Sculptures, fountains, citrus trees, bamboo groves, fragrant eucalyptus, towering cypresses and bougainvillea-covered nooks lie scattered along the paths criss-crossing the small, enchanting gardens of the Palau de Pedralbes (itself closed to the public). Among the little-known treasures here are a vine-covered parabolic pergola and a gurgling fountain of Hercules (buried in thick vegetation before being rediscovered in 1984), both designed by Antoni Gaudí (the fountain's bust is a re-creation). At the park's northeast end stand the Gaudí-designed, Islamic-influenced Pavellons Güell, stables and a porter’s lodge built between 1884 and 1887; this was Gaudí's fist commission for Eusebi Güell and reopened in 2022 after extensive restorations.
The Palau, in whose original renovations Gaudí also had a hand, belonged to Eusebi Güell (Gaudí’s patron) until he donated it as a royal residence in 1918; it was later rebuilt in its current Noucentista incarnation. Past guests include King Alfonso XIII and General Franco.
