RETIRO

Like any decent urban park, the Retiro cherishes a whole host of secrets. For example, it boasts four thousand rose bushes and more than fifteen thousand trees, including a Mexican cypress tree planted in 1630, which is – of course – the oldest tree in the whole of Madrid. There’s also a lake on which legends such as John Wayne have filmed. What’s more, its waters are home to some eight thousand fish, including (as legend has it) a twelve-kilo carp called Margarita, who would be Madrid’s version of the Loch Ness monster. Initially built for the monarchy and opened to the public in 1868, it even once had its own mayor Antonio Mingote)! So, shall we go for a stroll?