Fodor's Expert Review Palacio Real de La Granja
If you have a car, don't miss the Palacio Real de La Granja in the town of La Granja de San Ildefonso, on the northern slopes of the Sierra de Guadarrama. The palace site was once occupied by a hunting lodge and a shrine to San Ildefonso, administered by Hieronymite monks from the Segovian monastery of El Parral. Commissioned by the Bourbon king Felipe V in 1719, the palace has been described as the first great building of the Spanish Bourbon dynasty. The Italian architects Juvarra and Sachetti, who finished it in 1739, were responsible for the imposing garden facade, a late-baroque masterpiece anchored by a giant order of columns. The interior was gutted by fire, but the collection of 15th- to 18th-century tapestries warrants a visit.
Outside, walk through the magnificent gardens: terraces, ornamental ponds, lakes, classical statuary, woods, and baroque fountains dot the mountainside. Provided there is enough rainfall, on certain evenings in the summer (April–August, 12pm or... READ MORE
If you have a car, don't miss the Palacio Real de La Granja in the town of La Granja de San Ildefonso, on the northern slopes of the Sierra de Guadarrama. The palace site was once occupied by a hunting lodge and a shrine to San Ildefonso, administered by Hieronymite monks from the Segovian monastery of El Parral. Commissioned by the Bourbon king Felipe V in 1719, the palace has been described as the first great building of the Spanish Bourbon dynasty. The Italian architects Juvarra and Sachetti, who finished it in 1739, were responsible for the imposing garden facade, a late-baroque masterpiece anchored by a giant order of columns. The interior was gutted by fire, but the collection of 15th- to 18th-century tapestries warrants a visit.
Outside, walk through the magnificent gardens: terraces, ornamental ponds, lakes, classical statuary, woods, and baroque fountains dot the mountainside. Provided there is enough rainfall, on certain evenings in the summer (April–August, 12pm or 5:30–7 pm), the illuminated fountains are turned on, one by one, creating an effect to rival that of Versailles. Dates and start times sometimes change on a whim, so call ahead.
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