Madrid has a beach!

Not so long ago there was a hit parade on the charts that went something like “Vaya, vaya, aquí no hay playa”, “there is no beach here (Madrid)“. Madrid being the capital of Spain has always had many attractions for tourism, but there was one thing that it could never have, a beach, given that it is in the centre of the country and far away from its many coasts. However, this has just changed as Madrid has recently managed to get its second beach!

I say second beach, because many years ago, back in the middle of the 20th century the council of Madrid worked on the Manzanares river and they set up a big area for swimming. This was known as the “playa de Madrid” or “Madrid beach”. For many years the working class who could not afford to drive for hours or take a train trip to the coast could enjoy a weekend splash with friends and family. However, the area fell in disuse and with no economic means to keep it open it just disappeared.

Last year the Madrid Council decided to bring the Madrid beach back to life, and last spring the dream became a reality. This time the area is a multi-use area with space for sports, walks, cycling and even a bar with its chairs and area for relaxation. This wonderful space is situated along the Manzanares river, and it is so long that can be accessed through many of the Metro stations of the Madrid network. Madrid Río as it is known has its main access point in the Parque de la Arganzuela, Metro Pirámides or getting the bus number 18 from Plaza Mayor.

Categories: General