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Jardín de l’Albarda is a 50,000 m² / 538,000 ft² Mediterranean botanical garden in Pedreguer, in the Marina Alta region between Denia and Jávea. Created in 1990 by chemical engineer and naturalist Enrique Montoliu, it pairs a Renaissance-style layout with strong Hispano-Arabic influences, structured around water channels, pergolas, and shaded patios.
The garden holds more than 700 plant species, with a clear focus on flora native to the Valencian Community and the wider Mediterranean basin. Roses, palms, citrus trees, aromatic herbs, and rare endemics share space with ponds, fountains, and a celebrated iron umbráculo that has won architectural design awards.
Since 1996, the site has been managed by the Fundación Enrique Montoliu (FUNDEM), a private non-profit dedicated to conserving Mediterranean flora and fauna. The garden works as a living laboratory and a public showcase for sustainable, water-wise gardening using regional species.
Enrique Montoliu began planting l’Albarda in 1990 on family land at the foot of the Sierra de Segària, choosing a site with good aquifers and a mild microclimate. From the start, he rejected the “tropical lawn” model common on the Costa Blanca and instead designed around drought-tolerant Mediterranean species, terraces, and traditional irrigation channels.
In 1996, Montoliu created the Fundación Enrique Montoliu (FUNDEM) to safeguard the garden’s long-term future and expand its conservation mission. The foundation later acquired more than 240 hectares in the Tinença de Benifassà (Castellón), today protected as a natural park, where it runs reforestation and habitat recovery projects.
The garden has gathered formal recognition over the years, including the Magíster Award for Landscaping from the Universitat Politècnica de València in 2002. In 2025, Montoliu published “El Jardín de l’Albarda, mi paraíso,” a 125-page book on its history, design philosophy, and inspirations.
Jardín de l’Albarda is one of the few private gardens on the Costa Blanca built entirely around the idea that Mediterranean plants belong in Mediterranean gardens. For anyone interested in sustainable landscaping, it is a working reference, with practical examples of low-water planting, traditional irrigation, and shade design.
Casual visitors get something simpler: a calm, beautifully composed green space where you can spend a couple of hours walking, photographing roses, and sitting by the fountains. The garden is small enough to feel intimate, but varied enough to keep changing around every corner.
It also pairs well with a day in the Marina Alta. You can combine a morning visit with lunch in Denia, an afternoon at the beaches of Jávea, or a hike up the nearby Sierra de Segària.
Tickets are sold at the gate and through the official website; no reservation is needed for standard daytime visits. Members of FUNDEM enter free, and concert evenings are ticketed separately at 15 €. Weekday visits are noticeably cheaper than weekends and tend to be quieter, especially outside the summer concert season.
No car? No worries, there is a possibility to visit the gardens from Benidorm, Albir, Altea or Calpe:
In Pedreguer, Alicante, about 10 minutes by car from Denia and 15 minutes from Jávea.
Most visitors spend 1.5 to 2 hours walking the garden at a relaxed pace.
April to June for roses and mild weather; summer evenings for concerts and longer opening hours.
Yes, with safe paths, ponds, and open lawns; under-7s enter free. My son loves it.
Public transport is limited; the easiest option is TRAM line L9 to La Xara, then a short taxi ride. Cycling is always an option.