Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo

The Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo is the largest botanical garden in Spain, located at Camino del Palmeral in Tafira Alta, on the hills above Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. It lies in the Barranco Guiniguada, a ravine to the south-west of the city centre, and is named after the Canarian naturalist and writer José de Viera y Clavijo. The garden is dedicated to the plants of the Canary Islands and the wider Macaronesian region, including many endemic species found nowhere else.

The grounds are laid out in themed areas that follow the ravine's slopes. Visitors walk through collections of Canarian flora such as dragon trees, Canary Island pines, laurel forest species, cacti, succulents and the distinctive Echium and Aeonium plants. A laurel forest section recreates the humid cloud forest vegetation that once covered large parts of the islands, and other areas present rock gardens, palm collections and plants from dry coastal zones. Paths and viewpoints give good vantage points over the valley, and the elevated setting provides cooler air than the coast. The garden also has an important research and conservation role, which adds to its interest for visitors with a botanical focus.

A visit usually takes two to three hours, and admission is free. Typical opening hours are daily from morning to late afternoon, but visitors should confirm times locally. Spring is the best season, when many plants are in flower and the weather is mild, while mornings are cooler and quieter at any time of year. The garden is reached by the Global bus line to Tafira from Parque San Telmo, or by taxi in about twenty minutes. Comfortable shoes are recommended because paths include slopes and steps, and visitors should bring water and sun protection. Photography is popular, especially of the dragon trees and the views down the valley.