Madrid Attractions
The Royal Botanic Gardens
Royal Botanic Garden
Located nearby the Prado Museum, the Royal Botanic Garden is one
of the oldest botanic gardens in Europe. With the foundation of the
garden ordered by King Ferdinand VI in 1755, the Royal Botanic
Garden has been cataloguing and nurturing rare species of flora for
over 200 years. A welcomed break after hours of art, architecture,
and frenetic streets, the garden is a small haven of natural
splendour. Divided into three terraces and extending only eight
hectares, the garden boasts an array of 30,000 plants and flowers
and 1,500 trees. Not only interested in exhibiting plants, the
gardens' initial aim was to teach botany, promote expeditions to
discover new plant species and classification. Nowadays the Royal
Botanic Garden houses a cutting edge research centre, extensive
herbarium and large library. Visit the Classical Romantic Garden,
Villanueva Pavilion, the Graells Greenhouse and the Exhibition
Greenhouse.
Address: Plaza de Murillo;
Website: www.rjb.csic.es;
Telephone: 91 420 3017;
Transport: Metro station Atocha or Atocha-Renfe. Bus number 10, 14, 19, 24, 26, 27, 32, 34, 45, 57, 140, C1 and C2;
Opening time: Daily from 10am to 6pm (November to February), 7pm (March), 8pm (April and September) and 9pm (May to August);
Admission: €2 adults, children under ten free. Concessions available
