Hello dear travel enthusiasts. Today I want to invite you to a very beautiful and unusual place in southern Spain. Three months ago we traveled to Torremolinos and had the opportunity to visit its magnificent botanical garden. Despite being in the cold season this piece of paradise was warm, sunny, covered in greenery and had many beautiful spots to relax. After a 22 minute car ride we arrived at the main gate of the botanical garden.
This place is a small but very interesting botanical garden called Molino de Inca. This oasis of beauty hosts many striking and unique tropical plants. According to the informative signs, the garden was renovated in 2003 and now houses over a thousand plant species, including 150 palm species, 300 trees and 400 shrubs and shrub species. We enjoyed being able to observe the garden from different perspectives as it spread over a hilly area. Covering more than 15.500 square meters this place is a paradise where nature lovers can have a great time with its unique flora.
The tropical section of the garden was the place that impressed me the most. Incredible palm trees grow here. They stand out with their unusual branches, trunks, strange shapes and lush leaves. One of the palm trees we encountered had a very thick trunk and only a few top branches. This tree's trunk was entirely covered with hard and sharp thorns. Another palm tree was bearing fruit during our visit.
Each tree in the garden had a plaque indicating its name, so we could learn a lot about the plants.
The botanical garden is constructed in layers with ornate paths, easily climbable steps and beautiful bridges, allowing us to enjoy magnificent views as we climbed higher. There were romantic benches and shaded corners everywhere and thanks to the pools, fountains and tiny streams in this exotic garden, there was a refreshing and breathable atmosphere. All of these together created a pleasant cooling ambiance.
In the central part there was a large main fountain surrounded by neatly shaped palm trees and small waterfalls. A powerful jet of water shot up, sprinkling the palm leaves with tiny water droplets. Brightly colored rainbows could be seen here.
There was a beautiful sculpture composition of four elegant statues of muses next to this fountain. These muses symbolized the four seasons and stood in a circle, representing the cyclical flow of time. Beside the fountain two large sand-colored stone lions added a special charm to this fountain.
As we walked through the garden we encountered older statues. Molino de Inca also features several romantic pavilions with panoramic platforms offering views of the garden from above. We checked out three beautiful viewing pavilions.
Here there was also an interesting living labyrinth created from circles of shrubs and fountains. The natural labyrinth had a diameter of 50 meters and at its center was a large coniferous tree, a Chilean fir.
Because we were in the cold season, the shrubs had shed most of their leaves, so there were gaps in the labyrinth. However, I imagine that in the summer, when the dense foliage is in full bloom, the labyrinth would look truly enchanting and mysterious.
Nearby there were unusual fountains decorated with funny frogs. The fountains themselves definitely needed cleaning, as they were quite dusty. However it was impossible not to notice how childish, funny and cute they were. They were decorated with tiles adorned with painted animal figures and had fun frog figurines on all four sides.
There were also several beautiful benches covered in ceramic tiles and decorated with lovely pictures.
In different grassy areas of the botanical garden we saw large birdhouses surrounded by coniferous trees. Various bird species behaviors, plumage and songs could be observed here. These included various species of parrots, hawks, eagles, owls, pheasants and other valuable birds. In this way the botanical garden hosts many birds, some of which are unique specimens.
However the true gem of this botanical garden is the old flour mill around which this tropical garden is centered, known as Molino de Inca. The mill itself looks like a beautiful Andalusian style Spanish villa with its white walls, tiled roof and open balconies. It is located at the entrance of the botanical garden, to the right of the main gate. Here, there is a ticket booth where tickets are sold. This is not just a beautiful administrative building for the garden but a replica of an old flour mill. This mill is named after Don Joseph de Inca Mendes de Sotomayor, who received permission from the Malaga City Council on August 8 1700, to build two mills and a hammer for copper forging.
The mill building has been restored and now serves as a flour mill museum. Inside on the ground floor, there are interesting exhibits about mills. There were also plaques explaining in detail the working principles of the milling devices. There are even models with interactive features that visually demonstrate the operating principles of the mill. By pressing a button we could activate the water wheel of a mill.
When we climbed the stairs to the second floor, we could see some household items of the mill owners. From here we saw the central square with red flowers in clay pots and a fountain among the palm trees. This balcony provided an incredible view of a large fountain with turquoise water and sculpture compositions.
Thank you for walking with me in this magnificent botanical garden. See you in the next post.