西班牙阿兰惠斯王宫 Aranjuez and Jaen, Spain

Arriving at Madrid airport early Sunday morning, we took a rental car and drove south. Aranjuez was our first stop. We were hoping to find breakfast, but nothing was open at the early hours. Instead we found a Royal Palace in the morning light of autumn, quiet, cool, and still. Beautiful gardens and water designs.


Reflections. Palacios Real de Aranjuez, Royal Palace, Spain.


Waterfall in the garden of Aranjuez Royal Palace. I was mesmerized by the still and the moving water, like those birds.


Waterfall in the garden of Palacio Real de Aranjuez, Spain.


Garden of Aranjuez Royal Palace, Spain.


Royal Palace of Aranjuez.

Situated between the rivers Tagus and Jarama, it was already used as a royal residence in the time of Ferdinand and Isabel the Catholic. Philip II began the present palace with the same architects who worked on El Escorial, Juan Bautista de Toledo and Juan de Herrera. It was completed in the reign of Ferdinand VI, and two further wings were added in the time of Charles III.

The garden known as Jardín de la Isla (Island Garden) is surrounded by the Tagus and by an artificial channel called La Ría that separates it from the Palace. It contains mainly Italian ornamental fountains from the 16th and 17th centuries. This is considered the most important and characteristic Spanish garden dating from the time of the Habsburgs.


rocky terrain further south.


Jaen. The streets were so narrow that I scratched the rental car. :(


Catedral de Santa Maria, Jaen.