Open to the public since 1931, Casa de Campo in Madrid is the largest park (1,500 hectares). It’s a gigantic green space located in the southwest of Madrid. It’s a place we frequent regularly. A greatplace for walking, cycling, sports or picnics… and home to numerous leisure facilities such asa zoo, aquarium, lake and amusement park.
The park is very large (around 2 times bigger than the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, for example) so we haven’t explored it all yet, but we’re sharing some information to help you make the most of this vast place. Casa de Campo is not in the center of Madrid like Retiro Park, but it is well served by several metro stations.
How to get to Casa de Campo in Madrid
It’s not always easy to find your way around the park, whether by public transport or by car.
If you’re driving…
…it’s time to get help from your GPS! Before you leave, take a good look at where you want to park. There are parking lots in various locations (near children’s playgrounds, the lake, the amusement park, picnic areas, etc.). They are free of charge. On the other hand, when the weather is fine, some weekends can fill up quickly.
The metro is a good option
There are several stations serving the park at key locations:
- the lake: Lago station (L10) close to the lake and its restaurants.
- theme park: Batán station (L10)
- the zoo and aquarium: Casa de Campo station (L10 and L5), a ten-minute walk away.
An alternative: the cable car
Madrid’s cable car offers 2 stations: Rosales or Casa de Campo. If you wish to depart from the Rosales station, go to Paseo del Pintor Rosales (Arguelles metro station).
If you take the Rosales cable car, you’ll arrive in the middle of the Casa de Campo park, about a 20-minute walk from the lake or amusement park. The adult fare is €4.5 one way or €6 return. It’s a little cheaper for children aged 4 to 12 and free for children under 4.
Casa de Campo lake
The Lago is an artificial lake easily accessible by public transport (Lago metro, L10). In 2018, the site was renovated (embankments, jetties…), with the basin emptied and refilled.
A little corner of the countryside, very close to Madrid. Well, when the weather’s fine, it’s obviously a bit crowded, but there’s a vacation feel to it that’s quite pleasant all the same….You can not only stroll around the lake but you can also hire a boat at the landing stages. (€7.50 for 45 minutes on weekends and public holidays / about €5 during the week).
For a lunch break, you can choose between several restaurants with terraces.
As you stroll around the lake, you’ll come across the new Manuel Ortego Entomological Center. An impressive collection of over 15,000 beetles and butterflies. If you’d like to admire these insects, here are the opening hours for the Centro de Educacion Ambiental de Casa de Campo.
Zoo and aquarium
Inside the park, there’s also Madrid’s zoo and aquarium, not far from the amusement park (about 10 minutes’ walk).
You can book your tickets here.
Casa de Campo in Madrid : Amusement parks and playgrounds
Within this gigantic park, there are :
- several children’s parks (swings, slides….)
- an amusement park
The amusement park
If you’re looking for a break from visit Madrid and do something more suitable for children, there’s an amusement park in Casa de Campo (NB: We haven’t tried it out yet, as the children were still too young to enjoy the park to the full, and not very adventurous either…). This park offers over 40 attractions. It’s got it all: roller coasters, water rides, trains, pirate ships… It’s divided into different zones for different ages. There’s even an area for young children called Nickelodeon Land with attractions featuring characters from Patrol Patrol and SpongeBob SquarePants.
Tickets :
Prices vary according to the season, or if you buy in advance. There is a reduced rate for children between 100 cm and 140 cm, large families, people aged 60 to 64…
For children under 100 cm tall or seniors aged 65 and over, it’s free. To reserve your tickets.
Casa de Campo in Madrid: Play areas
There are several children’s play areas in the park, with swings, slides, zip lines… Some have been renovated. The games are a little worse than their predecessors, but the infrastructure is new now. There’s one on the western edge of the park, bordering the town of Pozuelo. The great thing about this playground is that there’s a restaurant, La Manzana, right next door! To find it easily, you can save the restaurant’s address. Perfect for an aperitif or lunch, after letting the kids loose. There are also other play areas, for example by the amusement park or by the lake, at the Lago metro station (opposite the parking lot).
Madrid cable car
As mentioned above, it can be taken at 2 stations: Rosales and Casa de Campo. The cable car is of course a very popular activity with children (and adults too). It’ s a great way to take a break from the day’ s hikes while admiring the incredible view over the city.
The Rosales cable car station is very close to the Debod Temple or about 20 minutes from the Palacio Real, so if you’re in the area to visit these monuments, don’t hesitate to take the cable car. You can take the cable car to and from the site. For prices, see our “How to get to Casa de Campo” paragraph above.
An outdoor swimming pool in summer
Good to know, at the Lago metro station you’ll find a multi-sport center with 2 outdoor pools (one 50-meter long and a smaller one for children) open from May 15 to September 15. This is a municipal pool. Prices are €4.5 for adults, €3.6 for young people aged 15 to 26 and €2.7 for children.
Where to eat at Casa de Campo?
Several restaurants inside the park.
The best-known area is around Lake
You can choose between several restaurants with terraces. When the weather’s fine, there are a lot of people, and it’s not always easy to find seats outside (and indoors it’s a lot less fun!). Every time we’ve been there, we’ve gone for tapas to share, and we’ve chosen according to the number of places available…If you don’t feel like having lunch, it’s a perfect place for an aperitif. Children can play all around. You’ll also find ice-cream vendors (not artisanal).
Other restaurants
There’s also the restaurant, La Manzana, which is pleasant and good with a children’s playground mentioned above.
More chic and untested is the El Parque Felix restaurant in the south of the park, at the entrance between the zoo and the amusement park.
And of course, you’ll find a number of restaurants/cafeterias within the Zoo-aquarium and theme park grounds.
I hope you’ll find this information useful as you explore this popular weekend spot. Don’t hesitate to plan a short walk or bike ride, picnic, aperitif…or take advantage of the leisure facilities.
Emilie
