This is one of my favourite spots in Madrid for relaxing. You can enjoy its exhibitions and it’s also a beautiful place in the winter, during spring and in summer. But I think it’s especially nice during autumn. The leaves and the different colours make the small pond and the Crystal Palace itself worth a visit.

The Retiro park was originally the site of a royal palace built in 1632 under the reign King Philip IV. Most of the palace was destroyed during the Napoleonic Wars, leaving a space that was eventually opened to the public in 1868. The few remaining buildings of the palace now house museum collections. The Crystal Palace is a glass pavilion inspired by The Crystal Palace in London and designed in 1887 by Ricardo Velázquez Bosco. Velázquez Bosco also designed the park’s Palacio de Velázquez.

It is a great place to spend some time after a visit to the nearby Museum Del Prado. There are many other tourist attractions in the Retiro district of Madrid but this place is absolutely amazing!!

I enjoy just sitting and watching the swans and the ducks floating on the water. The reflections of the sun in the Palace make it very impressive, especially when it gets dark.

It’s an ideal place for a Sunday morning but, as it gets more crowded, I’d rather prefer to spend a few afternoon hours during weekdays.

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The Crystal Palace | Relaxing | Free
Inside the Retiro Park | Salamanca Area
Exhibitions Mon – Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 10:00 – 16:00

Aula 11 is one of my favourite places in Madrid. I do not think there is anything similar as it offers a combination of cultural events and personal growth.

Three brave partners thought about the idea during the summer of 2006 and now this unique place is located in the heart of the city, in Plaza Tirso de Molina; so it is easy to find.

Apart from the regular agenda that varies every week on their website, there are several interesting seminars that you can try. There are yoga or belly dance courses, you can try your skills in the theatre or performance, or learn about body language, positive attitude and coaching.

Concerts are mostly during weekends. Last time I went to Aula 11, there was a very relaxing Jam Session on a Friday night. The atmosphere was different from any other place. The light, the location, the staff… Trust me, you can feel like at home, sitting down on the wooden floor, enjoying your drink. Do not miss this place, try once and you will get addicted! And do not forget to experience a Hindu concert!

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Aula 11 | Art & culture, Music, Relaxing | Free
Plaza Tirso de Molina 8 | Lavapies & Latina | +34913691127
Check the website for opening times

Madrid is full of creative initiatives, full of people with great ideas for entertaining pedestrians and also for earning money.

You just have to walk around the city centre and you will see how amazing art in the street could be. From musicians (of course, all genres) to comedians, singers or mimes. These two on the picture were actors frozen in the middle of the street, in a very crowded sidewalk close to Sol metro station.

No one is forced to give them any money, but we have to accept that they enrich the landscape and they make a regular walk a fantastic experience.I personally find out something new almost every day. Not just in the city centre, but also in the Retiro park or almost everywhere in Madrid.

Another view, sometimes without words, that shows how beautiful is Madrid!!

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Art in the streets | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Puerta del Sol | Sol
Anytime of the day

Faunia is a biodiversity theme park that is made up of eight of the world´s eco-systems and 3,500 animals.

The first time I visited it was because I was making a report for the radio station I work for. It really impressed me! I don´t find the zoo particularly amazing, but this is a completely different concept. It’s divided into different areas so you can see the animals in their habitat, not in cages.

My favourite is the ‘Night time’ area. Many animals and birds are kept outside. The most enjoyable aspect of the Faunia park is that many of the animals are allowed to roam quite freely. There are, what we call in Spanish, “perritos de la pradera”, a lot of very cute little furry animals who pop up out of holes in a grass bank. They are able to run totally free in the park, so you can imagine how fun it is for the visitors!!

The aquarium section should not be missed, as it contains the world´s largest species of fish. But something unique is the Amazon Jungle area, a recreation of a real one, even because there are artificial storms that make all type of exotic birds very very happy!!

In Faunia you can also find the largest reconstruction of a Polar Eco-system in Europe so it´s a place for children but also for grown-ups, as I have an incredible time whenever I go back!!

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Faunia | Art & culture, Relaxing | Entrance adults € 23.00
Avenida de las Comunidades, 28 | Salamanca Area | +34913016235
See the website for opening times

It has just 14 ha, but it´s a jewel among Madrid’s gardens. Walking around El Parque de El Capricho will give you the relaxation you’ve been searching the whole week and it’s also a very romantic place!

This garden was first created at the request of the Duchess of Osuna at the end of the 18th century. Its beautiful and peaceful setting has earned it the name “The Caprice”. The garden also has additional historic significance, as it was used as a hideout for a soldier of Napoleon’s in the War of Independence and the Spanish Civil War.

The XII Duchess of Osuna was the last member of the family who owned it. When he died, La Alameda was acquired in 1920 by the Baüer family, who took care of the garden until they sold it, at the end of the Spanish Civil War. From that moment, this place remained totally abandoned till Madrid City Council started with its restoration in 1974.

There are some spots you cannot miss, like “El Casino de Baile”, that used to be a place for parties; “La Casa de la Vieja”, a symbol of the rural world, or “El Abejero”, built for the study of the bees´ behaviour. There´re also lots of beautiful fountains, a wonderful pond and even a pier with relaxing views.

A great plan for a stroll on a sunny morning in the weekend!

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Parque El Capricho | Relaxing | Free
Parque El Capricho | Chamberi
Sat – Sun 09:00 – 18:00

OK so I haven’t exactly been here to get my haircut. This is a barbers shop and that’s not where ladies tend to get their haircut. Coincidentally I go to a fantastic salon in Chueca, but more about that another time.

For the time being I’d like to draw the attention of all those image conscious men out there to this gem of a barbers. The tiling of the shop front speaks for itself. Actually this barbers opened in 1908 and the decorative ceramic dates from the 1914 and has been preserved to date. So what are you waiting for? Hurry up and get your very authentic Madrileño haircut or moustache trim!

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Vallejo | Relaxing, Shopping | Haircut € 10
Calle Santa Isabel, 22 | Lavapies & Latina | +34915274448
Sun – Fri 09:00 – 14: 00 & 16:30 – 20:30, Sat 09:00 – 14:00

Plaza de Olavide is considered to be the center of the Chamberí neighborhood, which makes sense because decades ago it used to house the local fruit and vegetable market.

I like to think of it as the ‘people’s plaza’ because it is secluded away from busy streets and is usually bustling with people walking dogs, going for tapas, meeting before going to the cinema or after shopping along Calle Fuencarral.

The surrounding restaurants are all typical Spanish joints, while the center of the plaza has benches and a fountain, perfect to sit and people watch.

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Plaza de Olavide | Bars, Relaxing, Snacks | Free
Plaza de Olavide | Chamberi
24 hours daily