3 things to see in Rivas – Vaciamadrid

Although its proximity and excellent transport links with central Madrid have turned Rivas-Vaciamadrid into one of the most populated and important areas in southern Madrid, the town itself has plenty of attractions of its own. Its modern developments offer quality homes surrounded by green spaces, complemented by the natural parks around it, the charm of its historic centre and a huge variety of shops, leisure venues and restaurants. In short, it’s a fantastic place to live and we’d like you to get to know it through this post. We could tell you about so many things to see and do in Rivas, but we’ve picked three of its absolute must-see spots.

1. San Marcos Parish Church

This neoclassical church was built on the site of the original temple, which was built in 1623 and had to be demolished after a flood of the Manzanares river. Today it is one of the emblems of Rivas-Vaciamadrid and, together with the Town Hall building, one of the architectural icons of the town’s historic centre. If you’re in Rivas, you have to see the San Marcos parish church.

From the outside, what stands out is the slender bell tower above the stone and brick building, the three segmental arches of the atrium and the dome above the altar. Inside, with its single nave, you can admire the baptismal font preserved from the original church, the main altar and a multicoloured stained glass window dedicated to the holy children Justus and Pastor, patron saints of the Diocese of Alcalá, to which the parish belongs.

But perhaps the best reason to drop by San Marcos is its location, right in the old town of Rivas-Vaciamadrid, where the essence of village life is still preserved: the Sunday market, neighbours gathered in small groups for a chat and plenty of places to enjoy an aperitif. A welcoming, peaceful and cheerful setting where much of local life unfolds.

2. H2O Shopping Centre

In Rivas-Vaciamadrid you’ll find one of the largest shopping and leisure centres in the province, with over 50,000 square metres housing more than 70 shops, more than 20 restaurants and a cinema with 15 films showing.

It’s the perfect place for a plan that can last all day: a morning of shopping (wear comfy shoes, there’s a lot to look at), a stop at one of its restaurants (there’s something for every taste) and a brand-new film in a spectacular auditorium with a giant screen and that sound you can only hear at the cinema.

If you’re going with kids, you won’t only find places to buy them clothes, toys or sweets. The shopping centre has services like the LEGO FUN FACTORY themed play area, where they can give a thousand and one shapes to their imagination. On top of that, H2O is an incredible place to enjoy celebrations like Halloween, Christmas or even the Holi Fest, the famous multicoloured festival from India.

3. El Campillo Centre

Despite being so close to central Madrid, Rivas-Vaciamadrid is surrounded by protected natural areas. In one of them, the Southeast Regional Park, you’ll find the El Campillo Environmental Education Centre, named after the lagoon on which the building itself stands, a spectacular stilt house where you’ll literally walk over the water.

The centre offers exhibitions, educational activities open to any school that wants to take part, weekend activities and routes through the Southeast Park, which covers several municipalities and is set around the lower courses of the Manzanares and Jarama rivers. It’s a unique natural environment where water is the dominant element, present wherever you look.

A landscape like this is home to more than 120 bird species, which you can learn about at the centre itself, where you’ll find curiosities like an insect hotel and the chance to take part in essential and exciting actions such as setting up nest boxes.

As you can see, living in Rivas-Vaciamadrid means having all the best things about a city, being surrounded by nature and, when you need to, being able to reach central Madrid and its business districts in just a few minutes. And, although we’ve only given you a small taste, Rivas has so much more to see and do. Do you understand now why at Be Casa we chose this area for our first flexible accommodation?