About 7 kilometres upriver from the palace, Charles III founded a model farm in the 1760s: the Real Cortijo de San Isidro. It was his bet on modern agriculture, and today it is a small village belonging to Aranjuez, with a main square, houses for the settlers and a round chapel.
The cellar
The highlight is the underground wine cellar from the late 18th century, considered the only royal winery still standing. Its galleries line up 187 niches that once held clay jars. Today it is visited with a guide and ends with a tasting.
How to fit it in
A perfect half day for anyone who has already seen the palace. By car it’s about 12 minutes; by bike, a flat route of about 5 km. The official Twelve Streets walk also comes this way.
What few people tell you
- The cellar has 187 niches that once held huge clay jars.
- On 15 May, San Isidro Labrador, the village holds its fiestas with a pilgrimage.
- In autumn the cellar is one of the Early Music Festival's venues: Baroque music underground is something else.
Sources and official links
- visitmadrid, Real Cortijo de San Isidro (Spanish)
- Planomato, visiting the Real Cortijo de San Isidro (Spanish)
- ¡Hola!, Charles III's wine cellar (Spanish)
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