El Pardo Tourist Area

In the Fuencarral-El Pardo district, this Madrid neighbourhood, which is located 15 kilometres from the city centre  and was an independent village until 1950, is surrounded by Mount El Pardo, the most important Mediterranean woodland in the Community of Madrid and one of the best preserved in Europe.  It is a place to discover and enjoy nature, its monuments and its game-related gastronomy.

A little history

The history of this area officially dates back to 1405 when King Henry III of Castile ordered the construction of the first hunting lodge in the middle of Mount El Pardo. Later, this first Royal Residence was replaced with a palace by King Charles I in 1547; and in 1746, King Ferdinand VI built a fence with a diameter of 66 kilometres to fence off the park, which belonged to the Royal Household.

It then became the residence of the court from January to March, between Epiphany and Palm Sunday.  At the end of the Civil War and until 1975, it was the official residence of General Francisco Franco, and it is now one of the Royal Sites run by National Heritage.

All of the palaces located in El Pardo are available to the royal family and are run by National Heritage.  Therefore, Zarzuela Palace (15 kilometres from the village) is the official residence of the royal family, whilst the Royal Palace of El Pardo is a museum and has been the residence of foreign Heads of State on their visits to Spain since 1983. Other palaces, such as the Quinta del Duque del Arco or the Prince’s House are currently being refurbished.

Places of Interest

El Pardo offers visitors many tourism alternatives, starting with Monte El Pardo (access via M-605 -Madrid-El Pardo- and by road M 612 -Fuencarral-El Pardo-. Bus Routes 601 and 602). Spanning an area of 15,821 hectares, it is an important ecological and biological reserve in the form of a typical Mediterranean holm oak forest, of which 1,000 hectares are accessible between the urban centre of the Royal Site and the extreme south, with parking areas, ecological trails, viewing points and duly signposted leisure areas.

It can be visited via  two interesting circular routes: Valpalomero (spanning 4,755 metres with an inclination of 35 metres) and Peñarrubia (spanning 4,599 metros with an inclination of 75 metres).

The Royal Palace of El Pardo stands out in the village, where foreign heads of state visiting Spain have been staying since 1983 (the official residence of the King and Queen of Spain is Zarzuela Palace, within Mount El Pardo, 15 kilometres from the village). In addition to its great architectural beauty, this palatial building is characterised by its interior decoration. The tapestries also stand out, which are based on the compositions of artists such as Bayeu or Goya. This palace also conserves furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as important paintings.

Adjacent to the palace of this Royal Site is the House of Prince Charles. In a Neo-classic style, this house built by Villanueva during the reign of Charles III for the Prince and Princess of Asturias, Charles and Maria Luisa, to stay during the party and vacation periods. Its interior is unique, as it preserves the original 18th century decoration, based mainly on silk, fabric or embroidered drapery, which formed part of its furniture, and paintings by Jordán, Mengs and Bayeu. The space is open to the public with visits available from Tuesday to Sunday in organised groups of a maximum of eight people.

The Franciscan Convent of Christ or Convent of the Capuchin Fathers, better known as the Christ of El Pardo because it houses the valuable Baroque sculpture from the early 17th century, carved in polychrome wood by Gregorio Fernández, is located 1.3 km inland from Mount El Pardo. It was founded at the beginning of the 17th century and has been run by the Order of Young Capuchin Friars ever since. Currently, in addition to having a Capuchin fraternity, it is a House of Spirituality and is the headquarters of the School of Franciscan Studies (ESEF). The convent stands out mainly for its painting and sculpture, the interior of which boasts a canvas by Francisco Rizi, one of his most important artistic pieces.

On the outskirts of the village (7 km in the Madrid direction), the Quinta del Duque del Arco or Quinta de El Pardo is the former residence of the Duke and Duchess of Arco and was later gifted to the royal family. Its gardens were created by order of the Duke of Arco between 1726 and 1737 and are the finest example of late Baroque formal design in Spain. It was declared an “artistic garden” in 1935 and a giant sequoia tree stands out at the entrance. Entrance to the gardens is free although the fountains are only in operation on Saturday and Sunday mornings (the palace is not open to visitors).

Eating and Drinking

The main gastronomy of the El Pardo area is based on game. It is very common for restaurants to offer traditional dishes made with meat from deer, wild boar, wild rabbit and poultry such as quail or partridge.

The elegant and rustic Filandón restaurant is on the road between El Pardo and Fuencarral, with spacious dining rooms, terraces and a quality cuisine specialising in grilled dishes. Its menu is simple and varied, featuring fish and seafood, grilled meats and a wine list at affordable prices. It is set in more than 7,000 m² of green spaces, perfect for families as children can play in the garden and on the swings before or after the meal.

Other options? Moscatel (Avenida de la Guardia, 21), opened in 2023, is located in a former convent in El Pardo. It offers a unique experience that combines the rich history of its location with a modern gastronomic proposal with dishes based on Mediterranean cuisine. Its menu features grilled rice dishes (monkfish tail and seafood, squid and elver, garden vegetables) as well as meat (beef tenderloin, suckling lamb chops) and fish prepared on an olive wood grill. Don't miss the Russian salad with red tuna belly, which was named the second best in Madrid in the competition organised by ACYRE Madrid in 2023.

If you are looking for cuisine prepared with love and passion, along with quality, fresh and well-selected ingredients, visit Asador La Montaña (Avenida de la Guardia, S/N), which has been in business for over 30 years. Innovation and tradition go hand in hand in its typically Castilian cuisine where dishes such as roast suckling pig, wood-roasted shoulder of suckling lamb, scorpion fish mousse, hake neck and grilled veal from Ávila stand out. The menu of the day is well worth a try, as it is extremely varied at an affordable price.

To experience unique gastronomy in the heart of nature, San Francisco Restaurant (Carretera Cristo del Pardo, s/n) boasts a spacious garden and different terraces. Its speciality is rice dishes, including lobster or venison and boletus rice broth, and its classics are lobster salad, monkfish and prawns, peppers stuffed with cod and leek pie.
Its meat dishes: suckling lamb chops or shoulder, beef or deer sirloin steak, premium beef cutlet, deer ragout or sirloin cachopo are also worth trying.

Where to Sleep

To make the most of your visit, stay at one of the hotels close to the El Pardo area. A good option is the Eurostars Monte Real (7 kilometres from the Royal Palace of El Pardo), located in a unique setting in the north-west of the city, which is perfect for disconnecting from daily life.

Exe Zarzuela Park hotel (approximately 10 kilometres from the Royal Palace of El Pardo) is another option in a quiet location surrounded by beautiful gardens. Mount El Pardo is located nearby. In the Valdemarín area, Aravaca Village Hotel & Market is an exclusive complex located approximately 11 kilometres from the Royal Palace of El Pardo.

Image Credits: © National Heritage