Parque de Ferrera, Avilés, Public park in Avilés, Spain.
Parque de Ferrera is a public park that combines two distinct garden styles in one space. One section follows English landscape design with mature trees, while another features French formal garden design with geometric flowerbeds and fountains.
The estate belonged to the Marquises of Ferrera from the 15th century; the palace was built in the mid-17th century, when the grounds were laid out as English-style gardens with stables and a French garden with fountains added at the marchioness's request. After decades of abandonment in the 20th century, the city council bought the entire 81,000 m² property for 91 million pesetas during the Spanish transition. King Juan Carlos I inaugurated the public park on 19 May 1976; the family kept the French garden until 1998, when it was sold and annexed to the English section.
The park's name comes from the Marquisate of Ferrera, its owner since the 15th century. During the Fiesta del Bollo, declared of National and International Tourist Interest, the wooded area hosts the Comida en la Calle, where generations of Avilesinos eat bollos preñados with cider. Art exhibitions are sometimes held around the perimeter.
The park is open from early morning to late evening and has multiple entrances accessible from different areas. Visitors can find a playground, sports equipment, and a reading space with newspapers inside.
The boundary between the two gardens was redrawn because the Marchioness of Ferrera was attached to a red beech tree standing on the line between them, so the planned layout was altered to keep it. The French garden stayed in the family's hands until 1998, when it was sold and joined to the English park.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,912 contributors worldwide.