Jardines del Palacio Real

The gardens of the Royal Palace of Olite belong to one of the most unusual castles in Spain. In the fifteenth century, King Charles III the Noble of Navarre (Carlos III el Noble) built a palace here that was meant to be more a place of pleasure than a fortress. Its soaring Gothic halls, towers and terraces were planted with gardens, with orange trees, vines and rare plants, and kept animals in menageries, which impressed visitors from across Europe. The palace served as one of the main residences of the Navarrese court, and its outlines still dominate the town.

The complex today has two linked parts. The Old Palace, with its thick walls, is now a Parador hotel, the Parador de Olite. The New Palace is the larger and more spectacular section open to visitors, restored from the late 1930s onward after centuries of decay and damage. Walking through, you pass the Great Hall, vaulted galleries, the Queen's Garden, a courtyard with orange trees and a series of terraces with views across the Navarrese plain toward vineyards and distant hills.

The towers add height and drama. Three of them can be climbed: the Tower of Homage (Torre del Homenaje), the Three Crowns Tower (Torre de las Tres Coronas) and the Four Winds Tower (Torre de los Cuatro Vientos). The staircases are narrow and steep in places, but the reward is a wide panorama of the town's rooftops, the church of Santa María la Real and the plains stretching away. Pointed windows, corbels and battlements show the fantastic taste of the late Gothic court.

Visits can be self-guided with audio guides or led by a guide, and there are activities designed for children, with a trail and an educational pack, which make a day here easy to pitch to families. Allow about one to two hours inside, and more if you enjoy photographing architecture.

Olite itself is a compact medieval town, with a main square, Plaza de Carlos III el Noble, ringed by bars and restaurants that serve local Navarrese wines. Other stops include the Iglesia de Santa María la Real, the Casa de la Cadena and wine cellars, so the palace is the anchor for a half-day in town. The site suits history enthusiasts, families and anyone who likes fairy-tale castles with a dose of real history.