5 secret gardens
1. Jardins del Palau Robert
Providing a glimpse into the lives of Barcelona’s bourgeoisie in the early 20th century, these neoclassical gardens are an oasis of tranquility at the intersection of two of the city’s busiest streets, Passeig de Gràcia and Avinguda Diagonal.
2. Jardines de Mossèn Costa i Llobera
Marvel at over 800 species of succulents in the Barcelona cactus gardens, first opened in 1970. Perched high on Montjuïc hill, the gardens offer views of the Mediterranean through its inhabitants’ spiny arms.
3. Jardines del Príncip de Girona
Occupying a small part of the Girona cavalry’s old military barracks, which were closed at the start of the Eighties, these landscaped gardens are full of colourful bougainvillea and oleanders, planted around a sunken lake.
4. Palo Alto
Previously an abandoned leather factory, the Palo Alto complex is now one of the city’s lushest spaces. Under the direction of garden designer José Farriol in the early Nineties, architecture and nature converge, and four-storey-high green walls enclose nearly two dozen art studios and offices, an open-air cantina, a fish pond and more.
With twinkling lanterns overhead, a babbling brook underfoot and mythical creatures hidden amongst gnarled trees and creeping, leafy vines, this bar easily transports you to an enchanted forest. Enjoy one of their many cocktails, but be prepared for thunderstorms!