Botanical Garden Malaga

Have you ever been to a jungle? Botanical Garden Malaga can take you there! With its unique and extravagant vegetation it will allow you to get that tropical jungle feel without leaving Europe.

A must-see for every nature lover, La Concepción Historical-Botanical Garden (Jardín Botánico-Histórico La Concepción) is a true gem recognised not only in Malaga but throughout Europe. This English style garden hosts an impressive collection of tropical and subtropical plants embellished with multiple ponds, waterfalls and sculptures. It definitely one of the best places to visit in Malaga, for our other picks check top 7 things to do in Malaga.

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1. Botanical Garden Malaga info

Where is it?

La Concepción Jardín Botánico-Historico de Málaga
Camino del Jardín Botánico, 3
29014 – MALAGA

How to get to the Botanical Garden Malaga by bus?

The Botanical Garden is located north from the centre of Malaga and it´s easily accessible by bus, look for line number 2 or 91 and then take a short walk.

You can also comfortably reach it by car or a taxi (around 10€).

When is it open?

1 st April – 30th September 9:30-19:30 (Tuesday-Sunday)

1st October – 31st March 9:30-16:30 (Tuesday-Sunday)

24th & 31st December 9:30-15:00

Closed on 25th December & 1st January

Planning the visit:

We highly recommend to secure at least 2-3 hours although you can easily spent there almost whole day. You can stay in the garden for up to an hour and a half after closing time so enjoy the sunset!
Check Garden´s website for the blooming time of specific plants, the best time to visit the Garden is of course Spring and Summer but even Autumn and Winter will have some surprises for the visitors.
To avoid crowds we recommend visiting the Botanical Garden Malaga during weekdays or in the morning.

Botanical Garden Malaga entrance fee

Standard fee: €5.20

Reduced: €3.10 (students, pensioners, children up to 16 years old, large families)

Children under 6 years old: free

Free entry: every Sundays during the opening hours

For other free activities in Malága check our Top 15 free entry places in Malaga

2. What can you find in Botanical Garden Malaga?

La Concepción Botanical Garden hosts an enormous collection of more than 25,000 plants and it consists many different sections showing the natural diversity of flora all around the world. Be sure to ask for a map at the ticket office (or download it below), it’s easy to miss some stunning views!

Its’ heart is the 3.5 hectares the Historical Garden with more than 3000 species, waterfalls, streams, fountains, greenhouses and historical buildings. It’s the oldest part of La Concepción, created 150 years ago by Loring family and soon declared a “garden of historical and artistic interest”.

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La Concepción estate stayed in the private hands until 1990 when it has been purchased by Malaga City Council. New, modern thematic gardens has been added to the Historical Part to create a space for research, preservation and education. Now Botanical Garden Malaga occupies 55 hectares and apart from being a popular touristic attraction it creates space for species preservation, research and education.

The Historical Garden is surrounded by the botanical garden with plants arranged in distinct sections: the aquatic plants, prehistoric plants, orchids, greenhouses.

Additionally, in the northern section of the Botanical Garden Malaga, you can find a route known as “Around the World in 80 Trees” and a collection of palm trees as well as a section with regional plants.

The southern, warmest part of the garden is a selection of subtropical fruit trees as well as cacti and succulents. Finally, in the upper section of the Garden you can find two routes – “Forest” and “Viewpoint” featuring indigenous Mediterranean plants.

3. While visiting do not miss:

The arbour – the gem of the Botanical Garden Malaga is an iron pergola covered in Wisteria. It blooms in late March and early April, creating one of the most emblematic views of La Concepción.

The Loring museum – bifore a house to a magnificent collection of archaeological remains like Lex Flavia Malacitana, set of bronze tablets with Roman law statutes govering Malaca in AD 81-84. Now it displays a reconstruction of a Roman mosaic from the village of Cartama.

The Nymph’s pond – a small pond with a sculpture by Valentin Dueñas is located next to the waterfalls and palm trees section.

The stately home – a classical style villa located in the central part of the Historical Garden; built by its original founders it hosted numerous social gatherings.

The historical viewpoint – the most characteristic spot of Botanical Garden Malaga is visible from the motorway. The historical viewpoint was built in 1920 by the second owner of the garden, Rafael Echevarria.

4. What to do in the Botanical Garden Malaga?

Discover fauna and flora! Admiring plants is the obvious part of the visit but let´s not forget that Botanical Garden is also a home for many different animals including rabbits, multiple species of birds, frogs and chameleons so keep your eyes sharp and cameras ready!

Reset your mind! Meditate a little in one of the hidden corners of the garden and let go of the everyday stress.

Have a picnic! Since The Botanical Garden provides multiple resting areas we highly recommend to take your lunch withyou and enjoy it in the exotic ambience of the garden. These picnic areas can be found in several spots of the gardens.

Make it special! The Garden offers guided visits, nocturnal visits, events and workshops for children – check their website to plan ahead.

Take a photo! Visit to the Botanical Garden is a really good chance to take stunning holiday photos in an exotic setting. Choose between desert-like section with succulents and cactuses or a jungle with palm trees and monstera plants.

Go on a hike! If you are dreaming about hiking in Spain and admiring the stunning landscapes but the length of your visit won´t allow you to leave Malaga, we highly recommend two mini-hiking routes in the Garden – Viewpoint and Forest. They will allow you to get a taste of the wilder part of Spain with beautiful views and ingenious fauna and flora.

Enjoy a romantic date! The ambience of the garden and its lush flora create a perfect atmosphere for a romantic stroll along winding paths and charming waterfalls.

Learn! Take a thematic route and learn more about plants in different parts of the world. Among many others you can try “Around the World in 80 Trees” or “Mapa-Mundi” of palm trees.

5. History of the Botanical Garden Malaga

The 150 years history of the Jardín Botánico-Histórico La Concepción starts with Marquis and Marchioness of the House of Loring, Jorge Enrique Loring y Oyarzábal and Amalia Heredia Livermore, an influential couple well known among the bourgeois of Malaga.

In 1855 they joined together several smaller estates north of the city which were previously used for cultivation of olives, almonds, vines and citrus trees. The garden quickly gained recognition under the supervision of a French gardener Jacinto Chamoussent. It was famous not only for the great collection of plants but also thanks to multiple archaeological remains gathered by Loring Museum located in La Conception.

In 1911 La Conceptión Estate was purchased by Rafael Echevarria and Amalia Echevarrieta, a couple from Bilbao who expanded the Garden and added many of its most characteristic elements such as the Nymph Stream, the Palm Tree Avenue, the Viewpoint.

The third owner was Amalia´s brother Horacio Eschevarrieta. He took over the Estate in 1943 and kept it in a perfect condition until his death in 1963. Subsequent years saw a gradual decline of the Garden.

Finally, in 1990, Malaga City Council purchased the Estate and after 4 years opened it to the public. As early as 1943 the garden has been declared a Place of Historical and Artistic Interest and now it is known as a Place of Cultural Interest.

Visiting the stunning Botanical Garden Malaga is undoubtedly going to be one of the top things to do here. It’s a perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city center so enjoy your time there!

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