Palacio de Portocarrero, Palma del Río, Renaissance palace in Palma del Río, Spain

The Palacio de Portocarrero is a Renaissance palace completed in 1505, set within 12th-century Almohad walls six to eight metres high and about two metres thick. Its facade on the Plaza del Cabildo has a Plateresque balcony flanked by Corinthian columns and crowned with the arms of the Portocarrero and Braganza families. Inside, Mudejar-Renaissance courtyards are framed by round arches on marble columns, and the walled gardens follow the Hispano-Mudejar tradition. The whole complex covers more than 11,000 square metres.

The estate was granted on 2 September 1342 by Alfonso XI to admiral Egidio Bocanegra, and the marriage contract of Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba and María Manrique de Lara was signed there on 14 February 1489. Luis Portocarrero Bocanegra, first Count of Palma, completed the palace in 1505. The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 damaged it, and after the Civil War it lay in ruins until restoration began in 1989.

The palace owes its name to Luis Portocarrero Bocanegra, first Count of Palma, who finished the building in 1505 and added his coat of arms. The facade opens onto the Plaza del Cabildo with a Plateresque balcony flanked by Corinthian columns. The gardens follow the Hispano-Mudéjar tradition, enclosed by twelfth-century Almohad walls.

Visitors can choose between guided tours, floor-level visits, or independent exploration to discover the various rooms, courtyards, and gardens at their own pace. The grounds are large, so allowing enough time to see all the different areas makes for a fuller experience.

The irrigation system running through the gardens dates back to the medieval period and still operates on the same principles used centuries ago. Underground remains of an ancient chapel and synagogue lie beneath the property, offering traces of earlier communities.