Many times I meet people who have gone abroad because they "wanted to see spectacular places." I always answer them that for that we do not have to leave our country, that there are fascinating cities that we should all know, but that in Spain there are many places of great beauty and spectacularity. One of them is the Royal Palace of Aranjuez , an authentic architectural marvel that has nothing to envy to the great constructions that exist in the rest of the world.
It is in Aranjuez , less than 50 kilometers from Madrid , and it is quite impressive for many reasons. It has been a World Heritage Site for 10 years, and it is a palace full of halls and rooms that began to be built at the request of Felipe II in the year 1560. Those in charge of carrying out its construction were the same ones who made El Escorial. Fernando VI was the one who reigned when the construction was finished.
Inside, an amazing interior patio in which to walk and lose yourself for hours admiring every corner, or visit one of its four wings, each one more beautiful than the other. It also has an impressive Royal Garden , large staircases, very exquisite decoration and the Real Casa del Labrador . Among its decoration you can find paintings by Lucas Jordan or Brughel, tapestries and various invaluable objects that correspond to various eras. A full-blown antique museum.
If you want to visit the Royal Palace of Aranjuez , you should know that it has different schedules in the summer season and in the winter season. It always opens at 10 in the morning, but between October and March it closes at 5:15 p.m., while the rest of the months it is open for one more hour. It only closes on Mondays, so Sundays or holidays is a good day for you to visit if you live nearby or are going to be in the area spending a few days. Admission costs € 5 , a price that goes up if you want to visit the Real Casa del Labrador or enter one of the special rooms.