This is a tough one to evaluate. So much of this depends on the time of the year. We needed some downtime after being amongst the masses of the Prado and 4 euros was a relatively small price to pay for some piece a quiet. Given that we visited in November, very little was in bloom. The water features were also turned off. Therefore your experience will be related to when you are visiting and when the plants will be in full bloom. But nonetheless we likes just walking around relaxing before we headed to the next museum. This is no Versailles by a long shot but a heck of a better than my backyard. Enjoy.

Having danced around our Madrid wishlist for what seemed like an eternity, the Real Jardín Botánico stood as a verdant beacon of horticultural hope on our latest escapade to Spain's vibrant capital. Its siren call of botanical beauty and serene landscapes had us practically skipping to its gates, eager to immerse ourselves in its famed flora. Alas, upon arrival, our green-fingered dreams were momentarily pruned by the sight of a queue snaking its way around the garden's entrance, a testament to its popularity but a hurdle to our plans. The wait? A daunting 45 minutes, a period in which we could almost feel the plants grow but sadly, saw our schedule wilt. In a city brimming with sights, sounds, and tapas begging to be explored, we made the difficult decision to let the Real Jardín Botánico remain a mystery for a little longer, a leaf unturned in our Madrid story. It was a reminder that even the best-laid plans can encounter unexpected frost. However, let it not be said that we give up easily! The seed has been planted, and our resolve to visit these lush gardens has only been fertilized by our brief encounter. Next time, we plan to arm ourselves with advance tickets, hopeful for a fast-track option that will whisk us past the queues and straight into the heart of this botanical haven. So, to fellow travellers with a penchant for nature's wonders, consider this a tip as golden as autumn leaves in the sun: book ahead and aim for that quicker access. The Real Jardín Botánico remains on our wishlist, a verdant vision awaiting our return. Madrid, we shall be back, and your botanical treasure will be first on our list, queue or no queue!

After a visit to the Prado Museum we saw another long queue at the garden entrance and as avid gardeners we thought it might be worth seeing. As seniors we paid one euro each admission which turned out to be lucky for us oldies but no so good for those paying the normal charge of 4 euros. After viewing some spectacular displays of tulips, daffodils, irises and peonies, all of which were a short distance from the entrance, we ventured further into the garden, which was very large and the general standard of display and the condition of the plants deteriorated markedly. The English Box hedges bordering the garden beds were in really bad shape probably still suffering after summer and many appeared to be ravaged by disease. Many beds were empty or invaded by weeds. If this garden is to flourish then it needs some urgent action. Such a shame it has come to this.

As another reviewer noted it’s a beautiful layout and location. However once the tulips die there will be very little to see. Only about 5% of the gardens are actually planted with flowers which are by the entrance way. Not worth 4 euros but we paid an extra 2 euros to see the botanical art display which was surprising good. We learnt a lot about early women botanists and their drawings. That part was done very well.

This garden is so beautiful. We visited when the tulips were about spent, the irises were in full bloom and the roses were budding. The garden is planned so that something is usually in bloom, so there's always something beautiful. We visited on a Monday and the garden was almost empty aside from a couple of student groups. The garden located next to the South entrance of the Prado. Admission is very reasonable and for people over 65, admission to the garden only is one euro. If you want to enter the pavilion or a special exhibit, the admission is 3 euros. There are benches around the gardens for sitting and admiring the beauty.

The garden is lovely, it looks well take care of, and we saw a lot of people working in it. Nice place when the heat is getting on your nerves. The perfume is subtil but present, the flowers are very nice and they have a section for herbal spices.

This was a lovely stroll after dinner, while we were still near the Prado. It was well worth the few a euros we paid to enter. We were able to walk almost all of the garden in about 45 min. (Be aware that they close at 9pm and will chase you out starting at 8:45!)

Located just across the Prado Museum, this botanical garden is unfortunately under the shadow of famous El Retiro Park but, especially with its niche areas like the bonsai section, it's much more interesting for flora enthousiasts. It's not too big, so it doesn't require too much time to visit. The greenhouse and the pond nearby the bonsai sections are definitely not to be missed. There is also a boutique and a small coffee shop inside this botanical garden. Once you finish visiting the Prado, on the way out, I definitely recommend a visit to this nice cozy garden.

Entrance Fee is under 5 euros per person. Overall, the gardens is very beautiful and peaceful. Gardens is very large, with many different plants and trees. They have a few green houses with different plants and cactuses. They have an outdoor bonsai section. There is also a small pond with frogs. I was only able to see half the span of the gardens, I was there for about 2-3 hours.

The bonsai exhibit is fascinating and features many centenarians! The greenhouse was also very beautiful and magic, although very very hot. Some of the areas were a little underwelming, but I guess it depends on which time of the year you visit. Overall very good and students get in for 1€!