Valencia’s 19th century Gardens – Jardin de Monforte & Viveros
Monforte Gardens Promenade – Valencia © Alice Joyce
The old center of Valencia offers charming diversions for garden lovers: In contrast to the contemporary aspects of the Turia gardens, demonstrating the precision of Bofill’s Modernism, or Calatrava’s innovative buildings for the ‘City of Arts & Sciences,’ which manifest the breadth of the engineer/architect’s expertise, visitors to Valencia bask in historic parks and flower-filled promenades.
Valencia Monforte Parterre Sculpture Photo © Alice Joyce
On a more intimate scale than Valencia’s Viveros, Monforte Gardens presents an achingly romantic, mid-19th century design of clipped orange trees and manicured parterres.
In this atmospheric setting, venerable, age-old trees provide shade from the intense sunshine, giving way to grottoes of moss and lichen encrusted rock. In a satisfying convergence of fountains and filigreed ironwork, stroll amid an allee of classical sculptures and feel refreshed, pausing at the central pond shaped like a water-lily.
Valencia Monforte Gardens Fountain © Alice Joyce
Valencia ~ Viveros © Alice Joyce
Via the Puente de Real bridge, one enters Viveros by stepping out from the designated old quarter, while crossing to the right bank of the old river bed. Valencia’s largest garden landscape, it’s the site of the former Royal Gardens; the palace long since destroyed. With rose-draped pergolas, aviary, and Paleontology Museum on the grounds, Viveros is a perfect spot to take a cafe break and engage in people-watching.
A bit further along, the 19th century Paseo de la Alameda is a leafy, Moorish-inspired walk running adjacent to the old river bed. Delight in the ancient stone stairways, and asymmetrical layout of flower-filled beds and borders.
Dear Alice, I have, thanks to your evocative description and beautiful photographs, fallen instantly in love with these gardens. Such wonderful structures, such formality, such a restrained palette of plants and colours. This is, surely, the stuff of which dreams are made!! A very happy Easter to you.
So much to see and take in. Alice I am sorry I have not been to visit much lately -my time online is limited at the moment. I am very glad I stopped by today though. The blog is looking fabulous. Wonderful posts and photography, a real pleasure to read.
I do hope you are well and have a fantastic Easter,
Very best wishes,
RO xxx
Oh, Alice – once again a garden I wish I could step through the screen to visit!
Looks lovely. Must make a trip to Valencia. My parents were just in Valencia, and there photos look amazing. Such a fantastic mix of old and new.
Wow Alice, amazing new site. Took me long enough to get here but I’m glad I did, so much to see. I love all the Spanish flavours. Sigh…. one day I’ll visit for real, meanwhile this site if the perfect virtual fix. Thanks Yan
Dear Edith and RO, Heidi, Sunny and Yan,
I hope this taste of Valencia has whet your various appetites for more sights to see in one of Spain’s lesser known yet lively destinations. Thanks one and all for stopping to comment.
Very nice place to revisit.