Usually when talking about the Mediterranean Sea in Northern Spain you at once associate the beautiful coast and its beach bays with this region. You start dreaming of sunny days on sandy beaches and a blue sea inviting you for a swim or just splashing around. In the background is one of the iconic beach bars offering espressos, beers and wine as well as Tapas, these famous Spanish snacks for any time of the day.
Alongside these heavenly regions there are other places presenting the charm of this area. I don’t mean any clubbing areas or whatever … where you may chill and dance and whatever around the clock … I think of some of the most beautiful gardens I met in secluded spots along the coastline.
The photo above shows an impression of El Jardi Botanic Marimutra, a rather large area filled with an elaborately designed garden providing great views of the sea.
Another jewel in this area is Jardin Botanico Tropical Pinya de Rosa Blanes filled with cacti and succulents.
Finally there is Els Jardins de Santa Clotilde, a more formal garden with lots of statues and a symmetrical design of paths inside. The last photo of this post gives an impression.
Now let’s start with Marimutra!
The entrance to the garden is near Blanes. You may walk there from the port uphill – a rather steep ascent! You’ll be awarded by paths crisscrossing the area among quite a lot of species from the Mediterranean region as well as from other continents – mostly trees and big voluminous bushes. there are some spectacular views of the sea and the rocky coastline.
Centrepiece is a small open rotunda which reminds me of Greek temple architecture. It’s the Templet de Linné dedicated to Carl von Linné, a natural scientist and botanist of the 18th century. The garden itself was founded about a hundred years ago and provides home to more than four thousand species.
Let’s proceed to the cacti and succulents …
Cacti, cacti … succulents, succulents … we are in Jardin Botanico Tropical Pinya de Rosa Blanes!
I just enjoyed walking along small paths amid this cultural diversity of plants. From the leaflet I learnt that there are more than nine thousand species in this tropical garden. If you didn’t get it: I’m fond of cacti as well as succulents and whatever might be near these two main branches. It was very hot like walking in the desert … also there are no spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea from the garden although the garden is located at the coast.
It’s great for anybody who loves these species … and to be found between Blanes and Santa Cristina resp. Fenals resp. Lloret de Mar.
Now let’s proceed to the formal garden with all these classic statues!
Els Jardins de Santa Clotilde is based in Finals resp. Lloret de Mar. It was only a five minute walk from our home.
At first we were impressed because we hadn’t expected such a formal garden filled with alleys inviting you just to stroll along. Some alleys lead you down to the rocky coast to get views of the sea and the beaches, right and left. The alleys are designed with architectural precision. There are benches in selected spots.
The garden is also about a hundred years old.
So … It’s a long post!
I didn’t want to do three posts, each of them about one of the gardens. Otherwise I admit that I’ve got lots photos to fill in. Also I didn’t want to omit one of these jewels of the Northern Spanish coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
For now a last view from Santa Clotilde and good-bye to this part of the coast!
