• Far side of the park from Feria de Madrid metro (L8), so plan on a long walk across the park or a borrowed bike
• Sand underfoot all around the ship, so expect shoes full of it on the way home
• Free extras nearby: the park lends bikes for an hour and runs a free 30-minute train loop

A big wooden pirate ship, with masts, rope rigging and an anchor painted on the bow, is the centerpiece of this play area inside Parque Juan Carlos I. Kids climb onto the deck and across the rope net, then come down a spiral slide or a straight one into the sand. It sits on the park's quieter east side, well away from the busy main entrance.