# A weekend in Aranjuez and Chinchón: gardens, river and square

One night in Aranjuez to see the palace, gardens and river unhurried, and on Sunday, half an hour away, the Plaza Mayor of Chinchón and its winery. 45 minutes from Madrid.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/community-of-madrid/aranjuez/itineraries/aranjuez-chinchon-weekend · Revisado: 2026-11-12

Dónde: Aranjuez

Aranjuez and Chinchón are half an hour from each other and 45 minutes from Madrid. Together they make the most comfortable weekend in the Community of Madrid: a Royal Site of gardens and river for Saturday and, on Sunday, the Plaza Mayor of Chinchón, a winery from 1870 and a wood-fired roast. It works without a car too: Cercanías to Aranjuez and bus 430 to Chinchón.

## Where to sleep

Sleep in Aranjuez, which has more hotels. The NH Collection Palacio de Aranjuez is opposite the palace and has parking; El Cocherón de 1919 is a small hotel in the old town with a family room; Samay Camping Aranjuez, beside the Tagus, has bungalows and pools for going with children. If you prefer to sleep in Chinchón, the Parador occupies a 15th-century monastery next to the Plaza Mayor.

## Getting around

By car, Aranjuez and Chinchón are linked in about 30 minutes. Without a car, the Cercanías C-3 takes you from Atocha to Aranjuez and La Veloz's line 430 links Aranjuez with Chinchón; from Chinchón you return to Madrid on the 337 to Conde de Casal. Check the Sunday timetables before you leave.

## El plan

### Saturday · 10:30 · Royal Palace with a guide
An hour through the Bourbon rooms. €17, €12 reduced; arrive ten minutes early.

### Saturday · 12:00 · Parterre and Jardín de la Isla
Philip II's Renaissance garden surrounded by the Tagus, with the Castañuelas waterfall. Free.

### Saturday · 14:00 · Lunch at Casa José
Cooking from the Aranjuez market gardens, on Calle Abastos.

### Saturday · 16:30 · Casa del Labrador
At the far end of the Jardín del Príncipe, guided, 50 minutes, €10. Allow 20 minutes on foot from the Calle de la Reina gate.

### Saturday · 18:00 · Boat on the Tagus
The Curiosity, 45 minutes under cover with a guide, from €9.99. Check the day's last departure on their website.

### Sunday · 10:30 · Chinchón: Plaza Mayor and the Goya church
Half an hour by road. The square of the 234 balconies and Goya's Assumption of the Virgin on the church altar.

### Sunday · 12:00 · Tasting at Bodega del Nero
An hour, two Madrid wines and Chinchón cheese, €15.

### Sunday · 14:00 · Roast at Mesón Cuevas del Vino
Lamb from the wood-fired oven and a visit to the caves. And back to Madrid in mid-afternoon.

## Un consejo más

The Casa del Labrador is only open Friday to Sunday and in very small groups: buy the ticket before booking the hotel.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### Can you see Aranjuez and Chinchón in a weekend?
Yes, with one night: Aranjuez on Saturday and Chinchón on Sunday, half an hour away.

### Can it be done without a car?
Yes: Cercanías C-3 to Aranjuez, bus 430 to Chinchón and 337 back to Madrid.

### Where to sleep?
In Aranjuez there are more hotels; in Chinchón, the Parador and country houses.

### How much does it cost?
Between €110 and €190 per person with hotel, tickets and meals.

### Is it a good plan with children?
Yes: flat gardens, a boat and a car-free square. The Casa del Labrador is the least child-friendly part.

## Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **NH Collection Palacio de Aranjuez**: Opposite the palace
The hotel occupies an eighteenth- and nineteenth-century building on Calle San Antonio, in the historic centre and right opposite the Royal Palace. From the door you walk to the gardens and the Tagus, and the railway station is about 15 minutes' walk away. There are many bars and restaurants around, so you don't need a car for dinner.
Rooms
It has 86 spacious rooms, with soundproofed windows, wooden floors and modern decoration in natural colours. The beds have thick mattresses and there is a pillow menu. All have free wifi, minibar, satellite television, coffee maker and kettle.
The ones that interest those coming for the palace are the Premium and the Junior Suite: they have a balcony with views of the Royal Palace. If it is a couple's getaway or a special occasion, ask for one of them when booking. The official listing does not publish rates; check prices by phone or on the chain's website.
Services

Breakfast: buffet with pastries, fresh fruit, yoghurt and eggs, among other options.
Lobby bar: drinks, light meals and snacks.
Central patio: with flowers and plants, for a drink outdoors.
Gym with sauna.
Private parking and easy access to the A-4.
Rooms: six spaces for meetings and celebrations, with conference equipment and catering.

The tourist office also lists air conditioning, pets admitted and accessibility, and a Guest Relations service that helps organise your stay. If you travel with a dog or need an adapted room, confirm the conditions when booking.
Who it is for
It is the most comfortable accommodation for those who want everything on foot: the palace opposite, the Island Garden next door and the Prince's Garden a walk away, with the Casa del Labrador at the far end. It suits couples, travellers arriving by train and families who come by car and want to leave it parked all weekend.
If you arrive without a car, the Cercanías C-3 links Atocha with Aranjuez. For the long distances in the gardens there is the Chiquitren, and to see the city from the water, the boat trip on the Tagus. For lunch, El Rana Verde is beside the bridge, a few minutes away.
Contact: 91 809 92 22 or nhcollectionpalaciodearanjuez@nh-hotels.com.
- **Hotel El Cocherón de 1919**: A restored 1919 building
El Cocherón de 1919 is a small hotel on Calle Montesinos, in the heart of Aranjuez's historic centre. The tourist office places it a few steps from the Prince's Garden, the Island Garden and the Royal Palace, all three within the cultural landscape that UNESCO declared a World Heritage site.
The building dates from the early twentieth century and has been restored with guests' comfort in mind. The house's idea is to blend the traditional and the old with modern lines: a contemporary design within a rustic atmosphere. It has two floors. The ground floor, bright, brings together the common areas: a lounge, the café and a meeting room. Upstairs are the rooms.
Rooms
There are 18 in total, divided as follows:

8 doubles
4 special doubles
4 singles
1 triple
1 family room

The triple and the family room are the ones sought by those travelling with children; it is wise to ask for them early, because there is only one of each. The singles are an unusual option in hotels of this size and suit those travelling alone. The official listing does not detail rates, check-in times or whether there is a lift or private parking: ask when booking if it matters to you.
The hotel also offers itself for company meetings, family gatherings and small celebrations, making use of the ground-floor room.
Getting here and around
If you come without a car, the Cercanías C-3 runs from Atocha to Aranjuez station, and from there you walk to the centre. In spring and autumn you can arrive on the Strawberry Train, with wooden carriages. Once at the hotel, almost everything is done on foot: the palace, the Royal Barges Museum and the landing stage of the Prince's Garden. For the long distances within the gardens there is the Chiquitren.
If you come by car, ask when booking where to leave it: the listing does not mention private parking.
Before booking
Book by phone, on 91 875 43 50, or by email at elcocheron1919@yahoo.es. The website linked from the tourism listing does not load, so the phone is the safest route. For dinner without taking the car, Casa José, on Calle Abastos, is nearby, and for lunch by the river, El Rana Verde.
- **Samay Camping Aranjuez**: A big campsite on the riverbank
Samay Aranjuez is on the old N-IV, at the entrance to Aranjuez, on the bank of the Tagus. It covers 30,000 m² with 133 pitches of 70 to 130 m², 42 bungalows, five apartments and ten rooms. It is a good base for those who come by car or caravan and want to see the Royal Site without sleeping in the centre.
Where to sleep inside
Pitches. There are three types: the blue, of more than 90 m², for caravans and large motorhomes; the red, of 70 to 90 m², for medium-sized ones; and the yellow, for tents or camper vans. The campsite accepts CampingKey, ACSI and ADAC cards; check validity periods at reception. It has a motorhome service station and a car wash.
Bungalows and apartments. They are wooden, in several models: the Village, high-end, with 42 m², two bedrooms and a bathroom for five people; the Jarama, of 32 m²; the Tajo and the Levante, more rustic; and apartments 21, 22 and Riviera, built of brick. They come equipped, with sheets and towels included, and from seven nights they include a weekly clean with linen change. Each bungalow has one parking space; extra cars stay outside the site. No smoking inside.
Pools and activities
There is an adult pool and a shallower children's one, with a small water park: open and tube slides, lower ones for little ones, a bucket and a palm tree that spray water. Around them are free sun loungers and parasols, and lifeguards who adjust supervision to occupancy. The pool is not heated.
For children there is a mini club with craft workshops and an outdoor playground with rubber flooring, recommended for ages 5 to 11. There is also a multi-sport court, five-a-side football, volleyball, badminton and basketball hoops, and canoes. Entertainment runs in high season, Holy Week and long weekends.
Eating and shopping
The renovated El Juncal restaurant is on the Tagus bank with views of the Prince's Garden; it serves paellas, homemade pizzas, combination plates and cakes. The bar-café has tapas, sandwiches, burgers and pizzas, and in summer it is where the shows and live music take place. There is a supermarket with food, a drugstore, gas and camping supplies; check the hours at reception.
With a dog and other rules
Dogs are admitted on the great majority of pitches, except one zone, and in the Tajo and Jarama bungalows, apartments 21 and 22 and the Riviera. You may barbecue within your pitch or bungalow, but there is no barbecue area or picnic area. Visitors pay €10 per adult and €8 per child, depending on occupancy. In high season the minimum stay is seven nights. The campsite itself warns that it cannot offer wifi or internet.
From here, the centre, the Royal Palace and the boat trip on the Tagus are a short drive away.

## Dónde dormir without a car
- **NH Collection Palacio de Aranjuez**: Opposite the palace
The hotel occupies an eighteenth- and nineteenth-century building on Calle San Antonio, in the historic centre and right opposite the Royal Palace. From the door you walk to the gardens and the Tagus, and the railway station is about 15 minutes' walk away. There are many bars and restaurants around, so you don't need a car for dinner.
Rooms
It has 86 spacious rooms, with soundproofed windows, wooden floors and modern decoration in natural colours. The beds have thick mattresses and there is a pillow menu. All have free wifi, minibar, satellite television, coffee maker and kettle.
The ones that interest those coming for the palace are the Premium and the Junior Suite: they have a balcony with views of the Royal Palace. If it is a couple's getaway or a special occasion, ask for one of them when booking. The official listing does not publish rates; check prices by phone or on the chain's website.
Services

Breakfast: buffet with pastries, fresh fruit, yoghurt and eggs, among other options.
Lobby bar: drinks, light meals and snacks.
Central patio: with flowers and plants, for a drink outdoors.
Gym with sauna.
Private parking and easy access to the A-4.
Rooms: six spaces for meetings and celebrations, with conference equipment and catering.

The tourist office also lists air conditioning, pets admitted and accessibility, and a Guest Relations service that helps organise your stay. If you travel with a dog or need an adapted room, confirm the conditions when booking.
Who it is for
It is the most comfortable accommodation for those who want everything on foot: the palace opposite, the Island Garden next door and the Prince's Garden a walk away, with the Casa del Labrador at the far end. It suits couples, travellers arriving by train and families who come by car and want to leave it parked all weekend.
If you arrive without a car, the Cercanías C-3 links Atocha with Aranjuez. For the long distances in the gardens there is the Chiquitren, and to see the city from the water, the boat trip on the Tagus. For lunch, El Rana Verde is beside the bridge, a few minutes away.
Contact: 91 809 92 22 or nhcollectionpalaciodearanjuez@nh-hotels.com.
- **Hotel El Cocherón de 1919**: A restored 1919 building
El Cocherón de 1919 is a small hotel on Calle Montesinos, in the heart of Aranjuez's historic centre. The tourist office places it a few steps from the Prince's Garden, the Island Garden and the Royal Palace, all three within the cultural landscape that UNESCO declared a World Heritage site.
The building dates from the early twentieth century and has been restored with guests' comfort in mind. The house's idea is to blend the traditional and the old with modern lines: a contemporary design within a rustic atmosphere. It has two floors. The ground floor, bright, brings together the common areas: a lounge, the café and a meeting room. Upstairs are the rooms.
Rooms
There are 18 in total, divided as follows:

8 doubles
4 special doubles
4 singles
1 triple
1 family room

The triple and the family room are the ones sought by those travelling with children; it is wise to ask for them early, because there is only one of each. The singles are an unusual option in hotels of this size and suit those travelling alone. The official listing does not detail rates, check-in times or whether there is a lift or private parking: ask when booking if it matters to you.
The hotel also offers itself for company meetings, family gatherings and small celebrations, making use of the ground-floor room.
Getting here and around
If you come without a car, the Cercanías C-3 runs from Atocha to Aranjuez station, and from there you walk to the centre. In spring and autumn you can arrive on the Strawberry Train, with wooden carriages. Once at the hotel, almost everything is done on foot: the palace, the Royal Barges Museum and the landing stage of the Prince's Garden. For the long distances within the gardens there is the Chiquitren.
If you come by car, ask when booking where to leave it: the listing does not mention private parking.
Before booking
Book by phone, on 91 875 43 50, or by email at elcocheron1919@yahoo.es. The website linked from the tourism listing does not load, so the phone is the safest route. For dinner without taking the car, Casa José, on Calle Abastos, is nearby, and for lunch by the river, El Rana Verde.