Wineries
Wine tourism is represented in Aranjuez by two very different
wineries. El Regajal is a modern winery, located on the
eponymous estate to the south of the town. It has a certain
reputation amongst Madrid wines and produces tasty wines of the
Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Syrah
varieties. But, in addition to its wines, this estate has been
known since 1848 for being a nature reserve for butterflies and
a mecca for entomologists from all over Europe.
On the other hand, Charles III’s Bodega del Real Cortijo,
located in the Cortijo de San Isidro, is a magical underground
sanctuary, in whose tunnels wines have matured since the 18th
century. It has an attractive classical façade, with a
landscaped square for access, and today it is a space that can
be visited by tourists and offers tastings of the wines that
have thrived in its subsoil. Along with the rest of the Cortijo,
it has been declared a “Historic Artistic Monument” and
deserves, along with the town center of the Cortijo, an
attractive visit.
Strawberries
Strawberries, which gave our train its name in 1851, are
grown in the Aranjuez orchard in two varieties of Rosaceae:
strawberries and long stem strawberries.
The strawberry is a wild species, called 'fragania', which grows
naturally in the forests, with small, sugary, aromatic fruit
that is highly appreciated for its excellent quality. In recent
years, this variety has been grown much less due to the delicacy
of the fruit, which complicates the harvesting process and is
cumbersome for the farmer. For all these reasons, currently
barely five hectares are grown in the Aranjuez orchard.
The long stem strawberry is a hybrid developed by botanists in
the 18th century, with the crossing of several species that came
from America. Larger in size than strawberries, it can be just
as sweet, although less aromatic. Its quality and sweetness make
it unique, and although many varieties are grown today, none
resembles the one grown in Aranjuez.
The Strawberry Train offers a tasting of strawberries picked
that same day. Strawberries are not distributed given the
impossibility of obtaining, in good conditions, the ton and a
half that we distribute each year.
The Tumult of Aranjuez
The Festivities of the Tumult of Aranjuez, which are
celebrated the first weekend of September, are, together with
those of May 30—Saint Fernando’s day—, the most important in
Aranjuez, and have been declared of National Tourist Interest.
They began to be held in 1982 and commemorate the historical
events that occurred in 1808, which were popularly known as the
"Tumult of Aranjuez", and led to the fall of Manuel Godoy,
minister of Charles IV, and the rise to the throne of his son
Ferdinand VII.
The central event of this festival is the popular representation
of the Tumult in the palace’s surroundings, in which nearly two
hundred residents dressed in period costumes with great scenic
and technical development participate. The assault on the Palace
of Godoy and parades of rioters through the streets are also
represented, culminating in the symbolic burning of his
belongings and his confinement in the municipal dungeons.
Within the framework of the Festival of the Tumult, other acts
are celebrated, such as the appointment of the "Chief Rioter" or
the Goyaesque Bullfight in the bullring. The Festivities of the
Tumult are one more reason to come to the Royal Precinct in
September and enjoy its charm in a truly unique context.
