In the heart of Bordighera’s English quarter, a few steps from the former Anglican Church, a garden opens up in the shade of more than sixty centuries-old olive trees. These are the Giardini Lowe, given to the town in 1902 by an English benefactor so that the elderly and the sick would have a place to rest.
Today they are a peaceful public park, where you can stop on a bench among the olive trees, let the children play and, on summer evenings, enjoy open-air concerts and shows.
An English gift to the town
Between the 19th and 20th centuries Bordighera was one of the favourite destinations of British travellers, who spent the winter here and left behind villas, churches, libraries and sports clubs. Among them was Charles Henry Lowe (the surname is also spelt Löwe), who in 1902 gave these gardens to the town for a specific purpose: to offer a place of rest and well-being to the elderly and to those staying in Bordighera for their health.
The gardens were not Lowe’s only gift. Before that, his name was already linked to the Bordighera Lawn Tennis Club, founded in 1878 and recognised as the oldest tennis club in Italy. He also donated the land for the Victoria Hall, a small theatre also used for exhibitions, in Via Vittorio Veneto, now converted into a private home.
Since the donation the garden has remained almost as it was: the only real addition is a platform for summer shows.
What to see in the Giardini Lowe
The centuries-old olive trees
The star of the garden is the olive tree: there are more than sixty, with twisted trunks and broad crowns that cast cool shade over the paths in summer. It is a small olive grove in the middle of the town.
The stone pine, the grevillea and the palms
Among the olive trees a few others stand out. A very old stone pine (Pinus pinea), with its typical umbrella-shaped crown; a Grevillea robusta, a tree of Australian origin that is covered in golden-orange flowers in spring; and several palms, including a Butia capitata, the South American palm with blue-grey, arching leaves. Flowerbeds complete the picture.
The Arena degli Ulivi
In summer part of the garden becomes the Arena degli Ulivi: on the open-air platform, surrounded by trees, concerts, shows, outdoor film screenings and other cultural events take place. You will find the upcoming events below.
The playground
The garden also has a children’s playground, renovated in 2021 with inclusive equipment designed to be used by children with physical or visual disabilities too.
Tips for your visit
- How long you need: about twenty minutes for a stroll; longer if you want a break in the shade or are with children.
- How to get in: the garden has two entrances, the main one in Via Vittorio Veneto and a second one in Via Cesare Balbo.
- When to go: in the hottest hours of summer the shade of the olive trees is a refuge; summer evenings are the time for shows at the Arena degli Ulivi.
- Combine it with: the former Anglican Church and the Lawn Tennis Club, to complete your tour of English Bordighera; the town’s other gardens, such as the Giardini Winter, the Giardini Monet and the Giardino Esotico Pallanca; and a walk along the Lungomare Argentina.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Lowe and why are the gardens named after him?
Charles Henry Lowe was an English businessman and benefactor, linked to Bordighera in the years when the town was frequented by the British colony. In 1902 he gave the gardens to the town as a place of rest for the elderly and the sick.
Where are the Giardini Lowe?
In the centre of Bordighera, in the quarter of the English villas. The main entrance is in Via Vittorio Veneto, the secondary one in Via Cesare Balbo.
Is there an admission fee?
No, the Giardini Lowe are a public park with free access.
What plants grow there?
More than sixty centuries-old olive trees, an old stone pine, a Grevillea robusta and several palms, including a Butia capitata.
Are there events in the Giardini Lowe?
Yes, in summer the Arena degli Ulivi hosts concerts, shows and open-air cinema. Upcoming events are listed on this page.
