Botanical Nights – The Alfonso XIII Royal Botanical Gardens
06/23/2020
An eclectic festival featuring live music performances which, thanks to its stunning setting, offers an excellent musical programme in an intimate atmosphere.
Summer festivals in Spain
Among the many popular activities that take place in Spain every summer, there is an extraordinary number of music festivals across the country, such as the electronic and urban Sonar Festival in Barcelona, the world-famous FIB (Benicàssim International Festival) in Valencia, and the Azneka Rock Festival in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque Country). But of all the venues, perhaps the one offering the greatest variety of high-profile events is Madrid, which hosts the Mad Cool Festival (early to mid-July), A Summer Story (late June) and Noches del Botánico, which is celebrating its fourth edition this year.
A fascinating blend of an open-air venue with a cosy atmosphere, featuring everything from folk to flamenco, samba, rock, electronic music and jazz.
The venue for the Noches del Botánico festival is the Alfonso XIII Royal Botanical Garden, located on the campus of the Complutense University of Madrid. The campus is situated in the north-west of the capital, near the Moncloa Palace, the official residence of the Prime Minister of Spain. This year, the festival will take place between 20 June and 31 June, featuring a varied line-up of national and international artists. It offers all music lovers the chance not only to see their favourite artists perform live but also to discover new talent in an idyllic setting, just a few metro stops from the centre of Madrid.
Highlights of the 2019 edition
Since the first acts were announced, over 40,000 tickets have already been sold. A new feature of this year’s festival is that it will run for 31 nights – two more than in 2018. Woody Allen, Keane, Andrés Calamaro and Loreena McKennitt (who has already announced a second date) are among the artists whose shows have sold out. Some of the artists completing this year’s line-up include, amongst others, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Dead Capo, Tank and The Bangas, Juanes, Monsieur Periné, Niña Pastori, LP, Charlie Winston, Pink Martini and O Sister!
Alfonso XIII Royal Botanical Gardens
The Alfonso XIII Royal Botanical Garden at the Complutense University covers an area of over 6,000 m², where more than 800 different species of plants and shrubs are arranged in a circular layout that provides the perfect conditions for an urban summer festival: open space, fresh air, excellent links to the city’s transport network and, best of all, no neighbours. The covered stage with outdoor seating on slatted platforms occupies the centre of the grounds, whilst toilets, first aid and other facilities are nearby. Given that summer nights in Madrid can be very hot, Noches del Botánico has grown in popularity because it not only offers a music programme but also provides a wide variety of food and a design market featuring fashion items, jewellery and other goods. Perfectly connected and accessible, the venue has all the necessary ingredients (nature, fresh air, a starry sky, a magical and exclusive setting) to enjoy the best artistic programme on Madrid’s summer nights.
A City within a City
The Complutense University of Madrid is one of the oldest universities in the world, dating back to the 13th century. It is the successor to the former University of Alcalá de Henares. Its current location dates back to 1927, when a Royal Decree issued by King Alfonso XIII gave the go-ahead for the project to create a modern university campus for Madrid, situated on the Moncloa site. An area of parks and green spaces with individual faculty buildings, at the heart of which lies the Alfonso XIII Royal Botanical Garden, situated between the faculties of Pharmacy, Information Science and Botany. With a student population of approximately 90,000, the Complutense is Spain’s leading university.
Practical information
Accommodation
For anyone visiting Madrid during the Noches del Botánico, we recommend booking well in advance at The Principal Madrid or Hotel Único Madrid. Both hotels are located in an area with excellent transport links, making it easy to reach the Alfonso XIII Royal Botanical Garden. The Principal Madrid, situated at the start of Madrid’s Gran Vía —Marqués de Valdeiglesias, 1—, is an excellent choice for anyone wishing to make the most of the capital’s city centre. Hotel Único Madrid, on the other hand, is ideal for visitors seeking a peaceful stay with understated luxury that is, nevertheless, within everyone’s reach.
How to get there
As the Royal Botanical Gardens are part of the University, transport links to the city are excellent. The Ciudad Universitaria underground station (Line 6) is just a few metres from the site. The area is also served by bus routes 82, 132, F, G, U and N20. For those who prefer to travel by car, the grounds also have private parking and a cycle path leading directly to the main entrance.
Opening hours
The timetable varies depending on the artist, so we recommend you take a look at the line-up for Noches del Botánico 2019, which you can find on the website.
Tickets
The best place to buy tickets is the official Noches del Botánico website, where they are available from €40.
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