Respira: Madrid Río

Locals have never been able to be particularly proud of the Manzanares river in the same way that Londoners are proud of the Thames or Parisians are proud of the Seine. However, they can be proud of the park created on its banks: Madrid Río. 30 kilometres of cycling lanes, 33 skating rinks, multi-sport courts, game tables and, above all, plenty of trees and green spaces.

These are just some of the features of this ambitious ecological and recreational project of leisure that emerged after the M-30 was covered up. The asphalt and fumes gave way to nature, something that locals are proud of, as well as the adaptation of the old slaughterhouse in Legazpi, very close to Madrid Río, which is now a cultural centre of reference in the city.

It is an excellent option for taking a stroll with the children, with many children’s play areas around, and for having a bicycle ride. Companies such as Mi Bike Río were founded to supply users with bicycles as well as tandems, pedal karts and even tricycles, with their offices by the Príncipe Pío station, very close to Madrid Río. Check their different rates and promotions.

In this link you will find a map, ideal to plan your visit and place some of the points of interest in the route. Some of these points of interest are of huge historical value, such as the Puente de Toledo bridge, ordered to be built by King Felipe IV in the mid-17th century and that, as its name says, it was the main communication with the city of Toledo.

And next to the historical sites, one of the sporting references in Madrid: the Vicente Calderón Stadium, home of Club Atlético de Madrid.

Among the green wonders, the Jardines del Puente de Segovia is a complex of gardens and fields that surround a pond, from where you can see the oldest bridge in the city, the Puente de Segovia, built between 1572 and 1588.

Madrid Río is history, nature and modern architecture, with which this project was conceived, with many futuristic bridges and urban furniture that has been carefully designed down to the smallest detail.

Photo: La Citta Vita via Wikimedia Commons. Licence CC 2.0.

Categories: Madrid Ocio