Royal Botanic Garden of Madrid
Real Jardín Botánico
An 18th-century royal botanic garden next to the Prado Museum, with terraced gardens and thousands of plant species in its greenhouses.
The Royal Botanic Garden was founded in 1755 by Ferdinand VI. In 1781, Charles III moved it to its current site on Paseo del Prado, where it covers about 8 hectares. The garden has three terraced levels: square beds of medicinal and ornamental plants, a botanical section arranged by family and genus, and an upper level with a Romantic-style garden and the Villanueva Greenhouse. Wisteria in spring and ginkgo in autumn look their best. Admission is about €6, and opening hours vary by season, generally between 10:00 and 18:00 or 21:00. The main gate, the Puerta de Murillo, faces the south side of the Prado Museum, so an hour’s stroll here is the perfect follow-up to a museum visit. Atocha or Banco de España metro stations are within walking distance.
Opening hours
10:00 until sunset (approx. 18:00 in winter, 21:00 in summer)
Nearby sights
- Prado Museum
- Reina Sofía Museum
- Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum
- Plaza de Cibeles & Cibeles Palace
- El Retiro Park
- Puerta de Alcalá
- National Archaeological Museum
- Puerta del Sol