They made their appearance about 4,000 years ago, an origin that we know from its representation in Egyptian tomb paintings. Their main objective was to provide coolness and shade in a dry and arid land that lacked varieties of trees and flowers. Therefore, to create their private gardens in palaces and temples, the pharaohs brought exotic species from other countries. Many centuries later, these natural spaces continue to provide all kinds of benefits to those who have them nearby. Having a healthy environment in which to breathe, away from urban pollution, improves our physical and mental health. Green areas transmit peace, tranquility, disconnection, and give us fresh air. In addition to constituting an outdoor space in which to walk, read peacefully or simply be and contemplate.
There are many types: contemporary, historical, tropical and exuberant, idyllic and charming… Whatever they are, they are as surprising as the ones you are about to discover. The avant-garde concept that was part of a design project presented at the MoMA in New York. The one that houses the oldest palm trees in Europe or the one that boasts of being an authentic botanical garden with more than 70 native species. There is no shortage of a monumental garden, French style, with species brought from America; nor another that merges with the crystalline waters of the Mediterranean. These are just some of the charming gardens that you can enjoy with Paradores. Accommodations that, in their commitment to sustainability, have eliminated single-use plastics from the rooms, consider that 100% of the electrical energy consumed comes from renewable sources and prioritize local products in their kitchens. Take note!
No one imagines that the historic center of Alcalá de Henares, a literary city par excellence that welcomed Cervantes, Quevedo and Tirso de Molina, houses a building as incredible as the one that houses the Parador de Alcalá. A 17th century convent, which after undergoing a profound renovation, now houses spaces in which the past and the present dialogue in a masterful way. We see it in its wonderful cloister, in its spectacular spa under the vaults of the old monastery church, in its convention center in some old 19th century workshops and in its modern Carved Garden, the result of an architectural project that was exhibited in the MoMA in New York.
A 3,000 m2 orchard, where the orchard was previously located, serves as a natural roof for many of its rooms. And it also opens up to the town’s beautiful architecture, cleverly pierced to create Japanese-inspired patios for the rooms. The Tallado Garden is an emblem of the Parador of Alcalá de Henares, the beautiful World Heritage city where you can also enjoy the best regional Madrid cuisine in any of the gastronomic temples that the accommodation offers: the historic Hostería del Estudiante or the Santo Tomas restaurant.
If there is a place that boasts incredible views of the city of Córdoba and magical sunsets, it is, without a doubt, its Parador, which stands in a privileged location above the ruins of the summer palace of Abderramán I. This unique location, the foot of Sierra Morena, captivated that first Umayyad emir hundreds of years ago. Just like today, which continues to conquer its travelers with its comfortable and spacious rooms, its sports facilities, its proximity to the center of a wonderful city – declared a World Heritage Site –, its regional cuisine – salmorejo, flamenquines and tapas. oxtail are the star dishes – and its wonderful Orange Garden, from which legends have also been forged.
It is said that, in order not to miss his homeland (present-day Syria), Abderrahman ordered palm trees to be brought from his land and that is why, today, those who walk through the green surroundings of the Parador, can enjoy a quiet orchard with the oldest palm trees in Europe. . An inspiring setting to disconnect from the daily hustle and bustle and travel back in time to the exotic and splendorous caliphal past, which is also still present today, just eight kilometers away, with the spectacular Medina Azahara (which Abd al-Rahman III had his deceased wife build). ). One of the most important preserved monuments of the Spanish Muslim golden age.
It has everything good about a city accommodation – you can start a pleasant walk through the wonderful Asturian capital – and what you would also expect in a natural environment. The Parador de Gijón is built in a century-old water mill surrounded by wonderful gardens with no shortage of cobbled paths and a pond. An orchard that conveys absolute tranquility and that seems to extend beyond the Parador grounds, as it is located next to the Isabel la Católica Park, one of the most beautiful green areas in Gijón and its largest green lung.
More than 65 cataloged species of different plants and 1,200 specimens are distributed throughout this historic garden considered an Asset of Cultural Interest. Rest and disconnection are guaranteed. And, of course, as the area dictates, also good regional cuisine. In the Parador restaurant you can enjoy emblematic Asturian dishes with a marked maritime character, accompanied by the best ciders. A culinary tribute that culminates with a pleasant walk along the beach of San Lorenzo, Cimadevilla, Santa Catalina, the nearby aquarium or the botanical garden. Everything at one step.
A trip to the 16th century is what the Parador de Jarandilla de La Vera proposes. This spectacular castle-palace located in the shelter of the Sierra de Gredos, was the home of the counts of Oropesa and had the privilege of hosting Emperor Charles I for three months (from November 12, 1556 to February 3, 1557). ), while they prepared the Yuste monastery, a few kilometers from Jarandilla, for their final retirement. The Parador maintains the essence of that era and preserves countless original elements. You will be surprised by its towers, its large parade ground, its moat and wall, the church and the spectacular Gothic gallery that opens to the inner courtyard, where palm trees and heraldic shields coexist. Also enjoy the room where the monarch stayed, today the Emperor’s Room, crowned by a granite fireplace that he requested to install himself.
This historic building does not give up a wonderful garden, dotted with olive and orange trees, where you can imagine the emperor arriving on horseback to enter the two towers, still present, that once escorted a now-disappeared drawbridge. The Parador thus becomes a place to relive history and enjoy the wonderful pure air and nature offered by the nearby mountain range and the region of La Vera, dotted with gorges and hiking routes with which to emulate the path taken by the monarch.
The island of La Palma is a World Biosphere Reserve, since in just a few kilometers it concentrates volcanic landscapes, large cliffs, arid coasts, laurel forests and one of the best banana areas in the Canary Islands. In it, leafy orchards cover almost 25% of the surface, full of laurels and lime trees coexisting with mosses and giant ferns. In this incomparable natural setting of the so-called Isla Bonita, the Parador de La Palma stands as an exotic alternative for a getaway of disconnection and tranquility in an accommodation that offers, 24 hours a day, incredible panoramic views of the Atlantic. A suggestive balcony to the blue immensity that concentrates in its building all the essence of typical Canarian architecture, in a strategic location, between the airport and the capital: Santa Cruz de La Palma, a city of colorful houses occupying streets that end almost in the sea.
As soon as you arrive at the accommodation you will fall in love with the place, surrounded by nature, with more than 70 native species, such as dragon trees, tajinastes and tabaibas. An authentic botanical garden to enjoy every morning. And that’s without leaving the Parador, which also offers a seasonal swimming pool, gym, sauna, a magnificent terrace for having a snack and a wonderful restaurant – with views of neighboring Tenerife and La Gomera on clear days – where you can taste a variety of specialties of Canarian cuisine. Don’t miss the wrinkled potatoes with their Canarian mojos and almogrote, the grilled peto, a prince Alberto with cream or a bienmesabe.
There are many treasures of what many call “El Escorial de Asturias”. And the Parador de Corias, located in the Romanesque monastery of San Juan Bautista, from the 11th century and declared a National Historical-Artistic Monument, treasures in its interior an endless number of wonders to feel in another world and connect with history, art and nature. You will find archaeological remains in the basement of its founding church; You will be surprised by a spectacular library, with more than 7,000 books, which does not lack the so-called Cabinet de Curiosites (an installation by the Portuguese artist Rui Macedo); There will be occasion for a relaxing spa in which to tune up body and mind; and you can enjoy the views of the Narcea River and the French-style gardens that dress its cloister.
A green space woven with whimsical shapes that, thanks to the centuries-old araucaria (species of conifer) that presides over it and which was brought from overseas by the Benedictine monks, is considered Cultural Heritage. Monks who, by the way, continue to live in the place for 150 years and share some spaces with the Parador. The result is a peaceful spiritual retreat, very close to natural environments that invite total enjoyment, such as the Fuentes de Narcea, Degaña and Ibias Natural Park, a place that boasts one of the largest oak forests in Europe, the Muniellos forest.
At one end of Jávea’s Arenal beach, the link between the town and the more residential and leisure area, is its Parador. An accommodation that knows how to take full advantage of the Mediterranean, which can be seen from its rooms, which can be enjoyed from the water (it has its own pier) and which can be breathed from its tropical gardens. An orchard constellated with palm trees and bougainvilleas and covered with a manicured lawn, which is completely integrated into the crystalline Javanese waters of this corner of the sea. One of the favorites of the couturier Balenciaga, who spent long periods here in spring and autumn.
Discover the delicious cuisine of its restaurant, specialized in rice, fideuás, seafood and fish, which combine with garden products. It is a space to enjoy the best cuisine, but also the maritime atmosphere that can be breathed from its windows, which overlook the lush palm grove. You’ll love it.
