Photo spot in Madrid
Retiro — the Crystal Palace
A glass pavilion on a lake inside the city's big park, with light coming through the structure from every side.
About Retiro — the Crystal Palace
Get directionsBuilt for an 1887 exhibition and never taken down, the Palacio de Cristal is a glass-and-iron shell on the edge of a small lake, backed by bald cypresses that go copper in November.
Inside, the light is extraordinary and free — a whole room of it, diffused through glass, with no direction to fight. It suits family sessions where you cannot control where people stand. Outside, shoot from across the lake so the building and its reflection both fit.
The rest of the Retiro carries the session: the rose garden in May, the boating lake with the colonnade behind it, and long avenues of trimmed hedge that work at any hour.
Best time to shoot
Morning for empty interiors, late afternoon for the lake
Tips
Tripods and professional gear can draw a park-warden conversation. Hand-held keeps it simple.
Recent work in Madrid
Portfolio shots by photographers covering this area
Petra M.
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Leyre C.
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Eli M.
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Eli M.
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Santiago D.
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Eli M.
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Leyre C.
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Leyre C.
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Leyre C.
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Claudia C.
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Claudia C.
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Leyre C.
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Claudia C.
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Claudia C.
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Leyre C.
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Claudia C.
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Leyre C.
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Petra M.
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Santiago D.
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Eli M.
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Eli M.
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Petra M.
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Leyre C.
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Eli M.
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Petra M.
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Eli M.
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Claudia C.
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Leyre C.
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Claudia C.
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Leyre C.
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Petra M.
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Eli M.
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Eli M.
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Photographers who shoot at Retiro — the Crystal Palace
Hand-picked professionals working in Madrid
Real reviews from Madrid photoshoots
Orange D.
We traveled to Madrid to celebrate our anniversary and decided to book a photo session with Eli after seeing her couples photography. We immediately fell in love with her style, the way she captures colors, and the beautiful locations she…
Eli M.
Photographer
Amparo C.
We met Martino at my brother's wedding and, when it was my turn, I had no doubt at all: it had to be him. My husband doesn't like anything artificial or forced poses at all, and with Martino we knew from the very first moment that we'd be…
Martino B.
Photographer
Teresa P.
I was lucky enough to do both of my pregnancy sessions with Alejandro and I could not be happier with the result. The last one was during my pregnancy with León, in El Retiro Park, and it was a beautiful experience. Alejandro has a lot of…
Alejandro A.
Photographer
Other spots in Madrid
Templo de Debod at sunset
A 2,200-year-old Egyptian temple reflected in still water, with the whole western sky behind it — the proposal spot of the city.
Plaza Mayor and the lanes of La Latina
A closed arcaded square in warm ochre, and behind it the oldest streets in the city.
Jardines de Sabatini at blue hour
Clipped box parterres and a still pool under the north front of the Royal Palace, with the façade floodlit against a cobalt sky.
Círculo de Bellas Artes rooftop at sunset
An eighth-floor terrace over Calle de Alcalá: the Metrópolis dome below you, Gran Vía running west and the Guadarrama on the skyline.
Ready to book?
Our concierge team will hand-pick 2-3 photographers who know Retiro — the Crystal Palace — free of charge.
