Stop and Smell the Roses

Now that the Spanish capital is in bloom, it’s the perfect time to stroll the well-manicured paths of Madrid’s formal rose gardens and enjoy the warm weather. Whether you’re in search of some springtime peace or a fairytale setting for a romantic kiss, these are the rose gardens to visit:

A Secret Garden

The award-winning Rosaleda Ramón Ortiz is almost expertly hidden under the Teleférico in Parque del Oeste, but when you find it, you won’t be disappointed. Inside the gates and past the lily pond are 15,000 square meters of roses.

The Interlude

Inspired by the rose garden in Paris’s Bois de Boulogne, this time of year the Rosaleda del Retiro is a picturesque treat enclosed within the Parque del Retiro, Madrid’s premier park.

[Photo: Miguel A. Monjas]