Getaway to Aranjuez: in a canoe on the Tagus with a binge of strawberries

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The scene is quite idyllic.

The kayak gently slides through the waters of the Tagus, the longest river in the Peninsula.

In the last and winding turn, the

Despite the children and their shouts in the canoe class -in this Royal Site it is the sport par excellence- the setting still transports the traveler to the 18th century.

Then it was

, the most famous of the

singers , who provided the fluvial soundtrack.

The voice of the Italian not only cured Felipe V of his madness, but also made the felucca rides on the Tagus the

.

Even today we can see those pleasure boats that would make any character from

, the lustful period series, grow long.

They can be admired in the unique

, one of the jewels that National Heritage treasures in the Madrid town.

The Royal Barge Museum.

The Aranjuez Canoeing School Club does not have baroque feluccas, but it does have

to rent and travel the five kilometers that separate the palace from the Casa del Labrador.

The river curves around the limits of the Prince's garden.

There are ducks and swans everywhere swimming in colored water... chlorophyll?

"All this green is vegetable", explains Javier Martín, coach of this club which, by the way, "is number one in Spain in flat water canoeing".

In total there are nine navigable kilometers in which you can see cormorants, gray herons and kingfishers.

The Aranjuez Canoeing school club

If on one side of the river rise the gardens, pavilions and piers that draw this

by UNESCO since 2001, on the other extend its historic orchards.

The fertile agricultural oasis is still flanked by large tree-

that divide orchards and groves.

The setting is not as exotic as royal orchards, but it is much tastier.

The interest of his clients made Fernando Alcázar decide even before the pandemic to show his garden to the curious (huerta-fernandoalcazar.es).

It is, of course, a different tourist visit.

The protagonists, as you imagine, depend on the season.

This and every spring for five centuries, strawberries, strawberries and asparagus are the big stars.

It has its reason for being.

Due to their delicate palates, their capricious majesties did not like cabbage, much less its smell.

They preferred more sophisticated aromas, such as strawberries.

Farmer Fernando Alcázar.

Strawberries, asparagus and artichokes in the garden.

Fernando adds six hectares of land that already belonged to his grandfather.

His is a master class on

with touches of humour.

"This, in the traditional classical slang, is what we call chochos," he points out while giving a taste of some delicious lupins that leave the visitor perplexed.

A few days ago, at the height of asparagus, the farmer told the secrets of its cultivation, but also its flavor ("it's in the skin") and even how to cook it.

Strawberries and strawberries dominate much of this orchard with sale to the public on weekends.

There are different varieties with surprisingly different flavors.

Fernando teaches the novice how and when they are collected.

Meanwhile, he tastes one and another.

The full tub is for home.

Chinese pond in the garden of the Prince.

No wonder Aranjuez is full of chefs working miracles.

That is why one day is not enough to explore and, above all, to enjoy the town, no matter how much we insist that it is an excursion to spend the day.

Only the

of the palace, with its checkered floor, leaves the visitor dumbfounded for a long time.

Just like the sound of

in the garden of the Island, a gift from Ferdinand VI to his wife Bárbara de Braganza so that she would not miss the sound of the sea in her native Lisbon.

Or those grandiose trees in the Prince's garden, a botanical catalog of 199 species.

Few impose as much as the

Mexican, 37 meters tall and 217 years old.

You have to look for it next to the Chinese pond, the perfect place for a summer siesta.

The Royal Palace.

practical Guide

VISIT.

Anecdotes, gossip from the court and more: Daytime, nighttime, through the gardens or the palace... The website aranjuezvisitasguiadas.com offers guided tours to learn more about history.

WITH CHILDREN.

Journey by train or tourist boat with the family: Ideal for not getting tired, the Chiquitrén runs through all the points of interest.

ship

conducts river cruises on weekends.

TO EAT.

Product of kilometer 0 (literally): Casa Delapio, El Tomate, Casa José... These are just a few options that make Aranjuez a gastronomic benchmark.

SLEEP.

Located in the center, Cocherón 1919 is an old 19th-century corrala converted into a charming hotel, the hallmark of Ruralka.

MORE INFO: www.aranjuez.com

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