Meeting and welcome at the entrance of Madrid-Río Park.

Enrique Ibáñez González, director of Urbanmatters and ex-project manager of West 8 urban design & landscape architecture office, will meet the group at the entrance of the park located at Príncipe Pío Circle by the European flag. A short introduction about Madrid-Río will be given from this panoramic view to the park just before walking down where they will have a first contact with all the details of the overall project at Puente del Rey, Puerta del Rey and Explanada del Rey. We will pay special attention to the impact on the city: traffic, public space improvement, community/liveability etc. but also to the technical, social and political specifications of the process and realization of a park built on top of a tunnel.

Madrid Río bike tour.

We will start biking along the main landscape feature of the linear park, El Salón de Pinos (Pines Promenade). It is the linear corridor that connects every different landscape atmosphere of the park. Connected to its bike path we will first explore Huerta de La Partida (former royal orchards gate of Casa de Campo park), Avenida de Portugal (2 km pedestrian avenue over the highway to Portugal), Jardines del puente de Segovia, Puente Oblicuo, Puente de Andorra, Jardines del puente de Toledo and Puente de la Arganzuela before lunch.

Lunch break at Madrid Río Playa. (Madrid Río beach).

We will stop for lunch at the urban beach located at the biggest garden of Madrid Río, Parque de La Arganzuela. The group will have the time to take a little break, going to the toilet and share some reflections about the park.

Visit to Matadero.

Matadero is a former slaughterhouse in the Arganzuela district, which has been converted to one of the most important contemporary art centre in town. We will also explore the Pasarelas artísticas or Puentes Cáscara, designed by West 8. They are two of the the new slow traffic bridges that connect both sides of the river just in front of Matadero cultural center. From Parque de La Arganzuela we will bike at the other side of the river exploring the rest of Madrid Río heading our way back: Jardines Virgen del Puerto (former laundry area at the banks of the river)  the dams, and some other details not seen before.

Returning bikes at the rental bike shop.

END OF MADRID-RÍO TOUR.

Príncipe Pío Circle. Metro Príncipe Pío (L6, L10).