A visit to Retiro Park takes in history, architecture, botany, and usually some art, too. Perhaps most interesting, is seeing all the different activities going on there. Some people practice tai chi or play chess under the trees, while others strum guitars or play drums.

The gardens were developed during a dramatic downturn in Spain’s fortunes, when the country was floundering economically after a period of great prosperity following the discovery of America.

The rectangular space covers 118 ha and is planted with 15,000 trees. Although it has changed greatly over the centuries, mostly as a result of wartime damage, the layout is more or less the same and some original features have survived.