Aranjuez, el Versalles castizo

Spring and autumn are two great times of year to visit Aranjuez in its charming Strawberry Train. However, summer is also a season that falls for the charm of this royal site, the old summer residence of the Bourbon family up until Queen Isabel II discovered the beaches in Northern Spain.

The Aranjuez Royal Palace is a must-see, one of the main gems of Spanish National Heritage that, up to a point, can be considered the Spanish Versailles. Its splendid gardens are one of the main similarities, open in summer from 8.00 a.m. until 9.30 p.m., an excellent option for enjoying the long sunsets with a climate mitigated by the humidity of the Tagus river.

Don’t forget to visit the palace itself and do a tour of its luxurious chambers, an excellent sample of Rococo style in the last few years as a royal residence. It houses surprises such as the Chinese Room or Porcelain Room and the Mirror Room. You can buy tickets here, which cost 9 euros for adults and have reductions for children, senior citizens, students, etc.

As well as these main monuments, we also recommend that you visit a place outside the tourist trail that is of great interest: the Museo de Falúas Reales. This house-museum dedicated to royal barges was built close to the dock of the Prince’s Garden, since the Tagus river used to have plenty of activity at that time, especially as a leisure activity for the royal family. Barges have a frame covered by a canopy and are the river equivalents of barouches, luxurious boats like the one owned by King Carlos IV, decorated with the coats of arms of all Spanish provinces carved into the waterline. You can admire the full collection of royal barges (the real ones, no miniatures) like the ones owned by Queen Isabel II, King Alfonso XII and the gondola of King Felipe V. It’s a great chance to discover the old and stress-free ways of life of the different generations of the Spanish royal family. 

Categories: Madrid Turismo