Meet the professional guide at Puerta de la Independencia and embark on a journey through the 290-acre park, learning the history of the statue of Alfonso XII, the Crystal Palace, the Great Pond, the Parterre, the Felipe IV Gate, the Royal Astronomical Observatory, and the Artichoke Fountain along the way. You will also see the San Isidro ruins from the Romanesque period and contemplate architectural, sculptural, and landscape ensembles constructed between the 17th and 21st centuries. Learn how the Retiro was used as an urban park in 1767 when Carlos III agreed to use it for recreational events and in 1868 was taken under the ownership of the Madrid City Hall. During the French invasion, a big part of the original layout was destroyed and vestiges from the 17th and 18th centuries still remain.

It is a tour in which the history of El Retiro is shown, it began as a palace of the court of Philip IV until it became a public park in the 20th century. It is the lung of the city, our "central park", full of history, curiosities, anecdotes, legends, inescapable buildings and the magic that surrounds the park you can feel on this tour. It is true that people only know the pond and the boats, but in reality there are many secrets that the park keeps and if you want you can see them with me. Do you want to see the evolution it has had since its origins? Sign up and find out with me! We will start in the Paseo de Fernán Núñez seeing the enigmatic statue of the Fallen Angel, then we will see the remains of the old ceramic factory, old menagerie, statues, the great pond, mysterious gardens and we will finish in the beautiful Garden of the Parterre that hides the oldest tree in Madrid! As you can imagine, in Spain we have had during Habsburg or Austria's dynasty dominion around the world, therefore most important artists have been in Spain, to be more specifically, in Madrid because has been the capital of the Spanish Crown from 1561, it means from then on Tiziano, El Greco, Rubens, El Bosco, Velazquez, Goya, and others have painted for the Monarchs reflecting their eternal power. Carlos III laid the first stone to beautify it, do you put the desire and sign up for this tour?