Five of Spain's Most Attractive Gardens

Spain in Spring

Spring is an ideal time for traveling, when you can immerse yourself in the renewal of nature and indulge the senses. Spain offers diverse landscapes and spectacular gardens that invite visitors to discover pleasant perfumes and striking scenery. The following are five of Spain’s finest gardens, where fantastic floral displays, tempting tree collections, and attractive architecture await visitors looking for a pleasing place to relax and celebrate the spring season.

Madrid Botanical Garden (Jardín botánico de Madrid)

A peaceful sanctuary of nature right in the heart of Spain’s bustling capital city, this garden attracts tourists and locals alike looking for a refreshing change of pace. It dates back to the 18^th century and it displays plant life that represents five continents. Meticulously maintained outdoor collections of neatly arranged ornamental flowers and trimmed shrubs make for enjoyable strolls along footpaths throughout the park. Make sure you check out the Classical Romantic Garden and the herbarium (one of Spain’s largest). The garden is right next to the Prado Museum, making it a great place for resting after taking in some of modern history’s most inspired works of art.

The Botanical garden of Barcelona (Jardí Botànic de Barcelona)

This relatively new garden located on Barcelona´s Montjuïc hill was established in 1999. The privileged hillside location affords scenic views of the city. The hill is also home to other Barcelona attractions such Montjuïc Castle, sports venues used for the 1992 Summer Olympics, and the Palau Nacional. Visitors to the gardens can expect to find a variety of plants from areas with climates similar to that found on the Spanish Mediterranean.

Hort del Cura in Elche

Settled within Elche’s impressive Palmeral de Elche (Europe’s largest palm grove and one of the largest in the world with over 200,000 palm trees) the Hort del Cura (the priest’s garden) has a delicious variety of Mediterranean trees: lemon, orange, and fig trees all tempt the visitor. The garden’s star tree however is the palmera imperial, the eight trunked palm named for Elizabeth de Wittlelsbach, wife of Hungry’s then emperor Franz Joseph I. There’s also a notable cactus collection and several sculptures scattered throughout the garden including a copy of the historic Dama de Elche statue.  

Parque de María Luisa in Seville

Botanical gardens with a vibrant variety of trees and plants and Seville’s grand Plaza de España make this park a must-see attraction for anyone visiting this popular Spanish city. Famed landscape architect Nicolas Forestier designed the gardens for the 1929 Iberoamerican Exposition and they were named after the King Ferdinand VII’s youngest daughter, who was also Queen Isabella II’s younger sister. Today, the botanical gardens and tree varieties paint esthetically pleasing panoramas and exude fresh fragrances, particularly the orange blossoms for which Seville is famous. 

Generalife Garden sin Granada

Take a peek into the exclusive summer residence of 14^th century Al-Andalus kings. These Moorish gardens hidden within palace walls erected during Muhammad III’s reign showcase peaceful pools flanked by fresh foliage in neat flowerbeds. Make sure to check out the wonderful Court of the Cypress of the sultana.