Explore Leganés through two distinct highlights: sacred and modern sculpture, and green spaces offering nature education and leisure activities. When planning your visit, established cultural venues provide different points of reference from programs that change with each edition. Routes also differ in length, format and endpoints—useful details when tailoring your stay to your interests.
Church and Sculpture
The Iglesia parroquial de San Salvador is a notable example of 16th- and 17th-century architecture in Madrid. It is protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the Monument category. The church has twelve altarpieces, including works by the Madrid architect and altarpiece artist José Benito de Churriguera. An organ built in the 18th century has also been preserved there. The church thus brings together several aspects of architectural and art history in one place.
The Museo de Escultura de Leganés offers a different artistic focus and is considered a reference point for avant-garde sculpture. It covers about 27,000 square meters, and its collection includes works by leading 20th-century artists. Activities for adults and children are organized around the museum. Public transport connections include bus routes 450, 468 and 481, as well as Casa del Reloj metro station on lines L1 and L12. As transport connections may change, it is worth checking the current route before you travel.
Green Spaces, Water and Nature Education
Parque Forestal Polvoranca covers 153 hectares and is located within the municipality of Leganés. Laguna de Maripascuala, within the park, covers about nine hectares. Sports and leisure activities such as fishing, rowing and canoeing take place there. Check local conditions for these activities. Fishing is possible at Lago Butarque; check local conditions before fishing there, too.
Parque de Polvoranca is considered a nature education area, with more than 400 plant species and diverse wildlife, particularly bird species. The park is also home to the historic ruins of the settlement of Polvoranca. The Centro de Educación Ambiental Polvoranca features the community garden and rock garden in its educational program. It also runs free, supervised activities for families and other user groups. Alongside the landscape and wildlife, nature education and the gardens are therefore key areas of focus.
Routes and Active Activities
Cyclists can ride the Bicisenda from Polvoranca to the Bosquesur areas in Leganés. Two Arco-Verde routes differ considerably in length and format: the linear RC5 is 6.363 kilometers long and connects La Serna commuter rail station in Fuenlabrada with San Nicasio metro station in Leganés. It passes through Bosquesur and Polvoranca. RC6 is a 3.299-kilometer round-trip route connecting Ronda Oeste in Leganés with Alcorcón via Parque de Las Presillas.
This comparison therefore involves more than different distances: RC5 is the longer, linear connection between two stations, while RC6 is shorter and described as a round-trip route. Which format best suits your plans depends on whether you prefer the connection between the named endpoints or the described loop route. Route conditions and access may change, so check current conditions before setting out on foot or by bike.
Events and Choosing Where to Stay
The program for the 2025 Fiestas de San Nicasio combined music and children’s activities with religious events honoring the city’s patron saint, San Nicasio. The 2025 program for the patronal Fiestas de Butarque included more than a hundred activities organized by local peñas, as well as fairground rides. Activities vary with each edition, so if you plan to attend a fiesta, check the dates for your travel period.
When looking for hotels in Leganés, it helps to set a clear priority: would you like your stay to focus more on the church and sculpture heritage, or on parks, the lagoon and routes?
Discover more destinations: Canencia, Nuevo Baztán, Griñón, Carabaña, Vaciamadrid, Valdelaguna, Arganda Del Rey, Ciempozuelos.
For the broader travel overview: Madrid.
