A paradise of biodiversity in the Viera y Clavijo Botanical Garden

History

The project to create a Botanical Garden was born from the dream of the Swedish botanist Eric Ragnor Svensson - who decided to Latinise his name to Sventenius - to create a single place where all the botanical wealth of the very diverse islands could be brought together. Thus, in 1952, with the help of the technicians of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, Sventenius selected the place where the Garden would grow, and immediately began his tour of the islands to fill it with his specimens. However, he had to deal with numerous landscaping and structural problems, always bearing in mind the prospect of 40 years from now, when the species would be fully developed.

With the help of collaborators such as Fernando Navarro, Juan Nogales and Jaime O'Shanahan, he managed to overcome all these difficulties so that, in 1959, the Botanical Garden opened its doors to the public under the name of the Viera y Clavijo Botanical Garden in honour of the 18th century Canarian naturalist José de Viera y Clavijo, a disciple of the botanist Cavanilles and pioneer of the natural sciences in the Canary Islands archipelago.

Unfortunately, Sventenius lost his life in a traffic accident on 23 June 1973, in front of the Garden itself, and so today, at the suggestion of D. Navarro, a tomb in memory of the creator lies in the laurel forest area where the garden staff pay tribute to him every year. After his death, other naturalists have continued with the work of study and consolidation of the Canarian Garden, where today several lines of research are being carried out with the aim of developing scientific knowledge of the exclusive flora of the archipelago.

What to see?

Inside this true natural treasure located on the edge of the Guiniguada ravine, visitors can discover a wide variety of species, both from the Canary Islands and the Macaronesia region, some of which are in danger of extinction. The Garden is organised in such a way that, as you walk along the paths that cross its 27 hectares, delimited by this exclusive flora, you will be able to contemplate the different ecosystems that make up the island.

The first thing you will see as you pass the main entrance to the Viera y Clavijo Botanical Garden is the Laurisilva Forest. This part of the garden is home to a wide range of laurel species, the island's ancient forest cover, which is now becoming increasingly scarce. If you have come through the lower part of the garden, the first thing you will find is the Plaza de las Palmeras, where all the species of palm trees endemic to the islands of the archipelago are arranged. Continuing our walk, we come to the garden's star space, the Garden of the Islands. Here you can see different endemic floral species, divided and arranged according to their island of origin. Moving towards the left side of the garden we find the Macaronesia Garden where, as its name indicates, all the endangered species of the Macaronesian archipelagos are brought together.

The next stop is the Jardín Escondido (Hidden Garden), a covered greenhouse in which various tropical species that need a high level of humidity to survive are reproduced, as well as other curiosities such as bonsais, orange trees and dwarf banana trees. Towards the centre of the garden we find the Fountain of the Wise, a monument built in homage to those naturalists who dedicated their time and effort to promoting the nature of the Canary Islands to the world.

We finish our tour with the most recent part of this site, the Garden of the World. Inaugurated in 2002, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Viera y Clavijo Botanical Garden, this space is divided into five areas, each corresponding to one of the five continents of the world, where the most representative species are included.

Finally, in case you are still hungry after visiting this magical and extensive place, there is the Restaurant Jardín Canario, located in the very centre of the Viera y Clavijo Botanical Garden, and it is a very good place to try traditional Canarian cuisine.

How to get there?

In Gran Canaria, the public transport company is Guaguas Global.

From Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

By public transport

• From San Telmo Station: lines 303, 311 and 302.
• From the Parque de Santa Catalina interchange: lines 301 and 323.

By car

• From Vegueta (14 minutes - 9,8 Km.): GC-110
• From Parque de Santa Catalina (18 minutes - 12 Km.): CG-2, GC-23 and GC-110

From the south of the island

By public transport (with change at San Telmo Station)

• From Puerto de Mogán: line n°01
• From Faro de Maspalomas Station: lines n°05 and 30
• Transfer at San Telmo Station: lines n°303, 311 and 302

By car:

• From Faro de Maspalomas (56.7 km - 44 minutes):

Motorway (GC-1) towards Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. After about 50 kilometres, in Jinámar, keep to the left lane, take the ring road (GC-4) in the direction of Tafira. Enter via Tafira (Exit to GC-110). From here there are two options:

• Lower part of the Garden (Carretera del Dragonal - Entrada Palmeral Matías Vega) At the first roundabout take the first exit (GC-310).
• Upper part of the Garden (Carretera del Centro - Entrada Calle Jardín Canario) Continue along the GC-110. At the second roundabout take the exit towards Santa Brígida. After about 700 metres you will find the entrance to the Jardín.

Opening hours

• Monday to Friday, non-holiday days:

• from 7:30 to 19:00 (summer timetable, from April to September).

• 7.30am to 6pm (winter opening hours, October to March).

• Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays: from 10:00 to 18:00.

The last access allowed is always one hour before closing time.

• 24th, 25th, 31st December and 1st January: CLOSED.

Prices

Admission is free!

Access to the Garden can be via the Tafira entrance (upper part) or via the El Dragonal road (lower part), with parking at both entrances.

A charming hotel a few steps away from the Viera y Clavijo Botanical Gardens