Palacio Real de La Granja de San Ildefonso

I'm on a mission to visit all the Royal Palaces in Spain and Palacio Real de La Granja de San Ildefonso had been on my bucket list for a long time. This beautiful 18th century palace is located 10km from Segovia and one hour drive from Madrid which makes it a perfect day trip from the capital of Spain.

We left Madrid at 9 o'clock to be there by 10 when the doors of the palace open to beat the crowds and enjoy cooler temps for as long as possible. Once a royal residence, this place is an example of European palace architecture. Its gardens and fountains are styled after Versailles and make reference to legends and mythology. The rooms also remind you of other European Palaces of the time, Carrara marble, Chinese vases and Japanese lacquer stand out in this one.

The name: La Granja is Spanish for "the farm". It's named after an old farm run by monks that used to stand there. San Ildefonso is the charming village where it is situated. King Philip V chose this as the perfect location for a retirement spot. He was right in doing so, located in the foothills of the Guadarrama Mountains, it has a comfortable climate for a summer retreat.

A bit of Spanish history...
Philip V was the grandson of Louis XIV. He was born in Versailles and spent his childhood there. This fact is obviously responsible for the Versailles influence seen in this palace. When Philip V abdicated, his son became King Louis I. Because of his son’s death 7 months later, Philip V became King for a second time. That's when La Granja became a Royal Palace.

The Palace's main attractions are the breath-taking gardens and the fountains, it's a privilege to see those on. The big fountain show -all of them are turned on- only happens three times a year. Exceptionally, they'll turn some of them on for a short period of time on weekends depending on the water reserve. Since it's been a rainy year, we could see four beautiful fountains pouring water and sky-high water jets. We got a bit wet but we didn't care because it was such a hot day!

There's also a small garden before the entrance on the Palace which is also worth walking around. Here you can see some of the few sequoias that you can find outside of California. These gigantic -lightning rods are installed in them- and magnificent trees were planted in the 19th century and provide a home to some little fellas like this one. You know me, I never miss a chance to make a furry friend.
xo Cristina

PRACTICAL INFO
Entrance to the gardens and fountains is free but admission tickets to see the Palace are 9€, check its website for discounts and timetables. The Palace is closed on Mondays.

OTHER MUST-SEE PALACES IN SPAIN
Palacio Real de Madrid
Palacio Real de Aranjuez (Madrid)
Palacio de la Magdalena (Santander)
Palacio Miramar (San Sebastian)

DAY TRIPS FROM MADRID
Alcalá de Henares
Chinchón
Ávila

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