Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera

The Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera are located on Montjuïc hill and are one of Barcelona's lesser-known sights. They overlook the sea and have a viewing point boasting spectacular panoramic vistas of the port and city coastline.

The cactus garden which also has succulent plants is considered one of the most important in Europe. It is home to more than 800 cactus species from desert and sub-desert zones around the world. This is possible because the temperature at the Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera is 2°C higher than it is in the rest of the city. This mountainous area has greater exposure to the sun's rays and is protected from the wind. This creates the perfect microclimate for these kinds of plants.

The gardens cover an area of 3.16 hectares and are also home to palm trees, exotic subtropical trees and a 200-year-old Oreocereus neocelsianus, or old man of the Andes.

The Barcelona cactus gardens opened in 1970 and are named after the great Mallorcan poet, Miquel Costa i Llobera.

If you want to feel as if you've been transported to another country, visit these amazing cactus gardens. They are free of charge. It's no surprise that a journalist from the New York Times included the Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera among the top ten gardens in the world.