New possibilities for tourism on the banks of the Manzanares River in Madrid

The section of central Spain, surrounding Madrid urban area, is characterised by long periods of drought with a consequential impact in the local rivers’ low water level. In the last century, the city expanded and changed the suburban rural environment, with special developments along the Rio Manzanares, the main river corridor flowing in the area. To date, the Madrid Río Project (2006–2011) is an urban intervention that has radically modified the banks of the Manzanares River, integrating the previous dominance of highway infrastructure with the effectual insertion of new sites for outdoor recreation and cultural events.