Parque Quinta de los Molinos: Madrid in Full Bloom

There’s nothing I love more than Madrid in the spring!

Sunshine heating up the streets, warm, floral breezes and thousands of tiny flowers open up and breathe new life into the city once again. Vibrant trees and hundreds of roses begin to pop up all around the city but one area, in particular, draws hundreds of admirers each year. While other cities like Washington D.C. and Kyoto, Japan boast thousands of attendees, there are no formal festivities or rites of passage into una primavera madrileña. The downside is that seeing Madrid in bloom is time sensitive so if you happen to be reading this post in mid-March, you’ll have to hurry up to see them in Parque Quinta de los Molinos.

On the plus side, you can find almond trees all over the city, and not just in the former estate turned public park that everyone flocks to starting in mid-February to early March. With the gray skies and winter rain behind us, Madrid gives way to flowers in full bloom, sundrenched terraces and nothing but blue skies.

(Until the spring rainstorms come upon us.)

My first full spring in Madrid was back in 2017 when I was an auxiliar de conversación and was still getting used to the big city life. A peaceful oasis where you could shut the noisy, bustling city out sounded like a dream to me. It still is and while at times I still experience sensory overload, because I have found that as much as I love city life, I need to leave it as often as I can and reconnect to nature.

I was really spoiled that first spring. I worked as a language assistant at a school just a few minutes’ walk away from the Canillejas metro station and these almond trees tickled my nose almost as soon as I walked outside of it. I also became a bit obsessed with finding more of these trees in other parts of the city but found that the most tranquil spot of them all was Parque Quinta de los Molinos, just a couple of Metro stops away.

Since word has really gotten out about it among ex-pats and tourists, the park gets a bit overcrowded in its first two blooming seasons with young families, couples and children. I’ve also found it to be a truly madrileño activity as many visitors to the park in its peak season are Spanish families and couples. However, the best time to visit the park in off-peak hours is during lunchtime (2-4 pm.) during the week. If you really dislike crowds or want to enjoy some of the tranquility other bloggers claim this park has (which it really does), I would suggest you go during a free lunch break or day off. You will find it much more relaxing from my experience.

How to get there

Address: Calle de Alcalá, 527

Metro station nearby: Suanzes (line 5)

Hours: 6:30 am – 10 pm (times subject to change in winter)

Travel time: About 30-45 minutes from the center of Madrid or from another part of Zone A

Unlike Parque de El Retiro, there are no bars or restaurants inside this park as it used to be a former residence with its own private agricultural fields. But, there are a few shops and to-go-style restaurants along Calle de Alcalá where you can put together your own picnic lunch to enjoy beneath the almond blossoms. Just remember to watch out for bees when Madrid is in bloom like this and to dispose of your trash responsibly (recycle it!)

For now, I’ll leave you with some of my favorite photos of the park that I’ve taken throughout the years.

Enjoy and have a great time savoring spring this season in Parque Quinta de los Molinos!

Peak season: Mid-February to mid-March, annually

Have you seen the cherry or almond blossoms in Madrid before? Where was the best place you saw them? Share your experiences below!