The 5 Most Beautiful Gardens in Europe You Must See

December 14, 2021

by Beata Vasvary

5 minutes read

A riot of colors, the smell of blooming flowers, arched bridges, weeping willows, the sound of trickling water. Gardens are places of solace and tranquillity, a way to escape from everyday life. Interaction with nature is proven to help with stress, happiness, and general wellbeing. No wonder that more and more people seek the tranquillity of gardens in this rushing and noisy world. It’s in our innate desire to connect with the natural world and with each other. Almost all European capitals feature beautiful green spaces where you can merge into the world of nature, however, we have collected some of the gardens that hold exceptional beauty. Let’s discover the five most beautiful gardens in Europe you must see!

1. Gardens of the Palace of Versailles, France

The Garden of Versailles, planned by André Le Nôtre, is perhaps one of the most luxurious and exquisite gardens in the world. The first thing you will notice, is its vastness, as it stretches away towards the horizon. Meticulously manicured lawns, beautiful sculptures, rich flower beds, imposing hedgerows, bronze groups, ornamental basins, babbling fountains, broad avenues, long rows of large trees, and an Orangery are just a few key elements of these unique gardens. In addition, discover palm, pomegranate, lemon, and orange trees transported from Portugal, Spain, and Italy. They are all housed in the Orangery during the wintertime. If only trees could talk, some of them are more than 200 years old!

Creating the gardens was a big task for sure. For instance, thousands of men took part in this immense project and huge amounts of soil were used to shift level to the ground. The way the garden looks now is similar to how it would have looked in the age of Louis XIV. Explore every little corner of it!

2. Most Beautiful Gardens in Europe: Keukenhof Garden, Lisse, The Netherlands

Keukenhof, located in the province of South Holland about thirty kilometers from Amsterdam, is also known as the Garden of Europe, for a good reason. Being one of the world’s largest flower gardens, it covers an area of 32 hectares. The garden used to be a hunting ground during the 15th century and an herb garden. This explains why the name of the garden actually translates to “Kitchen Garden”.

Contemplate the work of over 40 gardeners who plant seven million flower bulbs every autumn. The garden is only open to the general public from mid-March to mid-May when flowers are in their full bloom. Keukenhof is also proud to have four large greenhouses, a Japanese garden, an inspirational garden, and a Renaissance garden, just to mention a few. Discover a kaleidoscope of crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, and a total of 800 varieties of tulips unfolding in front of your eyes. It’s awe-inspiring! No matter if you’ve been here once already, each year there is a different theme in the park. Aren’t you curious what the next one will be?

3. Rose Garden, Madrid, Spain

If you are a romantic type, this garden will sweep you off your feet. In fact, it provides a perfect spot for an unforgettable, romantic date. Imagine strolling among the colorful rose bushes and rose arches with a constant delicate fragrant all around you. Take your time to smell all of the roses and find the one that you love the most. Sit down on one of the benches for a while, cuddle a little bit and contemplate the myriad of colors.

Featuring 600 different varieties of modern rosebushes coming from all over the world, it is definitely one of the most exceptional rose gardens. The park was designed by Ramon Ortiz in 1955 who was Madrid City Council’s head gardener. In 2006, it rightfully won the “Garden Excellence Award” granted by the World Federation of Rose Societies. This is a must-visit especially for keen gardeners but even if you are not a true gardener, you can’t help but be taken in with how beautiful and tranquil the place is.

4. Most Beautiful Gardens in Europe: Bodnant Garden, Conwy, Wales

Bodnant Garden, nestled in the Conwy Valley at the heart of an age-old farming community, is home to towering trees, grand terraces, manicured lawns, wildflower glades, gorgeous hillsides, and lush meadows. The garden dates back to 1874 and remained privately owned until 1949 when it was gifted to the National Trust. The park is filled with plants collected by famous explorers such as Ernest Wilson, George Forrest, and Harold Comber. Furthermore, it is home to the earliest and grandest laburnum arch built-in 1880.

Discover all the exciting plants that the garden gives home to: Blue Poppies of the Himalayas, Fire Bushes of the Andes, Magnolia, Eucryphia, Rhododendron Hybrids and many more. It’s a year-round spectacle!

5. Most Beautiful Gardens in Europe:Kew Gardens, London, UK

Founded in 1840, The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are a true sanctuary less than 30 minutes from the center of London. There is something to see in every corner of this beautiful garden. A treetop walkway, a Japanese landscape, a lovely kitchen garden, a bamboo garden, a pagoda, a Mediterranean garden, a palm house, and so on and so forth. Did you know that it is London’s largest UNESCO World Heritage Site? Well, it’s for a good reason.

In this magical garden, you can also find the world’s largest surviving Victorian glasshouse. Designed by Decimus Burton and completed in 1899, it is an iconic landmark of the Royal Botanical Gardens. Lose yourself in this elegant, antique glasshouse housing 10,000 plants, some of which are extremely rare.