Garden La Granja Esporles

What used to be a must-see for travellers in the 18th and 19th centuries, considered the most beautiful country residence in Majorca, still retains the charm conferred by the magnificence of the houses and incredible gardens.

The abundance of water, combined with good management, has supported the former Cistercian farm throughout its long history. The monumental trees in its gardens stand as witnesses to this history. The Teix de Sa Granja  yew tree is unique in Majorca. It is over 1000 years old, and is known for its beauty and its incredible size: its trunk reaches 1.5 metres in diameter and it has branches of over 5 metres in perimeter.

The high porticoed gallery, from which visitors can admire the landscape of the Vall de Superna valley, is surpassed by the pair of monkey puzzle trees that grow in the main garden. A long trellis covered in ivy, bignonia and bougainvillea invites visitors to take a leisurely stroll and admire the 100 different spices in the botanical collection.

On the higher terraces, visitors can admire the way in which water has taken centre stage and shaped the gardens. In the rock garden, it has moulded the stalactites of the artificial grotto, while even higher up, it provides an ancient open-air bath, the walls adorned with mollusc shells. Down the slope, the water emerges from the rocks in a stream that plummets into the neighbouring torrent.