I'll be traveling alone in Madrid for a week and would like to visit all the parks and green spaces, not just El Retiro and Parque de Oeste and Campo de Casa but there are many many others. I wonder if it's safe for a woman to visit these parks alone?

I like very much the Dehesa de la villa park, although I don't know what you're looking for exactly..
I think all the parks are safe during the day, and probably during the night also. They usually are dark and empty but normally people goes with nothing to rob also. You better ask to the people in the neighbourghood. Retiro park close during the night.

I'm very big on plants and flowers and horticulture in general. And I heard that jardines de Sabatini, Parque de Capricho, Jardines de Campo del Moro and Parque Juan Carlos 1 are really nice parks. Just wanted to check on the safety issues.

I think I've heard stories of muggings in nearly all the parks in Madrid but haven't heard many stories from the likely thousands of those who had no problems whatsoever.

Thing is, there is a "healthy" homeless and drug-addict population in Madrid and most of the major cities in Spain and these people tend to frequent the parks. I was around the Plaza de España & Templo de Debod at night last April and saw many (what I guessed were) homeless people in the bushes and/or they were "milling about". I was told by my escort these two locations were not considered especially safe places at night if alone.

As long as you see other "normal" people strolling around you're likely safe(r). Having said this, it's probably still not a good idea to carry a purse through the parks alone.

Anyone else, including Spaniards, have any opinions on this topic?

Saludos, MadridMan

I think that you have to go on morning from 10 am to 2 pm. On summer Madrid stops during the "siesta time" (from 2 pm to 8 pm),in that time you can sleep or to go an air conditioned places (cinemas, museums etc),
in that time streets,parks and gardens are empty.

Do not forget to visit the botanical garden near
Museo del Prado but Parque del Oeste and Casa de Campo are usually empty (they ara very large),you can see them from Plaza de Oriente.