Just like wearing 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 city’ s sky usually gives us days of splendid sunshine and light breeze, those days when you almost don’t remember the temperature. That’s when it’s time to hit the Verde Zone with a blanket, a basket full of food and the best company to enjoy the good weather.
At Madrid there are parks for all tastes, but we have chosen the places where to have a perfect spring or autumn picnic.
1. The Casa de Campo Lake
In its 1,700 hectares it is not easy to decide where to sit and enjoy the sun, the food and the flowers, but the surroundings of the lake are ideal for picnics and you can also see 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. Normally in that area there are less people and much more Verde.
2. West park creek
Following the artificial creek of the West Park we found some of the best spots to settle down for lunch. Listening to the little jumps of the water in the shade of a tree is an ideal plan to feel like you’ve left the city 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 places to rest.
3. The Verde route of Madrid Río
In the seven-kilometer Verde route along the Madrid Río, the best area for a picnic is just past the Toledo Bridge. The Zone that has been called the Madrid Rio beach has large lawns, fountains and even slides and is away from the bike path area. If it is a plan with children, they will not be bored here.
Since it opened in 2011, the park has revitalized several quasi-suburban neighborhoods and has become a perfect alternative for outdoor sports.
4. Tierno Galván Park
In the neighborhood of Legazpi, at the southern end 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 is large enough to find the perfect location for the plan.
5. Cerro del Tío Pío (or Siete Tetas Park)
The Tio Pio Hill in Puente de Vallecas is one of the most important viewpoints the best known in the city. These hills, which have acquired the popular name of Siete Tetas (Seven Tits) because of their sinuous silhouette, were at the beginning of the last century a shantytown that was eventually destroyed and turned 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 staircase, can serve as an improvised picnic area and are perfect for watching the sunset with the Casa de Campo in the background, while you have a bite to eat.
The park culminates in the Plaza de Gabriel Miró, where some of Madrid’s festivals are held, such as San Isidro o La Paloma.
8. El Retiro
Picnicking at the Retreat is something that sooner or later (if you live in this city) is going to happen, even if you don’t plan for it. After a stroll around the lake, having visited the Crystal Palace and discovered its Popular Libraries you have to choose the place 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 Crystal Palace and the Palacio de Velázquez.
9. 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 Primavera 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.
10. El Pardo picnic area
Following the Senda Fluvial del Manzanares we arrive at El Pardo. Crossing the Capuchin Bridge and bordering this magnificent mountain which is one of the best preserved Mediterráneo forests in Europe, we arrive at the dam near Mingorrubio, which also has one of the best picnic areas in Madrid to enjoy the Manzanares River.
11. The prince’s little house in 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. Picnicking is not possible within the monument grounds, but it is possible in the surrounding area, which also has a walkway leading 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 place to enjoy a drink plan with children.
In addition, here is one of Paco Pastel’s coffee shops, which has one of the best torrijas of Madrid and chocolate palms immense.
12. The mountain of Boadilla
One of the largest public forests in Madrid is in Boadilla (del Monte). The village is almost entirely surrounded by Mediterráneo pastureland, which is perfect for walking, especially in Primavera and autumn. Depending on the season and if you have a keen eye, here you can find wild asparagus and mushrooms and a lot of rabbits that roam all over the town (including traffic circles).
The common beginning of the path to finding the Perfect meadow in which to sit down for a picnic is at the back of the neoclassical palace of the Infante don Luis the gardens and orchards are well worth a visit.