This Retiro Park walking route starts at Atocha station, crosses the park from south to north and ends at kilometre zero of Spain, in Puerta del Sol. About 5.5 km on foot, with stops at the Rose Garden, the Great Pond with the Alfonso XII monument, the Palacio de Velázquez and the Parterre garden, plus a stroll down Calle Alcalá past Cibeles and the Metrópolis building.
I walked it on a Saturday at the end of September, around midday. Here is the route exactly as I did it, with the real time at each point, so you can repeat it or just pick the section that interests you.
The route at a glance
| Start | Atocha (Glorieta del Emperador Carlos V) |
|---|---|
| Finish | Puerta del Sol |
| Approximate distance | About 5.5 km, measured on the map, not with GPS |
| Time | About 2 hours with photo stops (12:03 to 14:11) |
| Elevation | Gentle. The only noticeable climb is from Atocha up Cuesta de Moyano into the park |
| Surface | Pavement outside the park; packed earth and tarmac inside |
| Water | Drinking fountains inside Retiro Park; outside the park, bring your own |
| Difficulty | Easy. Suitable for anyone used to walking a couple of hours |
| Time | Point on the route |
|---|---|
| 12:03 | Atocha (Glorieta del Emperador Carlos V) |
| 12:08 | Statue of Pío Baroja, Cuesta de Moyano |
| 12:13 | El Huerto del Retiro (urban garden) |
| 12:20 | Paseo de Coches and the Rose Garden |
| 12:49 | Monument to Ramón de Campoamor |
| 13:25 | Monument to Santiago Ramón y Cajal |
| 13:32 | Great Pond and Alfonso XII monument |
| 13:40 | Palacio de Velázquez |
| 13:45 | The Parterre |
| 14:03 | Calle Alcalá, opposite the Metrópolis building |
| 14:11 | Puerta del Sol |
From Atocha up Cuesta de Moyano
Most guides to Retiro Park start at the Puerta de Alcalá. Starting from Atocha is just as easy and far less crowded, especially if you're arriving by train or staying near the Prado.
At the Atocha roundabout, with the station on one side and the Ministry of Agriculture building on the other, the climb begins up Cuesta de Moyano, the street lined with second-hand book stalls. At the very top, next to the park railings, the writer Pío Baroja waits for you in bronze, in his coat and beret. The pedestal reads "Madrid a Pío Baroja, 17 marzo 1980". It's the perfect spot to stop, have a drink of water and take your first photo.
Coming from the south of Madrid? I actually started this walk at home in Usera, in the south of the city. Crossing the Manzanares river and walking up to Atocha adds about 3 km, 35 to 45 minutes of urban pavement with little shade. The Madrid Railway Museum is on the way, about 20 minutes' walk south of Atocha, so you can combine both in one morning.
Huerto del Retiro, Paseo de Coches and the Rose Garden
Just inside the park, on your right, is El Huerto del Retiro, a City Council environmental education centre with vegetable plots. Nearby there's a large playground with sand and wooden structures: if you're with children, it's a must.
Heading east you reach the Paseo de Coches (officially Paseo de Fernán Núñez), the wide avenue that runs through the park. It's where most people run in Retiro: broad, shaded by plane trees and car-free. If you ever want to swap walking for jogging, this is your path.
Right next to it is the entrance to La Rosaleda, the Rose Garden designed by Cecilio Rodríguez, Retiro's head gardener. You walk in through iron arches covered in climbing plants. In September there are few roses left; to see it at its best, come back in May.
Monuments among the trees: Campoamor and Ramón y Cajal
Heading north along the earth paths you'll find two of the most photogenic monuments in the park, and two of the least known to people who only go to the Great Pond.
The first is the monument to Ramón de Campoamor, by sculptor Mariano Benlliure: the poet seated, surrounded by marble figures, in the middle of a flowerbed. At the end of September the trees around it are already turning red and orange.
A little further on is the monument to Santiago Ramón y Cajal, by Victorio Macho: a large white stone fountain with a bust of the Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist in the centre. It's a quiet spot with shaded benches, ideal for a rest before the busiest part of the park.
The Great Pond and the Alfonso XII monument
The heart of Retiro Park. The Great Pond (Estanque Grande) is where you can hire rowing boats, and on a sunny Saturday it's packed. Even so, it's worth walking all the way round: the view changes from every side.
On the east bank stands the monument to Alfonso XII, unveiled in 1922: an equestrian statue of the king on top of a column, with a semicircular colonnade behind it and a staircase down to the water guarded by bronze lions. Seen from the other side of the pond, it's the park's most famous postcard view.
Climb the steps and walk under the colonnade: from up there the whole pond is at your feet. For a photo without crowds, stand on the esplanade in front of the monument and shoot in portrait.
Palacio de Velázquez
A few minutes south of the pond is the Palacio de Velázquez, a two-tone brick building with iron and glass domes. Today it's an exhibition space of the Reina Sofía Museum, and entry is free. Even if you don't go in, the outside and the earth path leading to it are worth the short detour.
The Parterre and out towards Calle Alcalá
To leave the park I crossed the Parterre, the French-style garden next to Calle Alfonso XII: wide sandy esplanades, flowerbeds and cypresses clipped into rounded shapes. From the balustrade you can see the city above the treetops. There's little shade here, so keep that in mind in summer.
Once outside Retiro, the way to Sol is easy: head down to Calle Alcalá, pass the Cibeles fountain and keep going straight. Near the Banco de España you'll see the Metrópolis building with its black and gold dome, where Gran Vía begins. Ten more minutes of pavement and you're in the centre.
Finish at Puerta del Sol
The route ends at Puerta del Sol, in front of the Real Casa de Correos, the building whose clock rings in the New Year for the whole of Spain. On the pavement in front of it is the kilometre zero plaque, the point from which Spain's main national roads are measured. A good place to finish.
And of course, the photo with the Bear and the Strawberry Tree (El Oso y el Madroño), the symbol of Madrid, on the Calle Alcalá side of the square.
Getting there and back by metro
You don't have to do the whole route. These are the useful stations to start or finish at any point:
- Atocha (Cercanías commuter trains) and Estación del Arte (metro line 1): the closest to the southern entrance of Retiro Park via Cuesta de Moyano.
- Retiro (line 2): on Calle Alcalá, next to the northern entrance of the park.
- Banco de España (line 2): on the Cibeles and Metrópolis section.
- Sol (lines 1, 2 and 3, and Cercanías): the end of the route, connected to almost everywhere in the city.
Tips: water, shade and opening hours
- Start early in summer. The stretch from Calle Alcalá to Sol is pavement with little shade. Inside the park, Paseo de Coches and the southern paths are the coolest; the Parterre is the most exposed.
- Water: there are drinking fountains inside the park, but set off with your own bottle.
- Shoes: comfortable, well-fitting trainers with some cushioning. It's two hours on pavement, tarmac and packed earth.
- Retiro Park opening hours: opens at 6:00 and closes at midnight from April to September, and at 22:00 from October to March. It also closes during wind or extreme heat alerts: check the City Council website before you go.
- Avoiding the crowds: at weekends the Great Pond and the Alfonso XII monument fill up from mid-morning. For clean photos, arrive before 10:00.
Map of the Retiro Park walking route
Frequently asked questions
How long is the walk from Atocha to Sol through Retiro Park?
About 5.5 km. It takes around two hours at an easy pace with stops for photos.
What is the nearest metro station to Retiro Park?
It depends on the entrance. For the northern entrance, Retiro (line 2) on Calle Alcalá. For the southern entrance, Atocha (Cercanías) and Estación del Arte (line 1), next to Cuesta de Moyano.
What are Retiro Park's opening hours?
It opens at 6:00. It closes at midnight from April to September and at 22:00 from October to March. It also closes during weather alerts for wind or extreme heat.
Is the Palacio de Velázquez free?
Yes. It is an exhibition space of the Reina Sofía Museum and entry is free. Opening hours depend on the exhibition on at the time.
Are there water fountains in Retiro Park?
Yes, there are drinking fountains around the park. Even so, bring water, because the pavement sections to and from the park have little shade.
Retiro Park and the Paseo del Prado have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021, and yet it's still the park where people in Madrid go for a walk on any ordinary Saturday. Walk it from one end to the other and you'll see how close everything in central Madrid really is.
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