Jardins de Santa Clotilde

Jardins de Santa Clotilde is a historic Italian Renaissance-style garden perched on a cliff above the Mediterranean in Lloret de Mar. It stands as one of the finest examples of Noucentista garden architecture in Catalonia, where stone stairways and terraces descend straight toward the sea, framing the bay at nearly every turn.

How did the garden come to be?

The story begins in 1919, when the Marquis Raúl Roviralta, captivated by the Renaissance gardens of Italy, commissioned a private garden estate on the cliffs of Lloret. He entrusted the design to Nicolau Rubió i Tudurí, one of the leading landscape architects of the period and a key figure of the Noucentista movement. The gardens were named after Roviralta's first wife, Clotilde Rocamora, whom he met in 1917. Clotilde died in 1927, before the project was finished, and work stalled for a time. Construction resumed only after Roviralta remarried, to Odile, and continued through to completion after the end of the Spanish Civil War — with the gardens keeping Clotilde's name as a lasting tribute.

The Roviralta family owned the estate for decades until 1997, when the Lloret de Mar town council acquired it, carried out a restoration, and opened it to the public as part of the town's cultural heritage. Three years earlier, in 1994, the Catalan government (Generalitat de Catalunya) had already declared it a Bien Cultural de Interés Nacional — a cultural asset of national significance.

What will you see there?

The garden's layout is built around sightlines, terraces, and stone staircases that step down the cliff face toward small coves at sea level. True to Rubió i Tudurí's design, cypresses, clipped hedges, and geometric green compositions dominate — hallmarks of Noucentisme, a style rooted in classical order and restraint, developed in reaction to the more ornamental Catalan Modernisme that preceded it. Rather than showy flowerbeds, the garden favors architectural elements: balustrades, viewpoints, stone walls, and stairways worked directly into the natural rock.

The centerpiece, though, is the view itself — a sweeping panorama of the Mediterranean unfolding from the cliffside terraces. The gardens are widely regarded as one of the best-preserved examples of early 20th-century private garden architecture on the Costa Brava.

When is the best time to visit?

Given the open terraces, stone steps, and full sun exposure, spring and autumn offer the most comfortable conditions and the best light for photography. In summer, afternoon sun on the cliff can get intense, so a morning visit is worth planning for. The gardens sit within easy reach of central Lloret de Mar, making it simple to pair a visit with time on the beach or a walk along the seafront promenade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who designed the Jardins de Santa Clotilde? The garden was commissioned in 1919 by Marquis Raúl Roviralta, with the landscape design created by architect Nicolau Rubió i Tudurí, a leading figure of Catalan Noucentisme.

Where does the garden's name come from? It is named after Clotilde Rocamora, Roviralta's first wife, whom he met in 1917. She died in 1927 before the project was completed, and her name remained as a permanent tribute.

Is the garden open to visitors today? Yes. Since 1997 it has belonged to the Lloret de Mar town council, which restored it and opened it to the public. In 1994 it was declared a cultural asset of national significance by the Generalitat de Catalunya.

What makes this garden stand out on the Costa Brava? Its unique cliffside setting overlooking the sea, combined with a Noucentista style built on geometry, cypress trees, and stone terraced architecture rather than lush flowering plantings.