Parque del Buen Retiro (Retiro Park)
This lush park in the heart of Madrid was originally the private garden of Philip IV. Visitors can enjoy a stroll along the shady avenues and formal gardens, take a rowing boat out on the lake or picnic in the extensive wooded areas. Madrileños come here in their thousands on Sunday mornings, when entertainment is provided by fortune tellers, pavement artists and circus acts. There is a children's puppet theatre and numerous refreshment points. Temporary art exhibitions are held in the Palacio de Cristal, Palacio de Velázquez and the Casa de Vacas.

Puerta de Alcalá, Plaza de la Independencia
Opening hours: Daily 0600-2200.
Free admission.  

Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales (Convent of the Royal Barefoot Sisters)
Founded by Juana de Austria, the daughter of Charles V, in 1559, as a retreat for noblewomen, the Convento de las Descalzas Reales is still a functioning convent. A superb example of 16th- to 17th-century baroque architecture, it contains a magpie's hoard of artistic treasures, including Flemish tapestries, Italian and Flemish paintings and sculptures, religious artefacts and more. The convent is open for guided tours only. Tours are in Spanish, although questions are taken in English.

Plaza de las Descalzas Reales 3
Tel: 91 547 5350.
Website: www.patrimonionacional.es/descreal/descreal.htm  
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0930-1700, Sun 0900-1400 (Oct-Mar); Mon-Sat 0900-1800, Sun 0900-1500 (Apr-Sep).
Admission charge.

Faunia Parque Biológico de Madrid (Environmental Park)
The theme of this attractively landscaped theme park is bio-diversity. Each of the 10 pavilions has been specially designed to recreate a different natural environment, with the aim of demonstrating how life (animal life in particular) has learned to adapt to a variety of ecosystems. Thanks to the latest high-tech wizardry, visitors can ‘experience' a tropical storm, take a stroll through the rain forest, visit the polar regions with temperatures of -5ºC (23ºF), or watch rivers of molten lava flowing 1,000m (3,281ft) beneath the earth's surface.

Avenida de las Comunidades 28
Tel: 91 301 6235.
Website: www.faunia.es
Opening hours: Vary according to season, limited to daylight hours.
Admission charge.

Parque Juan Carlos I
This modern and vast green space (Madrid's biggest park) holds within it the recinto ferial (fairground), where most of Madrid's exhibitions take place. It also holds the largest collection of macro-sculptures in Spain. People come here to walk, ride their bicycles, fly kites and fish. There is even an enclosure to exercise dogs.

Campo de las Naciones, glorieta de Don Juan de Borbon s/n
Tel: 91 721 0079.
Opening hours: 0700-2400 (summer); 0700-2200 (winter), open until 0000 during shows.
Free admission.