jardines de la granja de san ildefonso

Not very spectacular at the present but they are improving them. These are not particular well planted and have large compartments of wilderness which you have to pass to visit all the fountains. I would recommend that if possible visit on the days that they are playing there are over twenty fountains to be found. With the more spectacular nearer the palace.

Take the time and go visit the palace a copy of Versailles . I would recommend to start at the glass museum to see the history of glass and glass in Spain and how it furnished the palace from Windows to chandeliers. Then walk the park there is a maze it takes about 45 min to do it. Too many numerous fountains to count if you go towards the back of the park maybe you are lucky and see a deer like I did!

If I were short of time I would skip la Granja, as Segovia has more to offer. But on a sunny day it is a pleasant walk around the gardens. It would be much enhanced by some explanations about which statue represents what - the labelling was sparse. The fountains were not on when we visited - if you want to see them you have to time your visit very carefully - only a couple of days a week at a particular time - check it out. There are pleasant places to eat just outside, and we eventually managed to find a park in a back street. Parking is a bit of a challenge. If you want to visit, maybe a bus from Segovia would be better. We didn't see inside the palace.

This palace always serves as the pseudo Versailles of France, but why not? It was designed with that one in mind. It has fountains, statues, huge spaces, and the best collection of tapestries from 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. It is a great place to see the fountains shoot up water 25 feet or more in the air and get refreshed on a hot summer Segovia weather.

This was one of the most beautiful Paliace and gardens in all of Europe. The furnishings and restoration of the room, all 53'of them were overwhelming.Allow a minimum of three hours and go in the morning. Have lunch in La Granja.

Wow! Even though they did not have the fountains on the day we visited, the gardens are magnificent and awe inspiring. The fact that there are water features throughout is an amazing feat. I guess not when you have the money of the Spanish crown when conceiving the gardens. The gardens seem to go on forever. Even bigger than those at Bilmore on Asheville, NC for reference. We could not get through them all before we had to move on- had a long drive ahead.

450 fountain heads, it must be an extraordinary show ( they were off) lovely gardens inspired by the French model of the garden. The palace has one of the best collections of tapestries, having belonged to Charles V

The gardens are alright. However, there are fountains all around it that are off all throughout the year and the work rarely and usually just during the mornings -so don't try to go after lunch, cuz you won't see anything but bushes well cut.The security man was rude and told me it was not allowed to touch the trees! Also, he had no idea about the schedules of the fountains, even though his working place was situated right in front of one.

these gardens are just beautiful..immerse your self in mythology..set a date with a greek deitity..if you can make it on one of the only two days when the fountainds are in full flow you will not be disappointed...a very enjoyable day out of madrid and a chence to explore the surrounding areas of segovia...just do it ...

These gardens are only 5km east of Segovia and are truly a gem. Many Trip Advisor contributors are urging that they not be missed. We took that advice and are exhilarated as a result. The gardens and grounds are incredibly well maintained. They contain a combination of formal and informal areas set on a vast amount of land. Water features abound as do many nooks and crannies to sit and enjoy the beauty. Please do try and include this in your trip if in Segovia.

Put aside a considerable amount of time when visiting here, as there is so much ground to cover. Importantly make sure your camera is well charged and there is plenty of space on your memory card because you will need it. It is like a garden within a forest with loads of fountains and statues. Takes about 25 minutes from Segovia by bus. Absolutely beautiful and highly recommended.

A few miles away from the town of Segovia, the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso is a beautiful palace and gardens and definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.In addition to a stunning palace, equally as impressive are the gardens and fountains that surround the palace. Planned like something you would see from an English manor home (or Versailles) there are different areas within the gardens that showcase different fountains each with nymphs, dragons, horses or other beautiful sculptures. All the fountains are turned on during specific days/events in the summer.Up the hill at the back of the gardens is a peaceful lake that was built to supply water to the fountains in the summer. The lake is serene, not very frequented and in the spring time has the snow covered mountains as a backdrop. I even know a couple that were engaged by that lake.If anywhere near here, El Escorial, Segovia, Madrid or driving up to the northwest of Spain, the palace and gardens at San Ildefonso o La Granja is well worth the visit.

Pretty amazing "garden". A royal palace and this amazing gardens. A must!! The gardens would stretch for kilometers!! And you shouldn't miss the entrance cedar, very beautiful

In winter the parking is not difficult. The Royal Palace is impressive, the gardens are clean and they run some three fountains. The shop in the Palace have some nice objects, like the replicas of cristal vessels made at the Real Fábrica de Cristal.

These are exquisite gardens in the hill-foot of the Somosierra area, very near the city of Segovia. Cool air, steep walk through beautiful alleys that are crowned by the "reservoir": an artificial lake that fed the very many fountains present in the grades (beware: the fountains only work 2 or 3 days a year; but the walk is totally worthwhile).You can also visit some chambers in the Palace, but for the the gardens are A MUST