Happy TravellerWelcome to Rivas-Vaciamadrid, a vibrant city located just 15 km from central Madrid, to the south-east. This city is the 15th most populated city in the Community of Madrid, Spain. Rivas-Vaciamadrid is bordered to the north by Madrid and San Fernando de Henares, to the south by Arganda del Rey and San Martín de la Vega, to the east by Mejorada del Campo and Velilla de San Antonio, and to the west by Getafe and Madrid (the district of Villa de Vallecas.)
Rivas-Vaciamadrid is a city that has been one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Spain in recent years, growing from 500 inhabitants in the 1980s to its current figure of 84,000. It is also the most populated city in Spain governed by United Left. The city has a rich history, and it was devastated during the Spanish civil war and had to be rebuilt in the post-civil war period. In 1954 the name was changed to its current title. At the end of the 1980s, the area was designated as a future nucleus for new urbanisation projects under a project titled Rivas-Urbanizaciones (Rivas-Urbanisations). The first developments were those in the current districts of Pablo Iglesias and Covibar.
Rivas-Vaciamadrid is a city that is known for its natural beauty. In the southern part of the municipality, the Manzanares river flows into the Jarama, which is part of the Lower Manzanares and Jarama Rivers Regional Park. Almost three quarters of the municipality form part of the park, making it an important ecological centre with numerous lakes and various species of wildlife and fauna. The park is a great place to go for a walk, hike, or bike ride. The city also has three teams playing at the top level in their respective sports, Rivas Osos in American football since 2000; Rivas Ecópolis plays in the women’s basketball top division, the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto and Dridma Rivas Softball club plays in the Liga Nacional Sófbol Femenino División de Honor, the highest division of softball in Spain.
Rivas-Vaciamadrid is a city that is easy to get to. The main road serving Rivas-Vaciamadrid is the A-3 motorway, that connects Madrid with Valencia. The exits to Rivas-Vaciamadrid are numbers 12 (West), 15 (Centre) and 17 (East). The main public transport in Rivas-Vaciamadrid is the bus. There are four lines connecting with Madrid and three connecting with other municipalities. Moreover, the Madrid Metro line 9 crosses the city on its way between Madrid and Arganda del Rey, serving Rivas-Vaciamadrid with three stations: Rivas-Urbanizaciones in the west, Rivas Futura in the centre and Rivas-Vaciamadrid in the east.
Rivas-Vaciamadrid is a city that loves to celebrate. The main festivals are the festival of Romería del Cristo de Rivas (29 September), San Isidro (15 May), the popular festivals of Rivas-Urbanizaciones (second weekend of September) and the festivals of the Urbanisation La Partija on the 15 June.
Rivas-Vaciamadrid is a city that values education. Locally there are 15 kindergartens (6 public and 9 private), 14 public primary education schools, 5 secondary education institutions and two private schools. Rivas-Vaciamadrid municipality has the fourth lowest rate of population in risk of poverty, among municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants.
Come and visit Rivas-Vaciamadrid, a city that has something for everyone. Whether you are interested in history, nature, sports, or just want to have a good time, Rivas-Vaciamadrid is the perfect destination for you.
