Partners: Spain and Portugal

The National Forest of Bussaco is a heritage of incalculable value, unique in Portugal and in the world. It currently occupies 105 hectares and has one of the best dendrological collections in Europe, with around 250 species of trees and shrubs with notable specimens. It is one of the richest national forests in natural, architectural and cultural heritage, and can be divided into three landscape units: Arboretum, Gardens and Vale dos Fetos and Relic Forest. Classified as a Property of Public Interest, the monumental complex of Bussaco mobilizes an exceptional heritage wealth. In addition to the central nucleus formed by the Palace Hotel do Bussaco and the Convent of Santa Cruz, the hermitages, the chapels of devotion and the Steps that make up the Via Sacra, the Fence with the Doors, the Military Museum and the commemorative monument of the Batalha do Bussaco, the crosses, the fountains (the Fonte Fria with its monumental staircase stands out) and the cisterns, the viewpoints (the one at Cruz Alta offers a privileged view over the entire region between Coimbra and Serra do Caramulo) or the forest houses.

Sintra was, in the 19th century, one of the first cradles of romantic architecture in Europe. Its unique climate and consequent nature attracted the gaze of those who, touched by the landscape, dared to retouch it with stunning architecture in Edenic harmony, conducive to the contemplation of Beauty and the Sublime.

The Foundation of the Houses of Fonteira and Alorna, was established by Dom Fernando Mascarenhas (1945-2014), who was the representative of three important noble Houses (Fronteira, Alorna e Távora). Dom Fernando Mascarenhas inherited the Condado of Torre and the Fronteira Palace from a great-great Aunt. Since he had no children, he decided to use this unique opportunity to reinforce the connection between his heritage and the family who is historically linked to it, while keeping in mind the public good.

Located in Guatiza, municipality of Teguise, El Jardín de Cactus is the last great work of César Manrique in Lanzarote , a fascinating creation that houses around 4,500 specimens of cacti of some 500 species from the five continents. The artist chose an old rofera (canteen, for the Canaries) used as a dump in an agricultural area with extensive prickly pear plantations dedicated to the cultivation of cochineal, thus assuming the rehabilitation of an area of ​​great scenic value on the island in a state of abandonment. After 20 years of creation, the work gives life to an architecture full of decorative and sculptural elements that integrate with the environment, further enhancing its natural beauty. The presence of volcanic stone and basaltic monoliths turned into sculptures stands out, resulting from the time when earth was extracted; but it is the liveliness and exoticism of the cactus that intoxicates the visitor in an authentic poetic setting of shapes, textures and colors.

The Galiana Palace is an almunia or recreational palace that was built by the Taifa king, Al-Mamún, in the 11th century. It was built on the outskirts of the city and on the banks of the Tagus, since they provided the necessary water for the care of its legendary orchards and gardens.

The gardens extend into the monastery’s main cloister, or Patio de Los Evangelistas, as well as the southern and eastern forecourts. Due to their location, they are protected and enjoy the best hours of sunshine, making them a perfect place for a pleasant walk, even in the middle of winter. Philip II, a great lover of gardens,…

All doubt is a labyrinth. Decisions, hypotheses, theories are ways to find solutions and each shortcut opens a new point of view. Think about that as you try to untangle the park’s vegetal maze of broad, tame cypress walls. If when you get to the center you can’t find the heart that the park stole from you, ask Eros where you can get it back. His sculpture is in the middle of the labyrinth. Again located in the world, let’s face the second challenge: Is it a neoclassical garden or a romantic garden?

Visiting the Alfabia Gardens in Majorca is one of the best cultural activities that can be done in the Balearic Islands. It is about wonderful gardens and a house that contain valuable historical elements. The gardens, wisely integrated into their natural environment, the variety of styles has not been an amalgamation, but rather a harmony that is difficult to achieve. In front of the main façade, the palm trees stand solemn and majestic, indifferent to the passage of time.

In addition to its botanical biodiversity, L’Albarda has a formal garden, orchards and wild gardens. These recreate the ancient Renaissance gardens of Valencia which were widely influenced by Arab culture. As in Renaissance gardens, architectural features have a great importance in L’Albarda; visitors will be transported to ancient times as they wander the walkways, pergolas and areas of outstanding natural beauty. In addition to its botanical biodiversity, L’Albarda has a formal garden, orchards and wild gardens. These recreate the ancient Renaissance gardens of Valencia which were widely influenced by Arab culture. As in Renaissance gardens, architectural features have a great importance in L’Albarda; visitors will be transported to ancient times as they wander the walkways, pergolas and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

The Palmeral de Elche is a unique cultural landscape, of outstanding value and universal significance, it is the heart, oriented towards intensive horticulture, of an irrigation system established by the founders of the Islamic city of Elche, a millennium ago. In this irrigated landscape of Andalusian origin, both traditional components and contemporary adaptations can be observed. A historic palm grove that has configured a unique urban landscape for more than a thousand years, declared a World Heritage Site in 2000.

Although it appears austere from the outside, due to its simple white walls, the Palacio de Viana houses the most important and best preserved manor house in Córdoba, and one of the main ones in Spain. 

Open as a monument to the public for more than 40 years, Viana brings together in one place the largest concentration of patios in the city and a palace-house full of furniture, works of art, heritage and history, gathered over five centuries. 

The gardens that are you are going to access began to be cultivated more than a thousand years ago and they belong to the Alcázar of Seville, the oldest royal residence in Europe in use. This space currently occupies an area of nearly 100,000 square meters, of which approximately 75% are gardens that are characterized…

In the Alhambra we can enjoy a magnificent catalog of gardens from different eras. The gardens are an inseparable part of the palaces and built enclosures, elements of adornment, perfection and symbolism, which occur in all corners of the Alhambra and the Generalife, providing a transcendent component to the landscape of this place.