Casa José
What to order: the seasonal kitchen-garden vegetable dishes, or the tasting menu
geocalia
Day itinerary · 40.03° N · 3.60° W
Sunday in Aranjuez: palace, gardens and river.
The palace with a guide at 10:30, the Isla and Príncipe gardens, a market-garden lunch and a boat trip on the Tagus. You can arrive by Cercanías from Atocha.
Leaving from
Part of Aranjuez
Add to my trip
Total time8 h
By car45 min each way
WalkingFlat, 5–6 km
DifficultyEasy
Cost€45–80 pp
Best timeApril – May · October – November
With childrenYes, all ages
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Madrid 45 min by car
via the A-4 and the M-305, about 45 min
- 1
- 7 min on foot
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2
The Island Garden and the Parterre
1 h walk through the Parterre and the Isla
- 15 min on foot
- 3
- 15 min on foot
- 4
- 4 min by car1,7 km
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5
The Prince's Garden
walk to the royal landing stage
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Back home
You reach Madrid around 19:15
Approximate cost
About €60–85 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Royal Palace of Aranjuez
Aranjuez is a long, flat Sunday: a palace in the morning, gardens that never end and the Tagus. This plan puts the guided visit at the start, when you are freshest, and the boat at the end, when the children no longer want to walk.
The Day, Hour by Hour
9:15 · Departure. From Madrid, about 45 minutes along the A-4 and M-305. Park on arrival and do not move the car.
10:30 · Royal Palace. On Saturdays and Sundays there is a guided visit at 10:30 and 12:30, lasting an hour, for €17 (€12 reduced). Arrive at the ticket office ten minutes before. If you prefer to go on your own, admission costs €9.
12:00 · Parterre and Isla gardens. From the palace you cross to the Parterre, in the French style, and from there to the Isla, Philip II's Renaissance garden surrounded by the Tagus, with marble fountains and the Castañuelas waterfall. Free.
14:00 · Lunch at Casa José. On Calle Abastos, with cooking from the Aranjuez market gardens and a tasting menu. On Sundays it serves lunch from 13:30 to 16:30. Book.
16:30 · Boat on the Tagus. The Curiosity leaves at 16:30 from the landing stage of the Canoeing Club, next to the Matilde restaurant: 45 minutes, covered, with a guide, from €9.99. Buy tickets on its website.
17:30 · Príncipe garden. A stroll to the royal landing stage of Ferdinand VI and the Chinescos. If you have energy left, the Museo de Falúas is next door.
18:30 · Return.
Free in the Afternoon
On Wednesdays and Sundays from 15:00 the palace is free for EU and Latin American citizens and residents, with a ticket from the ticket office. If you want to take advantage of it, change the order: gardens and boat in the morning, palace after lunch.
With Children
It is the easiest plan near Madrid with children: all flat, with pushchairs, shade and a boat. Under-5s do not pay at the palace. For the Príncipe garden, which is very long, the Chiquitrén saves legs.
Time1 h 30
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
El Rana Verde
What to order: asparagus, frogs' legs or pheasant, and strawberries for dessert
Casa Delapio
What to order: at the bar, stew croquettes and a glass from their cellar; in the dining room, seasonal produce
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Aranjuez
Spring, with the gardens in flower and strawberries, and autumn, with golden trees. In summer, at midday, the vega scorches.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Palace before gardens
With the guided visit early you avoid the midday queues.
- 2Buy the boat ticket in advance
On Sundays with good weather the first departures fill up.
- 3In spring, strawberries
It is their season and the reason for the Strawberry Train.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Madrid?
About 45 minutes by car or on the C-3 Cercanías.
Do you pay for the gardens?
No, they are free. You pay for the palace, the Casa del Labrador and the Museo de Falúas.
Is the palace open on Sundays?
Yes, from 10:00 to 18:00 in winter and until 19:00 from April to September. It closes on Mondays.
Where do you catch the boat?
At the landing stage of the Club Escuela de Piragüismo, next to the Matilde restaurant, at the entrance by the Madrid road.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/community-of-madrid/aranjuez/itineraries/aranjuez-palace-gardens-and-tagus-boat-trip
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.