For most of my young life, The Retiro park located in the center of Madrid behind The Prado Museum was my play yard. Back then I couldn’t appreciate the beauty and grandeur of this amazing national treasure. I only thought of it as you would in your own neighbourhood, my park.

Yes, it has plenty of small playgrounds within its large grounds, bike trails, monuments, a lake where you can go paddle boating around or just sit on the steps and feed the ducks, meet your friends for a drink, get your fortune told by one of the many fortune tellers scattered throughout the park, but most of all it is a place where you can simply go and be one with nature.

Depending on the time of year you go, there are special events, concerts, expositions as well and the everyday entertainment you will see from the locals who dance, sing, put on puppet shows for the kids or just stand there still as a statue so you could contribute to their monetary needs to survive.

I love this place and think everyone needs to one day in their life spend a day in the park.

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