Palmeral of Elche (El Palmeral)
Natural parkThe Palmeral of Elche is the largest palm grove in Europe — a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of more than 200,000 date palms, first laid out and irrigated in Moorish times and still watering the city today.
Why visit the Palmeral
Elche sits inside a forest of date palms unlike anywhere else in Europe. The Palmeral was created by the Moors, who built a system of channels to carry water from the Vinalopó and turn a dry plain into groves — an irrigation landscape so remarkable that UNESCO inscribed it as World Heritage in 2000. Shaded walking routes thread between the palms, and at its heart the Huerto del Cura garden holds the famous Palmera Imperial, a rare many-branched palm. It is a living, working grove, not a museum — dates are still harvested, and the fronds are cut for Palm Sunday across Spain.
Europe’s largest
More than 200,000 date palms make this the biggest palm grove on the continent — a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Huerto del Cura
This walled garden at the grove’s heart holds the celebrated Palmera Imperial, a rare seven-branched palm.
Moorish irrigation
The palms survive on a Moorish network of channels drawing water from the Vinalopó — the reason UNESCO listed it.
Shaded routes
Signposted paths wind between the palms, a cool green escape in the middle of the city.
Dates & palm fronds
Still worked today: dates are harvested, and white palm fronds are grown here for Palm Sunday across Spain.
With the basilica
The grove wraps around Elche’s old town and the UNESCO Misteri basilica — an easy pairing.
Practical information
- Getting there: central Elche, about 20 min from Alicante airport; the groves are walkable from the centre
- Best time: spring and autumn for comfortable walking; the palms give welcome shade in summer
- Entry: the groves and paths are free; the Huerto del Cura garden charges a small entry fee
- Don’t miss: the Huerto del Cura and its Imperial Palm, then a shaded walk through the groves
Explore more of the Costa Blanca
Palmeral of Elche is one of many destinations on the CostaMap interactive map — browse beaches, villages, castles and viewpoints across the whole coast.
