Jardins

de Mossèn

Costa i Llobera

In the Nascut a Barcelona article, Oscar mentioned places that tourists never find — and I have one to add, without a doubt my favourite spot in Barcelona: the Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera.

Six hectares on the slope of Montjuïc, filled with over 800 species of cacti and succulents from the deserts of Africa, Madagascar, Mexico and South America. The kind of place that makes you forget, for a moment, that Barcelona is just below you.

My ongoing obsession with cacti took me in 2024 to the Tabernas desert and later to Níjar, where I visited a cactus museum — although very hard to beat, the Barcelona one has its own very particular charm.

This place is tucked away on Montjuïc, and thankfully not occupied by thousands of tourists. It offers a perfect spot for rest, facing the sea, so you also get a beautiful viewpoint. You encounter different types of cacti and some of the most impressive succulent plants — very different from the type of vegetation you tend to find in a Mediterranean climate like Barcelona’s.

I have been there twice and had a wonderful time both visits.

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A rare find in a city as dense as Barcelona — and it deserves to be visited.

The cactus collection · Montjuic

— The View —

The gardens face south towards the sea. From the upper terraces you can see the port of Barcelona and the Mediterranean stretching all the way to the horizon — one of those views that stops you mid-step and makes you stay longer than you planned.

Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera are open daily, free of charge. Carretera de Miramar, Montjuïc.

Gardens of Mossen Costa i Llobera from above

Palm terraces · Montjuïc

— How to Visit —

Take Bus 150 from Paral·lel. The entrance is free, and the gardens are open year-round. Go in the morning or late afternoon for the best light.

I highly recommend this place. It is a rare find in a city as dense as Barcelona, and it deserves to be visited.