The 130 ha Retiro Park is today a green space where you can breathe in the heart of the capital, scattered with thick clumps of trees, like La Chopera in the south. You can row on the (artificial) lake under the indifferent gaze of King Alfonso XI, or join the locals running along the pathways. The more romantic may prefer to court their sweetheart beside the grotto and the water, around the graceful Crystal Palace, a setting for modern art exhibitions.