Elche’s Palm Forest – UNESCO Heritage Site

Explore Elche and enjoy the serene beauty of its palm groves, one of the largest in the world and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Priest’s Garden, housing a wide variety of tropical plants and ponds arranged to create an atmosphere of tranquility and repose. An orientation drive through the city of Alicante complements your day.

Enjoy a short panoramic drive through the city of Alicante, where you’ll admire the “Paseo del Puerto”, a marbled mosaic avenue imitating sea waves, and the Luceros square, an impressive fountain with sculptures of horses.

The municipality of Elche has the highest concentration of palm trees in Europe, and your drive into town takes you through part of the palm forest and groves to visit the enchanting Priest’s Garden. Admire the abundant variety of Mediterranean plant species. A visitor’s favorite is the rock garden, with a superb collection of cacti and succulents. The highlight of the garden is a splendid eight-trunk Imperial Palm; a botanical rarity that defies the laws of biology. Stroll along the winding pathways and ponds that add a touch of freshness and the sound of peace and quiet to the garden. Visit the Basilica of St. Mary, built over an old mosque according to the design of Saint Nicolas Church in Alicante and is an excellent example of Valencian Baroque from the 18th century.

Stroll through the Municipal Park and admire the splendid palm trees, most of them date palms. The park is not just a space for enjoyment, but the oxygenizing vegetation lung in the heart of the city. Although the date palm reigns supreme here, you’ll find a huge variety of other plants such as bougainvillea, fig trees, araucarias, magnolias, bananas and much more. As Muslims occupied this area for centuries, the fountains and main lake, placed in the heart of the park, are all inspired in Arabic architectural style. Enjoy some time to do some shopping or simply relax and admire the surroundings.