Formerly a small town, Barajas is nowadays one of Madrid’s 21 districts. It is divided into five neighbourhoods – Aeropuerto, Alameda de Osuna, Casco Histórico de Barajas, Corralejos and Timón.
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Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport
Photo by dalbera via Visualhunt
Despite being located 13 km to the northeast of the city centre, Barajas is a very important district – it is home to Madrid’s main airport. One of the two largest airports in Europe (the other being Charles de Gualle in Paris), it plays an essential role in connecting the Iberian Peninsula to the rest of the world. For this reason, the district of Barajas has a rich offer of services, such as restaurants and hotels, as well as plenty of commercial establishments.
Related article: Madrid airport: Find your way around
What to see in Barajas
El Capricho Park – Located in the Alameda de Osuna barrio, this is one of the most beautiful parks in Madrid. A 14-hectare garden, it is open to the public on weekends, from 9 AM to 9 PM. It is divided into three parts, each one inspired by a different country – a French garden, a typical English landscape and an Italian giardino, each one with its unique beauty and wonders.
Amongst the tranquility of its trees, though, this park keeps a relic of more troubled times. It is home to the former headquarters of the Republican Army of the Central Region – a 2000 m2 bunker built in 1937, during the Spanish Civil War.
Related article: Seven parks you should visit in Madrid
Photo by El Gran Toñeti via Visualhunt
Juan Carlos I Park (Campo de las Naciones) – Inaugurated in 1992, this is one of Madrid’s main parks, with an extension of 160 hectares that include a lake, a river, olive groves, a garden and an auditorium. With its lush green scenery, and decorated with 19 modern sculptures, it has a lot to look at, but also plenty of things to do, with activities for the whole family – including a free bicycle service.
Castle of La Alameda – Erected in the 15th century, when Alameda de Osuna was still a village, this is a pretty small castle, with an interior surface of only 200 m2. Originally serving as an important fortress in the Middle Ages, it was later used as a luxury residence by the Barajas Count. Nowadays, this important historical and archaeological site is preserved by the Madrid municipality in a state of semi-ruin.
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