The beauty of ARANJUEZ is its greenery – it’s easy to forget just how dry and dusty most of central Spain is until you come upon this town, with its lavish palaces and luxuriant gardens. In summer, Aranjuez functions principally as a weekend escape from Madrid and most people come out for the day, or stop en route to or from Toledo. If you wanted to break your journey, you’d need to camp or reserve a room in advance, as there’s very little accommodation available.

The eighteenth-century Palacio Real (Tues-Sun: April-Sept 10am-6.15pm; Oct-March 10am-5.15pm; €4.81, Wed free for EU citizens) and its gardens (daily: April-Sept 8am-8.30pm; Oct-March 8am-6.30pm; free) were an attempt by the Spanish Bourbon monarchs to create a Versailles in Spain; Aranjuez clearly isn’t in the same league but it’s a pleasant enough place to while away a few hours.