Europe is full of sustainable destinations, whether it’s places with fantastic public transport, or just ones with loads and loads of green space. But this European capital has just been named the most tree-friendly city, and not for the first time.
Madrid’s trees have just received international recognition for the fifth year in a row by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. It’s won the prestigious title of ‘Tree City of the World 2023’ thanks not just to its trees, but also its green areas.
The Spanish capital’s win proves the city met five standards of commitment to greenery in urban spaces including maintaining a structure dedicated to tree management, having an updated census or inventory, allocating financial resources, establishing legislation and regulations for its care and organising actions to promote environmental awareness.
Between 2019 and 2023, 210,000 new trees have been planted across the city, and Madrid’s council is committed to planting 500,000 more in the coming years. It’s the only Spanish city that has maintained its Tree City status for five years in a row.
The best parks and gardens in Madrid
El Retiro, Casa de Campo, Parque del Oeste, Madrid Río, Parque Juan Carlos I and El Capricho are just some of the glorious parks and gardens dotted across Madrid.
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