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My favourite place in the Girona regions? Ask me an easier question, please.
There are many landscapes to discover on the Costa Brava beyond its beaches and coves. The gardens of Blanes, Calella de Palafrugell and Lloret de Mar are three perfect examples; a real treat for the senses that you might not expect and that are often missed by many of the tourists who visit this area. Don't make the same mistake.
Art and landscape. Nature and culture. Gardens and architecture. The gardens of the Costa Brava add to the long list of unique experiences that await you when visiting this region. Four stunning spots set against a backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea. Four beautifully preserved treasures that are perfect for a leisurely stroll to discover and learn a thing or two about the vast range of plant species, both native and from around the world, that can be found there or just for the pleasure of looking at them.
If you have a spare three minutes, join us for a quiet, romantic stroll.
Straddling the municipalities of Calella de Palafrugell and Mont-ras, the Cap Roig Gardens are a true work of art. A place that seems to hang over the sea, planted out with more than 800 species and crowned by a magnificent medieval-inspired castle, which provides a spectacular balcony from which to view the Costa Brava.
The Cap Roig Gardens are the realisation of a dream; a dream belonging to Nicolai Woevodsky and Dorothy Webster, two lovers of gardening, architecture and decoration (among other things), who discovered their ideal home here in 1927 and went on to create these magnificent gardens, which, thankfully, are now open for everyone to enjoy.
If you can schedule your visit for the summer, take note: the gardens serve as the venue for the popular Cap Roig Festival, a prestigious musical event with a magical atmosphere.
La segona parada d’aquest viatge botànic ens porta fins a Blanes, una localitat que ja per si mateixa té una gran riquesa paisatgística i cultural. El Jardí Botànic Marimurtra afegeix un altre motiu
The second stop on this botanical journey takes us to Blanes, a town already blessed with a wonderful landscape and rich cultural heritage, to which the Marimurtra Botanical Garden add another excellent reason to visit.
This garden is a real treasure trove of unique experiences, such as descending the Epicurus steps leading to the iconic Temple of Linnaeus, a small domed structure that acts as a lookout point over the cliffs and provides the perfect frame for snapping some incredible photos.
The Marimurtra trail leads you though three extensive gardens that contain more than 4,000 plant species, the vast majority of which are exotic and some very rare. The first is a tropical garden, with species from arid areas, the second an Asian garden, with a spectacular display of ornamental plants and the third is a Mediterranean garden dominated by native myrtle.
There is no doubt that the garden’s creator, German businessman Karl Faust (1874-1952), succeeded in accomplishing his grand ambition and, after years and years of endeavour, was able to share and transmit his passion for the natural sciences.
The Pinya de Rosa Botanical Garden in Blanes is a place like no other where you will feel as if you are stepping into a tropical paradise right here on the Costa Brava. An abundance of tropical species (cactus, palm, aloe, yucca and many others) have adapted to the environment and coexist side by side with the garden’s collection of plant life native to the Mediterranean.
The history of this very special garden dates back to 1945 when a great botanical enthusiast, Catalan engineer Ferran Rivière de Caralt, bought the land – at the time neglected vineyards – where he intended to set up an agricultural and livestock operation. At the same time, he came up with the idea for a garden that could accommodate a large collection of cactus and succulent plants, his great passion. Over time, he began to devote more and more time to botany, expanding the garden and eventually opening it to the public.
Order, symmetry, precision and proportion. The Santa Clotilde Gardens are a magnificent illustration of Catalan noucentista art, inspired by the classic gardens of the Italian Renaissance. The gardens are the work of the young Catalan architect and landscape gardener, Nicolau Maria Rubió i Tudurí, who was commissioned with their design by the Marquis of Roviralta in 1919. More than a hundred years later, the Santa Clotilde Gardens were included as part of the European Route of Historic Gardens, a European initiative certified by the Council of Europe, in recognition of their significant historical, artistic and social value.
It is a space that invites you to stroll and enjoy the peace and tranquillity, to discover its secluded corners of pure romanticism, to pause and savour the scents of the aromatic plants floating on the Mediterranean breeze. The Mermaid’s Staircase that forms the garden’s central axis, gently descends until it almost touches the sea, offering incredible views over some of the Costa Brava’s spectacular coves. The wealth of native plant life is seamlessly interwoven among the fountains, small ponds and sculptures that conjure up an idyllic world from classical times.
Together, as you can already imagine, they create a unique setting to experience the magic of the Costa Brava. And if you are lucky enough to be able to time your visit to coincide with the concerts held as part of the Som de Mar Festival in August, you will be able to enjoy a line-up of fantastic local and international artists performing in this beautiful location.
If you are a fan of Game of Thrones, you will surely already know that much of the hot series’ prequel, House of the Dragon, was filmed in these gardens, as well as in Girona old town, with the production team of this huge blockbuster falling under the spell of its Renaissance-style gardens, charming spaces and spectacular panoramic views.
