El Retiro
After gorging on masterpieces at the Prado museum, our eyes were full, and we were ready for a long walk outdoors. So we headed to Parque del Buen Retiro (Good Retreat Park), which is right near the Prado.
On the way to the park, we walked along Cuesta de Moyano, a wide pedestrian street with used book stalls on one side and the back of the Ministry of Agriculture building on the other.
El Retiro, along with Paseo del Prado, is a World Heritage Site. At about 350 acres, it’s about the same size as San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The park was a garden owned by Spanish royalty since its creation I the 16th century. It became a public park in 1868.
We strolled along the wide paths, enjoying the sunshine and comfortable (60℉) temperature. The trees were bare, but the lawns were green and made a vivid backdrop for some Eurasian magpies, with their distinctive black and white feathers. We paused to admire the manicured trees and geometric design of the Parterre Garden, and to watch the rowboats on Retiro Pond. On the far side of the pond was an elaborate bronze and marble monument to King Alfonso XII.
We left the park through the northwestern gate, where we could see the massive Puerta de Alacalá, marking the start of the avenue leading back to the Gran Via and our hotel. There were many more noteworthy things to see in El Retiro, but they would have to wait until another day.
