Palmeral of Elche
Palmeral d'Elx
Europe’s largest palm grove, with about 200,000 date palms introduced and cultivated by Arabs. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
The Palmeral of Elche lies about 23 km southwest of Alicante. It began with an irrigation farming system introduced by Arabs in the 10th century. Today, dozens of palm groves still spread through the city, with roughly 200,000 date palms forming a unique oasis-city landscape. It was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2000. You can stroll through the municipal park for free, or hike the “Palmeral Museum Route.” Every August, the Mystery Play of Elche is performed in the Basilica of Santa Maria, and it is recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The train takes about 30 minutes.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Huerto del Cura
- Alicante Central Market
- Explanada de España
- Santa Cruz Quarter
- Co-Cathedral of St Nicholas of Bari
- MACA Contemporary Art Museum
- Basilica of Santa María
- Santa Bárbara Castle