I can imagine that Real Jardin Botanico gets overlooked by its more famous neighbor, El Museo del Prado. But if you need a respite from the hustle and concrete of the city without leaving, this is really a very nice botanical garden to visit. There are many paths that take you through both well-planted and more wildly arranged beds with a variety of plants to enjoy. Fountains and art can be found throughout. There are also multiple, large greenhouses for the vegetation that can't survive the climate without assistance including a very arid house for cacti and other succulents as well as a rainforest greenhouse with high humidity and a catwalk to look down on the impressive assortment. You can also check out the bonsai path for some really impressive specimens. They also have a rotating exhibit, though I didn't pay the additional entry fee for it. I was really impressed with the gardens and hope that more people take advantage of such a great destination in the heart of the city! read more

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It's a small botanical garden and seemed a bit unkempt with a few dead specimens and some weed sprouting up. The conservatory felt messy and crowded, with plants not people, but I did enjoy the carnivorous plant collection. There was a small rotating exhibit in another building that was interesting. The current one was of plant in fashion, think plant based dyes etc. Compared to the nearby Retiro Park, or even the Parque del Oeste across town, this garden really was unimpressive. And it's the only one of the three that charges an entrance fee! Sure, 4 euros isn't a lot, but if you are short on time, I'd definitely skip this. read more

The botanical gardens here are not to be missed. Not city people, we had some time to burn in Madrid and quickly decided to find urban nature. We were pleasantly surprised to find these walkable from our hotel. The place is clean and well labeled. Lots of space to sit and wander. The bathrooms are a bit outdated and the exhibit and gift shop was closed with no reason why so that was a let down. Nonetheless still worth the couple euros to get in. This was a delightful afternoon for all ages and I highly recommend. During fall it was super spectacular. read more

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I've visited hundreds of botanic gardens all over the world and I was impressed with some of the rare specimens in the collection at this one. I'm sure most people won't notice some of the endangered species in the collection, but I appreciate the level of care. For a 104*F day, the gardens looked really good. There's a lovely dahlia patch this summer that was covered in pollinators. The garden is very formal in style and efforts have been made to make the plantings inbetween dynamic and interesting. There are displays of vegetables in season, roses, palms and an incredible collection of bonsai. There are indoor exhibits as well including several glass houses and an art gallery. The restaurant was closed at this time. I didn't do the audio tour, but I saw there's one in a few languages to help enrich the experience. read more

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A great way to get out of the sun. Gorgeous gardens indoors and outdoors. It's small, but packs a massive punch. Very Zen like environment, which is surreal since your still in the heart of a bustling city. They also have a restroom and water fountains if you're feeling parched. read more

Great thing to do in Madrid! The garden is gigantic and has lots of different things. The bonsai trees are the best and are super cool. read more

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Naturaleza Encendida display was gorgeous! Tons of beautiful lights, projectors and ambient music that really sets the mood. Highly recommend if you're passing through Madrid this winter holiday. Tickets were about 13€ for an adult. read more

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As my friends and I left the Prado Museum, we happened to notice a huge garden and we had to explore it. It is framed which huge gates which adds some extra grandeur to the entrance. Luckily, since we were students, admission was free. We easily strolled around this park for four hours. We visited in June and everything was in bloom and thriving. This park is immaculately organized into rows, even circles at some points. We found that each section was filled with different flowers, trees or herbs. It is a picturesque sight to see! In addition, the park provides free water and restrooms. There are several water spouts throughout the park. Don't worry, the water from these is safe to drink! The bathroom was located near the back of the park. It had numerous stalls and was very clean! read more

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In the summer at the height of the growing season it's easy to imagine this place to be one of the must see events in Madrid. We were visiting in early spring (April) so most of the gardens were resting. They did have a number of large beds of brilliant tulips resplendent in all their vibrant colors which we enjoyed. I'd like to come back and see it in a different season. Cost of entry 4€ per person. read more

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A nice get away from the hectic city right in the midst of it. Beautiful greenery from all over the world. Even a small stand of Redwoods from California. read more

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Super lovely botanical garden and a bargain at only €4. Lots of local and non-native plants and trees to look at. Lots of benches to sit on in the shade. Everything well marked, though most of it was in Spanish only. I enjoyed my walk through the gardens. Even in February, there was plenty to see. In the summer months, I would imagine that it's spectacular. read more

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There is a small entry fee to get into the garden. It was really great to see the wide variety of trees and flowers that were all labeled. There's a greenhouse with succulents and a path with bonsai. It's a pretty comprehensive garden. They also grow food in their garden and even have a very cute fat cat that came and sat on my lap. It was a nice place to rest before or after going to the Prado Museum, which is across the street. read more

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Beautiful manicured gardens. Nice walk on a great day. It's about an hour walk through this park and really enjoyable.

Real Jardin is a very nice city botanical garden and while others point out the nearby Retiro is free, these gardens are only €4 and have the benefit of being a lot more peaceful. They also of course contain a huge number of fascinating plant species. At any time of year, the collection of magnificent trees (my personal highlight) and the indoor area (don't miss the raised viewing platform) will interest. I sadly just missed the roses and rhododendrons blooming and not much had been done to replace anything - so even if you are visiting in early summer you might be a little disappointed by the lack of colour, as I was. I also thought the bonsai collection looked quite neglected, which is a shame given its interesting history as a gift from former president Felipe Gonzalez. Overall though I have really enjoyed both my visits here and would recommend you spend an hour or so browsing - it would work well in combination with a visit to nearby Caixa Forum and it's just pleasant to walk around the well laid out paths. Be aware there is no cafe within the gardens themselves. read more

Cost is 4€ and you can't use a card. Keep your coins handy. My first attempt to enter the garden was shot down because I didn't have any currency on hand. So I came back later during my trip when the weather wasn't as cooperative, and I didn't have as much time. Early spring is not the best time for a visit. Very few plants are in bloom yet, but I could see this place being spectacular in April and May. The layout of the gardens is very orderly and organized. I liked this symmetry and orderliness. Each square is designed with a central fountain and organized by type of plant. There are many to choose from, and plant lovers could really enjoy this place. I loved the rock garden at the far end (from the entrance), and the interesting trees that have been planted throughout are really cool. I liked this especially because I learned some new species of tree that I had not previously known. I wish I had more time to visit, but given the condition of the garden at this time of year an hour was sufficient. Give yourself more time if you come when plants are really in bloom. If you're looking for a little escape from the heat and noise, this could be a great place to retreat to during your museum visits. read more

Real Jardín Botánico - It's better in late Spring I think... - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Madrid, M

This is a fantastic garden. We stumbled upon it one day when we were walking around Madrid. It was a great stop. They have so many different plants, flowers, herbs, etc. I would defiantly recommend taking the time to stop and walk through. Don't forget to go to the greenhouse in the back of the garden. They have many foreign flowers and plants and it was really nice to see them all. We went in October, so it was not the beat blooms but I bet it's Fantastic in the summer!! read more

Had some time in the city and we didn't have a chance to visit during our last visit. Glad we made time. Reasonably priced and worth a couple of hours. Beautiful plants, trees, flowers, etc. labeled. Several bathrooms as well. read more

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For fans of horticulture- this garden likely rates higher. But for the rest of us regular folks, it ranks among the most pedestrian of gardens I've visited. It's calm, quiet, and a flat, easy stroll. At 4 euros a ticket, value is mediocre. Save your time and energy ; go to El Retiro, which is better, and free! PROTIP: once inside, head left to the greenhouses. The best stuff is inside there. Situated near the Prado Museum, we decided to explore the gardens during the tulip festival. Certainly the tulips were gorgeous, but the remainder of the very large garden was otherwise uninteresting. What could have helped - more signage that explains the history of the plants. This is why I suspect horticulture fans would enjoy this far more than non-experts. If given the opportunity to return, I'd keep my 4 euros and buy a coffee and a croissant. read more

An expansive garden, great for pictures and shade! The garden offers a wide variety of plants, including fruits, flowers, and herbs. The layout was nice, and it is obvious that they take good care of the plants. The plants were well labeled, as well. The garden is conveniently located near the Prado Museum. There are also clean bathrooms offered. It is good to keep in mind that there is free entry on Tuesdays after 2 pm. A must visit if traveling to Madrid in the summer! read more

I am kind of a tree lover, which really means I know nothing about them but I am fascinated. And yeah the Montreal botanical garden is much more spectacular because of oddity, rare plants, and a butterfly garden. This Madrid one, I would still applaud at the number of fully grown old, adult trees they keep. It's a gigantic garden with trees from around the world -China, Peru, Africa. Trees are hard to keep together! How do you know if the tree roots aren't going to attack each other? And what about the bugs that invade tree to tree? I didn't find the greenhouses particularly interesting though, they definitely weren't my highlight of the garden. The fields of tulips, I didn't find interesting either. Come on, really? I think the main attraction (which is the park of trees itself) much more spectacular. It's filled with various trees from different parts of the world, that's super super cool. Again, I am not you. I found a pine cone and was like, "oh where did you drop from??" I would describe this as a walk in a private park, where you can stroll slowly for 3€. Probably not worth most people's time. To help you decide if you want to visit: - it is 3€ per person, mornings are busy with school children - if you're looking for a walk in the park, visit the Parque del Retiro during the weekday afternoon (it's empty and it's free) - in fact, the indoor garden in Atocha train station would be much more spectacular than this one! that's free too - if you're looking for a nature-kind-of-museum, unfortunately you will be disappointed here* - if you actually like trees and nature, yes! this is for you Now for the tree lovers that is I, I happily spent 2 hours walking around here hahaha. I am giving it 5 stars because I would actually visit again. It makes a nice, quiet walk. I was practising photography here! Also they had an arts exhibition in collaboration with Universidad Complutense de Madrid. This was the main reason I visited this garden. But the garden itself blew me away! Hi trees, I like you. *The Jardín Botánico is more a park than a museum/educational venue. There are lots of amazing trees but if you have no interest, they all look the same. The signs only tell you the names and origin of the tree, nothing else. There are some (very few) descriptions on paper signs but they are ruined by rain and time, that even I didn't feel like reading this disgraceful yellowing paper. read more

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This garden is interesting. It isn't that amazing in early November as most flowers are already dead. But the leaves are turning color and it's absolutely beautiful. I saw a random cat and some ducks just walking around the park. It's very quiet and peaceful. You hear the water fountains and birds chirping. Good place to relax and get out of the city. It's also three euros to get in and they give you a map, although my map was all in Spanish so wasn't really helpful. Overall ok park, probably don't come here just to come here, come here if you visit the Pardo and Sofia museums, and def make a stop here.. read more

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As a person who loves gardens, my stop at Madrid should include their royal gardens! Although my husband didn't want to go and I knew most blossoms are already fading, I still made my trek here from VP Plaza España. What I loved about the garden was that it is super affordable at only 4€ for general admissions (compared with NY Botanical Gardens and Brooklyn Botanical Gardens). And like I have said, most blooms are perennial so they are no longer there but some still shine in the last moments of October. Also, you get to see a bit of their melons garden, with pumpkin and some other vegetables I recognize was very nice (made me wonder if they pick to eat it though. If they don't, it's a huge waste!). They also had so many peppers that I just took photo after photo of it. Also, they have a great bonsai section if you like bonsai. Despite only going for about an hour, I feel like it was very relaxing and if I ever have a chance, I would definitely come back to this place. But for now, until next time! read more

I went here with my parents on Mother's Day, and we couldn't think of a better way to spend our morning. The layout of the garden is small enough that you can see everything in one trip, but also large enough to give you a solid eyeful. The garden's awesome greenhouses house plants that otherwise wouldn't survive in Madrid, and everythjng about this garden is perfect. read more

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I didn't think I'd really enjoy the Jardin Tropical. After all, isn't this just another park, within a stones-throw of the massive Parque del Retiro? It's so much more, and an absolute bargain for the €3 admission. When you enter, to your left are a set of greenhouses, filled with plants from Spain's Iberian peninsula and Balearic islands. An amazing little time capsule from the 19th century, the greenhouses were originally heated using horse manure. Thankfully they've been modernised since and you can enjoy the sauna like conditions in peace. The gardens are incredible and it's easy to lose track of time moving through it. There's also a photography gallery on the grounds that was a nice diversion and excuse to get in from the sun for a few minutes. read more

Real Jardín Botánico - A view of one the walkways at the Jardin. - Botanical Gardens Near Me - Madrid, M

Not the New York Botanical Gardens by any means but well tended and architected English Garden style layout. Nice olive tree collection, tropical palms, and ferns as well as cactus collection but not mind blowing like it could be. Even the rock garden was worthy but with it being so early in Spring and with the recent cold snap in Southern Spain a lot of bulbs were mature but not as it should have been. I've been to a lot of gardens, an avid with plants myself, and really tried to look past the time of year and climate but still was somewhat disappointed. The garden shop was decent at best, weeds were everywhere and as small as the gardens were compared to others in a city of the size of Madrid for some reason huge vacancies in the beds exist. Don't get me wrong, a lovely picnic spot, great to pair with a museum day and awesome for a stroll or solitude moment. The proximity to high speed cars rushing by us a serious deterring factor though so if seeking silence you need to be strategic in your choice of where to relax. read more

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this was a very average botanical garden, in my opinion. of course, by the time i arrived in madrid, i'd seen many other botanical gardens, standalone and inside castles and other major landmarks, that were far grander and beautiful that this one. the admission was €3, pretty inexpensive considering this is in the heart of madrid. you get a map of the gardens and then you're free to walk around for as long as you please. the garden is laid out on several levels, there was an "alta" (high) and a "baja" (low) as well as some middle layers. different flowering plants could be found on each of these levels and it also made for an interesting walk, as i found myself walking uphill and downhill during my self-guided tour here. many of the areas were not well kept, and therefore not as interesting to look at. they open from 1000 - 2000 in the autumn, which is more than enough time to walk through and even see the sunset if you're around closer to closing time. definitely wear comfortable walking shoes and bring some cool water, esp if you come during a warmer month. read more

This botanical garden is just south of the Prado museum. At first I was a little put off by the 3 Euro admission charge, but it is a private garden and 3 Euro is not really all that bad for a relaxing stroll through a well maintained park. I think I was just spoiled by the nearby free Retiro park. Also an amazing place which is really well manicured. They have paths leading all over the gardens with fountains and many different types of plants. There are flower gardens, vegetable gardens, rainforest type plants as well as desert plants. There is quite a variety. There are also some greenhouses along the back which are also entertaining to walk through and look at the many plants within. Probably the highlight of the greenhouses was the upper path along the second level. It gets very hot, but that was not a vantage point I have experienced within a greenhouse before. read more

Compared to other botanical gardens I visited, this one is rather dull and unimpressive. Also, it seems some if the gardens weren't very well kept. Not particularly relaxing either since it is located in the city center so it is rather noisy. But, it's only €3 so it's worth a visit if time allows. read more

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This costs EUR2 to enter, and is a bit disappointing. There are much better looking gardens for free everywhere else in Madrid, so why should you pay to go in here? The gardens are several hundred years old, so perhaps their historic nature means pipes can't be laid to improve the irrigation. Most plants looked pretty dried out, and the little box hedges were very small and spindly. There were drinking fountains up near the conservatories, but the water was boiling hot, a marked contrast to the Retiro park. There was a lot of building work around the toilets so that there was a long diversion to reach them, although the toilets themselves were large and clean. There were plenty of cacti in the conservatories, but anyone familiar with the Barbican conservatory wouldn't be impressed. My advice is, save money and just wander round the rose garden in Retiro! read more

Conveniently located near the Prado Museum and Sofia. It's definitely worth going to when in-season. We went during the Winter (December 2012) and there is NOTHING to look at. However, the size and the variety of plants there are surely to be astounding during the Spring. Definitely worth checking out, since it's HUGE and only 3 euros! Note: Bring your student ID. It's 1.5 euros instead of 3. Note: DO NOT go in the Winter. There are no flowers (duh). read more

A very beautiful relaxing place to walk in the middle of Madrid between Prado and Reina Sofia Museum & Retiro Park. You can see the different plants, trees, flowers, and statues from all around the world. This is a historical place to visit when you go to Spain everything there is so calm. The flowers bloom only in the Spring which is the best time to go. read more

A tranquil and beautiful place to relax. Even better, the trees and shade make for a cool escape when the city is unbearably hot.

A calmly place in the middle of Madrid, just between the Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofía museums and Retiro park. One should walk through the different plants and trees from all around the world, statues, summerhouses and parterres. Essential! read more

Very nice gardens with great variety, but mid-May is too late for the flower season. Lots of post-blooms. The variety of trees is impressive. The gardens offer a nice break from the bustling sidewalks. read more

beautiful to see and walk through.. amazing Garden