The Christmas light trail people call “the botanical garden lights” is Naturaleza Encendida, and for 2026-27 it is not at the garden next to the Prado. It runs at the Real Jardín Botánico Alfonso XIII, the Complutense University garden in Ciudad Universitaria, and metro line 6 gets you there. The walk takes about 45 minutes and entry slots open every 15 minutes. It opens from 24 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, and it is closed on 14, 15, 24 and 31 December.
Where are Madrid’s botanical garden Christmas lights in 2026? Naturaleza Encendida 2026-27 is at the Real Jardín Botánico Alfonso XIII in Ciudad Universitaria, almost 5 km from the Royal Botanical Garden by the Prado Museum. The route takes 45 minutes, with timed entry every 15 minutes, and it runs from 24 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, except 14, 15, 24 and 31 December.
The CSIC garden by the Prado has no light trail at all: it is a daytime garden that shuts at 6pm in December. Book the slot first and plan the rest of the evening around it.
Is it worth it on a short trip?
If you have three or four nights in Madrid, the free street lights come first: last season they came on every evening at 6pm, need no ticket and are on your way to dinner, as set out in the Christmas lights walking route. The botanical trail is worth adding if you want a set route away from the centre, if you travel with children who like a set route with things to look at, or if you are staying near Moncloa or Argüelles. It is less worth it if your nights are short: it takes the evening, with the metro ride, the slot and the walk.
If you go, the evening runs in four steps:
- Book a slot online, and skip the four December nights when the trail is closed.
- Take metro line 6 to Ciudad Universitaria, then walk 4 to 5 minutes.
- Walk the trail, about 45 minutes.
- Head back on line 6, or on night bus N20 if it is late.
Rain, pushchairs and wheelchairs
The trail goes ahead in the rain and is only cancelled if the weather makes the show impossible or the authorities order it, so bring a waterproof. Pushchairs can do the route but there is nowhere to leave them, and it is wheelchair accessible, though no wheelchairs are lent. There are strobe lights, worth knowing for anyone photosensitive. On a wet day, the indoor options are in what to do in Madrid when it rains, and the rest of the season in Christmas in Madrid.
Getting there and back
Take metro line 6 to Ciudad Universitaria, then walk 4 to 5 minutes. Buses 82, 132, F, G and U stop at Avenida Complutense-Jardín Botánico, about 3 minutes away, and night bus N20 uses the same stop. There is no public car park. A single ticket covers one metro ride, as explained in Madrid metro ticket prices, and the metro closes at 1:30am, as the metro closing time and night buses explains. In Madrid dinner starts around 9pm, so an early slot fits before it. Keep your phone and wallet zipped on the crowded metro back.
Two gardens with almost the same name
The Royal Botanical Garden on Plaza de Murillo is run by the CSIC, and the CSIC closes it at 6pm in December, with general entry at €4; its prices and hours are in the Royal Botanical Garden tickets. Give a taxi driver or a map app the full name, Real Jardín Botánico Alfonso XIII, Avenida Complutense, or you may end up at the wrong gate.
Tickets and timing
There are two kinds of ticket:
- General: a fixed 15-minute entry slot, no fast track, priced by age.
- Premium: a 1-hour window with fast-track entry and one price for all ages. If an adult buys premium, the children in the group need premium too.
Everyone needs a ticket, babies included: under-3s have their own rate, bought with an adult ticket and checked at the gate, and children aged 4 to 14 pay the child rate. Prices show when you pick a date and slot on the official sale. Arrive 15 minutes before your slot, per Naturaleza Encendida’s own guidance; the gate closes 15 minutes after the last entry of the night.
Botanical garden Christmas lights FAQ
Do babies need a ticket for Naturaleza Encendida?
Yes. Everyone needs a ticket. Under-3s have their own rate, bought together with an adult ticket and checked at the gate, and children aged 4 to 14 pay the child rate.
How do I get to the botanical garden light trail?
Take metro line 6 to Ciudad Universitaria, 4 to 5 minutes on foot, or buses 82, 132, F, G or U to Avenida Complutense-Jardín Botánico. Night bus N20 serves the same stop, and there is no public car park.
When are the botanical garden Christmas lights in Madrid?
The walk at the Real Jardín Botánico Alfonso XIII takes about 45 minutes, with entry slots every 15 minutes. Naturaleza Encendida opens every night from 24 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, except 14, 15, 24 and 31 December.
Where are the Christmas lights at Madrid’s botanical garden?
At the Real Jardín Botánico Alfonso XIII, the Complutense University garden in Ciudad Universitaria, not at the Royal Botanical Garden next to the Prado Museum. The two are almost 5 km apart.
Check the garden’s full name before you book: the lights are at Alfonso XIII, not by the Prado.