:
The Hotel Emperador
This great hotel has a huge roof terrace with pool, garden and solarium, a snack bar and restaurant countless areas for relaxation. As expected, the view is sensational where you can see the Royal Palace, Almudena Cathedral and Gran Vía. The sunset plays an important role in the roof of the Hotel Emperador, it is the perfect backdrop for press conferences, barbecues cocktails, press events, among others.Another enjoying hotel rooftop pool is at the Hotel Santo Domingo. This is a cool and relaxing place that can accompany a refreshing drink or a delicious cocktail. The pool is made of salt water and also has a powerful jet of water to swim against the stream and a source of water curtain that gives an excellent cervical massage.
Municipal pools
During the summer, there are many who want to enjoy the pools, and in this city you can practice water activities on a sunny day at any of the municipal pools, which open their doors to the crowd during the summer period.
In several districts of Madrid you can find public swimming pools like those, some with sports complexes and other entertainment options. You can see a list of those premises on the site of the Madrid City Hall, as well as information on prices and schedules.
