Just like to wear thin jackets, there are few perfect days for a picnic in Madrid, so you have to make the most of them. Between the rains and the extreme heat, the sky of the city usually gives us a few days of splendid sunshine and light breeze, of those in which you almost do not remember the temperature. That’s when you have to go to the green areas with a blanket, a basket full of food and the best company to enjoy the good weather.
In Madrid there are parks for all tastes, but we have chosen the places where to make a perfect spring or autumn picnic.
1. The Lake of Casa de Campo
In its 1,700 hectares it is not easy to decide on the specific place to sit and enjoy the sun, food and flowers, but the surroundings of the lake are ideal for picnics and you can also observe the emblematic Edificio España from some points. If they are too crowded there is an area near behind the tennis courts with tables and a gazebo. This area is usually less crowded and much greener.
2. West park creek
Following the man-made creek in West Park we found some of the best spots to settle in during lunch. Hearing the little jumps of the water in the shade of a tree is an ideal plan to feel like you’ve left the city behind when you’re just a stone’s throw from Moncloa and Argüelles.
In the lower part of the park, around the traffic circle with the elongated fountain, with little car traffic and a grove of trees acting as a natural roof, is also one of the perfect spots to rest.
3. The green route of Madrid Rio
In the seven kilometers of green route along the Madrid Rio, the best area for a picnic is past the Toledo Bridge. The area that has been dubbed the Madrid Rio beach has wide expanses of grass, fountains and even slides and is away from the bike path area. If it is a plan with children, here they will not get bored.
Since it opened in 2011, the park has revitalized several almost peripheral neighborhoods and has become a perfect alternative for practicing outdoor sports.
4. Tierno Galván Park
In the neighborhood of Legazpi, in the extreme south of the capital, is the Tierno Galván park, which has a particular structure thanks to its open-air auditorium that could also serve as the perfect place to spread out our tablecloth and eat.
Except when there are special events, it is not usually very crowded and it is big enough to find the perfect location for the plan.
5. Tio Pio Hill (or Seven Tits Park)
Tio Pio Hill in Puente de Vallecas is one of the most famous viewpoints in the city. These hills, which have acquired the popular name of Siete Tetas for their sinuous silhouette, were at the beginning of the last century a shantytown that ended up being destroyed and converted into a park.
The views not only of the city, but also of the outskirts, even of the Sierra in the background, are its great attraction, but its lawn also invites you to improvise an outdoor meal with the best scenery in the background.
6. Vistillas Garden
Las Vistillas offers the best views of the Almudena, hence its name. This park in Madrid de los Austrias is structured by stairs surrounded by vegetation and bordered by the Segovia viaduct. The terraces, which are actually the resting points of the stairs, can serve as an improvised picnic area and are perfect for watching the sunset with the Casa de Campo in the background, while snacking.
The park culminates in the Plaza de Gabriel Miró, where some of Madrid’s festivals are held, such as San Isidro or La Paloma.
7. The Retiro
Picnicking at the Retiro is something that sooner or later (if you live in this city) is going to happen, even if you don’t have it planned. After a walk around the lake, having visited the Crystal Palace and discovered its Popular Libraries you have to choose where to stay. Among the 118 hectares there is enough space, even for a city like this, a good option is to find a gap between the Palacio de Cristal and the Palacio de Velázquez.
8. Marshes and rivers of Madrid
And yes, we say marshes and rivers in plural, because there are several that offer a consolation to the lack of beach in the region. One of the best known is that of San Juan, especially in summer, but in spring there are fewer people and it is easier to relax. The Picadas reservoir also has a recreational area, picnic areas and plenty of forest to spread out in.
An interesting area to explore is the Regional Park of the Middle Course of the Guadarrama River, which runs through several municipalities in the west of Madrid and also has areas enabled at the height of Boadilla del Monte and Brunete, a perfect area for picnics on the outskirts of Madrid.
9. The picnic area of El Pardo
Following the Senda Fluvial del Manzanares we arrive at El Pardo. Crossing the Puente de los Capuchinos and bordering this magnificent mountain that is one of the best preserved Mediterranean forests in Europe, we reach the dam near Mingorrubio, which also has one of the best picnic areas in Madrid to enjoy the Manzanares River.
10. The little house of the prince of El Escorial
One of the secrets of El Escorial is La casita del príncipe, a small pleasure palace for the children of Carlos III, with a French garden, giant sequoias and wonderful views of the mountains. It is not possible to picnic inside the monument, but it is possible to do so in the surrounding area, which also has a walkway that goes up to the monastery. It has large green esplanades where it is common for people to sit and have a drink and it is also a good plan with children.
In addition, here is one of the cafeterias of Paco Pastel, which has one of the best torrijas in Madrid and some immense chocolate palmeras.
11. The mountain of Boadilla
One of the largest public mountains in Madrid is in Boadilla (del Monte). The village is surrounded almost entirely by the Mediterranean pasture, which is perfect for walking, especially in spring and autumn. Depending on the season and if you have a keen eye you can find wild asparagus and mushrooms here, as well as a lot of rabbits that roam all over the village (traffic circles included).
The common beginning of the way to find the perfect meadow in which to sit and have a picnic is at the back of the neoclassical palace of Infante don Luis, right where its gardens and orchards are well worth a visit.
12. Linear Park of the Manzanares
This park, designed by the architectural workshop of Ricardo Bofill, is located in Usera and is recognizable from a distance by the large sculpture of Manolo Valdés that crowns it: the Lady of Manzanares.
As a plus point for a picnic in Madrid, highlights its variety of areas and environments: the Green Square (crescent-shaped), the Paseo de los Sentidos, the Meadow (a large lawn), the Belvedere Park, La Atalaya …. Without forgetting the part of the park that is crossed by the course of the Manzanares River.