GRAN VIA Campo Del Moro

2:40

After walking along the fence enclosing the 20 hectares of Campo del Moro Park, you'll reach the Paseo de la Virgen del Puerto, the public's only open access to the park.

Don't be fooled by the modest gate! A breathtaking view awaits, revealing the beautiful and cared for "green" area that stretches up to the Royal Palace. The main garden path laid down in the mid 1800s is interrupted by two beautiful white marble fountains: the Fountain of Shells and the Fountain of Tritons. Unfortunately the latter is inaccessible because it's already inside the Royal Palace grounds.

Under the stone steps, surrounded by shrubs and artificial rocks, you won't be able to visit the "Buonaparte Tunnel" either because it is currently closed. It is an artificial cave built in the early 1800s to connect the Royal Palace with the park.

To walk through the park, heed my advice: get a map or take a picture of one, otherwise you'll get lost in its labyrinth of paths!

Starting from the bust of Juan Carlos I (the king who opened the park to the public), take the "Paseo de Circunvalación". Passing a rustic roof that protects a strange six-wheeled wagon, you'll reach the "Estanque de los Carruajes", or "Coach Pond", one of the park's most romantic spots with real ducks and stone frogs. Opposite the pond there is a Carriage Museum which is now closed. On the right after the bridge, you'll see a beautiful rose garden dominated by a fountain, and on the left a miniature bamboo forest, and among all of this you'll see some of the numerous and amazing peacocks that roam through Campo del Moro Park.

 

Now pause the audio and go back onto the wide Paseo de Damas.

Among centenary plants, decorative vases and even quaint wicker trash cans, you'll reach the delightful "Chalé del Corcho", or "Cork Chalet" that was built in the second half of the 19th century. Shortly after, another gem: the "Chalecito de la Reina", or "Queen's Cottage" in Tyrolean style, whose roofs seem to invoke a snow that hasn't fallen on Madrid for years.

 

FUN FACT: you might be wondering, who is this Moro that the park is named after? To find out, leave the statue of Queen Isabella II at your back, and after a pond and a grove you'll find an avenue dedicated to Ali Ben Yusuf. He is the "moro" who shortly after 1100 tried to recapture Madrid in vain. His troops were "camped" on these lands, where the peaceful gardens of the "Campo del Moro" now lie. 

 

 

TravelMate recommends
Choose the option
that suits you
Buy Madrid
Permanently unlock the app with all content of Madrid for
€ 8,99
Buy
Promotion
Unlock audio content of all available cities for 3 years at the promotional price
€ 19,99
Buy
Don't miss out!
MADRID INTRODUCTION
1 Audio

MADRID INTRODUCTION

Madrid’s history stretches back over thousands of years, but the city reached the peak of its splendor during Spain’s Golden Age, which spanned two centuries, the 16th and 17th.When the...
THE WONDERS OF LOCAL CUISINE
1 Audio

THE WONDERS OF LOCAL CUISINE

You might like to sample gazpacho, the famous chilled tomato soup you may have seen in Almodovar’s films, or a slice or two of jamon, the ham so popular that every Spaniard is said to have one...
PLAZA MAYOR
3 Audio

PLAZA MAYOR

When King Philip II moved his capital from Toledo to Madrid at the end of the 16th century, he gave Juan de Herrera the task of transforming the ancient and modest town into a luxurious and modern...
ROYAL PALACE
4 Audio

ROYAL PALACE

The architect designed a grandiose building and was present for the start of its construction, but died of pneumonia after only a year, and so the work was completed by his Spanish colleague who gave...
RETIRO PARK
2 Audio

RETIRO PARK

The park extends for more than 125 hectares, and is the favorite green space of Madrid's inhabitants. You can enjoy it as if it were a magnificent open-air museum.The land was donated to King Philip...
PRADO
10 Audio

PRADO

There's a saying in Madrid: you visit the Prado twice in your lifetime, first while holding your father's hand, then while holding your grandchild's. In reality, the museum is very loved and visited...
THYSSEN MUSEUM
5 Audio

THYSSEN MUSEUM

I recommend admiring and taking pictures (perhaps using your camera's zoom) of this spectacular fountain from the corner with Villahermosa Palace, which is also where the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is...
PUERTA DEL SOL AND CALLE ARENAL
4 Audio

PUERTA DEL SOL AND CALLE ARENAL

The lively half-oval shaped square where you now stand is the heart of Madrid and the most lively point of its historical, social, and commercial center: this is Puerta del Sol Square, nicknamed...
ESCORIAL
4 Audio

ESCORIAL

The grand monastery in front of you, here in the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama forty kilometers from the center of Madrid, is closely linked to King Philip II, who wanted the monastery as a symbol...
REINA SOFIA MUSEUM
3 Audio

REINA SOFIA MUSEUM

If the building housing the museum seems a bit sad despite the interventions of great contemporary architects and the presence of outdoor sculptures, keep in mind that this great architectural complex...
GRAN VIA
6 Audio

GRAN VIA

And so on April 4th, 1910, King Alfonso XIII was accompanied by his wife and other members of the royal family to strike the first blow to the so-called "priest's house" with a silver...
ALMUDENA CATHEDRAL
4 Audio

ALMUDENA CATHEDRAL

You're standing in Plaza Juan Pablo II, dominated by the statue of Pope John Paul II and surrounded by four fountains and four nineteenth-century street lamps. The cathedral's entrance is located in...
CIBELES
2 Audio

CIBELES

The fountain was built towards the end of the 1700s and was made by various sculptors. At first it was located in a different part of the road, and served as a public fountain. Once it was moved to...
MUSEUM CERRALBO
4 Audio

MUSEUM CERRALBO

Besides being an aristocratic politician, he was in fact both an archaeologist and a passionate collector. He decided that at his death nearly 100 years ago, he would donate not only his palace to the...
SAN MIGUEL MARKET AND SURROUNDINGS
4 Audio

SAN MIGUEL MARKET AND SURROUNDINGS

To fully appreciate its ingenious external structure designed by the Italian architect Giacomo Bonavia, I suggest sitting on one of the granite blocks located near the entrance of the municipal...
DESCALZAS REALES
1 Audio

DESCALZAS REALES

Just a short distance from Puerta del Sol, the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales is part convent, part museum, and partly a place of power. But above all, it's the monument of Madrid that best...
COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF SAN ISIDRO
2 Audio

COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF SAN ISIDRO

Four Corinthian columns protrude from the center of the granite façade; if it weren't for the two square-shaped bell towers flanking the church, the building might look like a palace.The group...
MERCADO DEL RASTRO
1 Audio

MERCADO DEL RASTRO

I suggest using the the statue of the soldier Eloy Gonzalo at the center of the square as a reference point to avoid getting lost in the market's chaos. The Mercado del Rastro has inspired many of the...
LAZARO GALDIANO MUSEUM
2 Audio

LAZARO GALDIANO MUSEUM

Let me tell you a little bit about this interesting man. His full name was José Lázaro Galdiano: he was a reporter, editor, and art and literary critic, and when he died in 1947 he left...
ATOCHA STATION
2 Audio

ATOCHA STATION

You're in Plaza Emperador Carlos V, which the people of Madrid usually call Plaza de Atocha. On the right, from above, you can admire this historic station's original façade. The Atocha Station...
LOS JERONIMOS
2 Audio

LOS JERONIMOS

You are now standing behind the Prado Museum, where the church of San Jerónimo el Real, or simply "Los Jeronimos" dominates the skyline as the only Gothic building in Madrid, even if...
ROYAL BASILICA OF SAN FRANCISCO
3 Audio

ROYAL BASILICA OF SAN FRANCISCO

Going downhill on Carrera de San Francisco from Plaza Puerta de Moros, the Royal Basilica de San Francisco el Grande will appear before you, dominated by its circular dome. 33...
MODERN MADRID
2 Audio

MODERN MADRID

On your right, you can take in one of the best views of this huge neighborhood that covers an area of over two hundred hectares. It is known more simply by the acronym of its initials: A.Z.C.A., or...
PLAZA DE TOROS
2 Audio

PLAZA DE TOROS

The decidedly scenic arena which hosts bullfights appears before you in all its grandeur as soon as you exit the subway: "Las Ventas" is the most prestigious "plaza de toros", or...
PLAZA DE LA PAJA
2 Audio

PLAZA DE LA PAJA

It is an irregularly shaped, sloping square typical of medieval Madrid, and its name comes from the fact that here "paja", or straw, was fed to the mules that belonged to the chaplain of the...
PLAZA TIRSO DE MOLINA
1 Audio

PLAZA TIRSO DE MOLINA

The square was renovated at the beginning of the new millennium, and now with its original urban furnishings, curved street lamps, fountains, and especially its curious kiosks comprising an animated...
PUERTA DE ALCALÀ
1 Audio

PUERTA DE ALCALÀ

If you know Latin, you'll already have gathered that the the inscription on both of the gate's pediments says that it was built in 1778 by the decree of King Charles III of Bourbon. In this exact...
BOTANICAL GARDEN
1 Audio

BOTANICAL GARDEN

This garden was designed to bring all the plant species together that had been collected on scientific expeditions overseas. Especially in spring, you'll find yourself immersed in the colors and...
SANTA CRUZ SQUARE
2 Audio

SANTA CRUZ SQUARE

As you can see, Plaza de Santa Cruz is dominated by the imposing palace of the same name. Yet the square isn't named after this building, but the recent church that was built to replace a building...
SANTIAGO BERNABEU STADIUM
2 Audio

SANTIAGO BERNABEU STADIUM

Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is named after the most famous Real Madrid president, was inaugurated in 1947, and is owned by the soccer club.Despite its very unusual position in the heart of a...
NATIONAL LIBRARY
1 Audio

NATIONAL LIBRARY

Rising above the portico of this neo-classical two-story building are statues of famous writers who almost seem to welcome you to the temple of knowledge. In the foreground, seated and immersed in...
TravelMate App
DOWNLOAD NOW
THE TRAVELMATE APP
Purchase your activation code, download the TravelMate App, and turn your smartphone into your personal travel companion!
Listen to audio guides about the wonders of the world with TravelMate.
HAVE FUN!