[2025 Aranjuez Attraction] Travel Guide for The Royal Palace of Aranjuez (Updated May)

For centuries, the kings and queens of Spain have chosen to spend the spring months in the Palace of Aranjuez, situated in a low-lying meadow formed by the confluence of the Tagus and Jarama Rivers. Thanks to its vast, stunning gardens, Aranjuez was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in December 2001. In 1561, Philip II, echoing a previous plan drafted by his father emperor Charles V, ordered the old Aranjuez residence to be replaced with a new building which was the precursor of the present Royal Palace. In 1715, Philip V continued with the construction and built the entire structure that presently makes up the main body of the palace. Between 1660 and 1665, it was affected by serious fires and Fernando VI undertook its reconstruction. During the reign of Charles III two side wings, which make up the western part of the building, were added, thus reflecting the taste for French things at the time. Its decor combines Rococo, Elizabethan, Chinese and Moorish motifs. Its restoration was completed last year after ten years of building works. The Spanish royal family's favor for the region has led to the development of many traditional industries, such as wine estates. By order of His Majesty Charles III, on June 11, 1782, the construction of Carlos III winery, known as the Real Cortijo, began. Designed by Marquet, royal architect, and built by D. Manuel Serrano. The wine press will have 900 m² in a neoclassical vaulted nave and the underground winery will have a surface area of 2,500 m², and will run for almost half a kilometer under the town of Real Cortijo de San Isidro. Carlos III winery is open to the public and you can learn the art of wine tasting from the hands of the winemakers in a pleasant and fun atmosphere.