The best city hikes and walks in Casa De Campo

For me, crossing the Puente de Segovia is like taking a stroll through the 16th century. I love its sober design by Juan de Herrera, with those powerful granite blocks that have withstood everything. The views I have from here of the Royal Palace and the Almudena, especially when the lights come on at dusk, are spectacular. Furthermore, the Madrid Río area surrounding it, with its water jets and gardens, makes it perfect for walking. My favorite bridge in all of Madrid!

My favorite place to disconnect in Madrid

I love the solidity of this stone bridge. It's a corner of Madrid with a lot of history and postcard-perfect views that I never tire of photographing. For me, it's the best entrance to the center from the river. A Herrerian gem that you have to experience.

The Matadero Bridge is a pedestrian and bicycle bridge located in the Arganzuela district, spanning the Manzanares River, as part of the Madrid Río project. It connects the Matadero Madrid cultural center (the former municipal slaughterhouse) with Madrid Río Park, creating a direct link between the two spaces.

Beautiful view from the country house.

King Charles III commissioned Sabatini to build the Puerta de San Vicente in 1775, around the same time as the Puerta de Alcalá. However, the original structure has not survived to the present day, as it was dismantled in 1892 to make way for more traffic, and some of the stone blocks that made up the monument were used to build monumental lampposts in the Cibeles roundabout. The idea came from the municipal architect, López Salaberry, who also requested authorization to appraise and auction off the pillars that could not be reused. On several occasions, the desire to rebuild the Puerta de San Vicente was expressed. The attempt by the Queen Regent, Maria Cristina, stands out; she expressed her wish that the gate once again grace a prominent location in Madrid. Later, in 1962, the Madrid City Council carried out an initial cost estimate, but it wasn't until 1992 that its reconstruction was approved. The foundation stone of the new San Vicente Gate, an exact replica of Sabatini's original, was laid in 1994 in the Moncloa-Aravaca district. Composed of an arch and two posterns, the arch is adorned with two Doric columns on the exterior and two pilasters on the interior. For the replica, made of concrete clad in gray granite and limestone, the moldings from the upper cornices of the original gate, which were still preserved, were reused. Among the reproduced elements, the ornaments, the work of José Luis Parés Parra, stand out.

The oldest bridge in Madrid, which spanned the Manzanares River to the Segovia road, one of the main access routes to the capital, began construction in 1574, according to a decree by Philip II, and was overseen by the Master Builder of His Majesty, Gaspar de Vega, who drew up the plans and established the construction specifications. Upon the architect's death in 1577, with the bridge still at the foundation stage, Juan de Herrera took charge of the works, creating new designs. He altered the medieval plans and designed the first modern bridge: the road surface was made horizontal. The bridge consists of nine semicircular arches and is built with rusticated granite blocks. The bridge has undergone several repairs throughout its history, carried out by notable architects working for the city. Between 1935 and 1943, repairs were ordered by the Access and Suburbs Department, and after the Civil War, by the Public Works Department. On behalf of the project, engineer Vicente Olmos widened the bridge deck from 8.65 meters to 31 meters, effectively dividing the bridge in two and opening it up. For the channeling of the Manzanares River, the same engineer restored the original elevations between 1955 and 1960, unearthing pillars and adding new side entrances with their basins. Affected by the construction of the M-30 ring road in 1985, architects Pérez-Aciego and Quesada carried out remodeling work on the access points and sides. With the creation of Madrid Río, the entire area surrounding the bridge has been improved, adding fountains, ponds, and walkways in keeping with the aesthetics and new design of the area.

Tour of the Manzanares linear park.