This more than four-century-old 292-acre park is a place for meeting, relaxing and walking for many Madrid locals. If you're coming from the Triangle of Art, the best thing is walking along Paseo del Prado until Atocha (5 minutes) and then going up the hill called Cuesta de Moyano, passing all of its small bookshops along the way (12 minutes). Walk through the park until you come to the magnificent Palacio de Cristal (Glass Palace) (7 minutes). Continue along Paseo del Estanque until you come to the pond with the memorial to Alfonso XII (10 minutes). Leave the park along Av. de México, which leads to the famous Puerta de Alcalá (Alcalá Gate) (5 minutes). Here you can take the Retiro metro (L2) back to your hotel or continue with the next visit.
