Holidays in Madrid

The beautiful streets and historical buildings of Madrid should undoubtedly make it to your “must visit '' list! Madrid is an important city not only in Spain, but in the rest of the world, too. Its streets are constantly filled with tourists and to the surprise of many it is one of the greenest capitals in Europe! Madrid is located close to the Guadarrama mountain range and on the riverbank of river Manzanares.

If you want to spend a holiday in Madrid, but rather than spending 100% of your time in front of and inside historical buildings, you want to enjoy its culture and nature more, then consider our options for nature houses for your Madrid holidays. We have different types of accommodation options including chalets, farm houses, apartments, bungalows and of course traditional Spanish fincas.

Fall in love with Madrid’s nature

We know your first association with Madrid is tapas, wine and old buildings. However, the parks and protected areas within and close to the city will surprise you. El Retiro is the most famous park in Madrid which was a favorite place for the royals in the past. El Retiro is the perfect place for your photos with its lush green gardens, numerous fountains and the Crystal Palace.

The royals of Spain have always been protective of their kingdom’s nature, thus opening and creating plenty of parks, gardens and protected areas throughout the whole country. For example, the Royal Botanical Gardens were established by King Carlos III in the late 18th century and were designed by one of the best architects at the time – Francesco Sabatini. There are more than 30,000 plant species in the garden waiting for you to discover them!

Peñalara Natural Park just outside the city will allow you to wander through Sierra de Guadarrama Mountain. Don’t miss visiting the Peñalara Cirque – a deep circular valley created by a glacier. The view from the peak into the cirque is breathtaking to say the least.

Activities to try

If you head to Guadarrama, also take the time to check out La Pedriza. This enormous granite boulder is located on the southern slope of the mountain and is a favorite spot for hikers visiting Spain from around the world. Moreover, on the park premises you can take one of the hiking or cycling routes and enjoy a day full of action!

For even more adrenaline, head to Somosierra where the river Duraton will welcome you. You can canoe, jump in or even rappel through the waters of Duraton and admire its beautiful canyon. If you wish to see it from a different perspective, paragliding in tandems is the perfect way to do it!

If you don’t enjoy the idea of leaving the city then you can take the free tours for a day of walking through the city center. Otherwise, rent a bike and create your own Tour de Madrid by passing by all important monuments and finishing the day off with a glass of Spanish wine in El Retiro by sunset.