One of the most beautiful and important tropical gardens in Spain and one of the best in Europe lies just to the north of the city of Malaga. The origins of La Concepcion can be traced back to the merging of several estates, home to citrus, olive and almond trees and possibly vines, too. The creators of the gardens were Jorge Loring Oyarzabal and Amalia Heredia Livermore, who purchased the land about 1855. They had come up with the idea of a garden seven years earlier while on their honeymoon tour of Europe.

The Marquis and Marchioness’ comfortable economic situation and their commercial dealings abroad enabled them to collect and cultivate the most exotic of plant species from around the world. However, the botanical gardens did not earn a reputation throughout Europe for their beauty or exuberance, but for the magnificent collection of archaeological remains on display in the Loring Museum, a small, Doric-style building erected on the site of a Roman mosaic discovered in Cartama depicting the feats of Hercules.

After the death of the Marquis in 1911, La Concepcion passed into the hands of another rich family, the Echevarria-Echevarrietas, who subsequently extended the gardens, creating a number of new areas and adding to the vast collection of palms and trees. Unfortunately, in the 1960s, the garden’s heirs turned it over to the care of Mother Nature. In 1990, the entire estate (a total of 49 hectares, taking into account the historical garden as well as the surrounding agricultural and forest land) was purchased by Malaga City Council and the Municipal Botanical Trust was founded to run the estate. The construction of El Limonero reservoir divided the land into the declared green belt section and the La Concepcion Historical-Botanical Gardens. Once all necessary renovation work had been carried out, the gardens were opened to the public in 1994.
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The immense araucarias, palms, cycads, bamboos and vast range of flowers, give the garden a luxurious tropical feel about it. One of the highlights in spring is the flowering of the huge wisteria which clambers over the ironwork of an arbour next to the mansion. In summer, the shady walks with their pools, populated by water lilies, turtles and frogs, are a welcome break from the heat.

If time is limited, you can choose one of five different routes:

- The Jewels of La Concepcion route usually takes about an hour and a half and is easy to follow thanks to the 34 tiles which mark out the way. The footbridges, cascades, enormous trees, the beautiful house, ponds, huge creepers, the Doric-style Museum, and the delightful viewpoint are all to be enjoyed along this route.

- The Themed Gardens route leads to different areas of specific groups of plants which are notable either for their special botanical characteristics or for their usage. On show are a group of primitive plants, a display of African flora, collections of bamboos, citrus trees, palm trees and Malaga vines.

- On the Around the World route, plants come from all five continents beginning with an American hackberry, a magnolia and a white ash, and then going on to a group of floss silk trees and jacarandas. Asia is represented by white mulberries and a beautiful ginkgo. Acacias, Australian pines, and false aralias are also just a few of the plant species that can be found.

- The Viewpoint Route takes us among typical Mediterranean vegetation, and features a number of rest areas that offer panoramic views of both the historical garden and the city of Malaga. This route enables us to enjoy views of the crowns of the trees and to appreciate the contrast between subtropical plants of the garden and indigenous flora.

- The Forest Route runs along the highest pathway in La Concepcion, crossing the whole estate from north to south. It affords magnificent views of the whole garden and the surrounding area, with the Montes de Malaga Natural Park and the San Jose estate just opposite and the city of Malaga as a backdrop. Typical Mediterranean flora predominates throughout this walk.

Getting there:
The botanic garden is situated on the Carretera de las Pedrizas (CN 331) at km 166 which is on the way out of Malaga heading for Antequera. There is a bus service (No. 61) on weekends and holidays from the Alameda Principal in central Malaga (Ciudad Jardin line).

Opening hours:
Opens 9:30
Closes:
At 20:30 from 1st of April to the 30th of September
At 17:30 from 1st of October to the 31st of March
No visitors are admitted after an hour and a half before closing.
The Gardens are closed on Mondays, the 25th of December and the 1st of January.

Telephone: +34 95 225 21 48

There is a guide service (fee paid apart from entrance charge), but the Garden can be visited without a guide, too. There are three types of guided tour that last between a little more than an hour and four hours.

Entrance charges:
Adults 4€ each
Groups of 20 or more adults 3€ each
Children from 6 to 16 years 2€ each
Retired and Seniors 2€ each
Groups of 20 or more children 1€ each
Groups of 20 or more seniors 1€ each