Vaciamadrid: Holiday apartments between lagoons, culture and urban art

Part of the municipality of Rivas-Vaciamadrid lies within the protected Parque Regional del Sureste. The park encompasses cliffs, river floodplains and lagoons; these habitats are home to a species-rich animal population and, in particular, a diverse birdlife.

Nature and trails

The Parque Regional del Sureste can be reached by metro, including via the Rivas Vaciamadrid station. The Paseo por el Soto de Las Juntas trail runs parallel to the Jarama and Manzanares rivers and offers birdwatching opportunities at the surrounding lagoons.

Around the El Campillo lagoon, Un paseo por El Campillo, el Agua, a peaceful walk of more than 5 km, runs below the cliffs of Rivas. An accessible version of the same trail is 1.2 km long, runs along the southern shore of El Campillo lagoon and is located near the environmental education centre.

The section of the Parque Regional del Sureste in Rivas includes the protected wetlands Laguna del Campillo and Laguna de Soto de las Juntas; both are listed in the catalogue of protected wetlands of the Comunidad de Madrid. The Senda botánica de Mazalmadrit passes through various ecosystems. The Camino de El Espartal focuses on the vegetation and fauna of this distinctive geomorphology, as well as the landscape forms altered by human activities throughout history.

A linear trail of just over 12 km leads to the cliffs of El Piul, a natural viewpoint over the Vega of the Jarama River and the lagoons of El Campillo and Velilla. The different trail lengths and themes make it possible to compare the nature activities as different day plans.

History and culture

The Yacimiento Carpetano Miralrío preserves a settlement from the 2nd Iron Age that can be visited and is dated to the period between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC. The site can be visited by prior appointment; groups comprise 8 to 20 people. On display are covered foundation remains and a life-size reconstruction of a Carpetanian hearth.

On the guided circular trail to the trenches of the Battle of the Jarama in Rivas, visitors can explore fortifications, observation posts, trenches and breastworks from the events of the war in February 1937. The circular trail is a 3 km walk through an area of high historical and cultural value.

Urban art, festivals and activities

Most of the urban art works in Rivas were created as part of the Concurso de Arte Urbano, which takes place every September as part of the Festival de Cultura en la Calle. The urban art cycling routes are divided into two circuits: a western route runs mainly through La Luna and Covibar, while an eastern and central route starts at the Casco Antiguo.

The Auditorio Miguel Ríos is an amphitheatre built into a hillside for musical and theatrical events. Large concerts take place there during the Fiestas de Rivas; there are also association stalls and orchestras there, as well as children's shows and communal traditional meals in the Casco Antiguo.

The Rocódromo in Rivas has a large bouldering area approximately 4 m high, as well as a 12 m-high tower with 15 routes for rope climbing.

Environment and local produce

The Centro de Recursos Ambientales Chico Mendes offers environmental education and information activities, courses and programmes for schools and the residents of Rivas. Guided group visits may include exhibitions, an organic garden and community composters; depending on the group and availability, a workshop or an additional activity may also be possible.

The Parque Agroecológico del Soto del Grillo enables the direct sale of its produce through a local producers' market and the Producto Fresco del Soto del Grillo brand. The Soto del Grillo also hosts open garden days and the annual Fiesta de Agroecología at the Chico Mendes environmental centre.

More location pages: San Sebastián De Los Reyes, Ciempozuelos, Algete, Serranillos del Valle, Olmeda De Las Fuentes, Rascafría, Coslada and Villalbilla.

Viewpoints

The Torre Mirador in the Parque Lineal is currently temporarily closed. The observation tower is 23 m high overall, has 129 steps and offers a 360-degree view from the top over large parts of the city, the surrounding area of Morata and the Sierra to the north of Madrid.

Parque Bellavista features a ziggurat viewpoint for watching the evening twilight, as well as cascades, a pond and ornamental fountains.

For the overarching travel overview: Madrid.