The collections are organized in thematic areas, with the Atlantic Ocean as a the common thread. The integration of exceptional examples of well-preserved natural forests, such as the River Peñafrancia Alder Grove and the Carbayera de Tragamón ancient oak wood, and above all the museums and media for interpreting the content present on the tour make these Botanic Gardens a unique and distinctive area.
The four main areas into which the gardens are divided are:
- The Cantabrian Environment: a journey through the forests, thickets, meadows, dunes, marshes and mountain scenery of our territory, on the Bay of Biscay.
- The Plant Factory: an area devoted to the plants used by humans as food, medicine, fabrics or religious symbols in both the Old and New World, highlighting the continuous exchange that has existed between both sides of the Atlantic.
- The Garden of La Isla Estate: a romantic 19th-century garden designed by the industrialist from Gijón Florencio Valdés, home to surprising spots, majestic trees of various origins and valuable collections of ornamental plants.
- The Atlantic Route: a journey through the six biomes present on both sides of the North Atlantic (the boreal and temperate biomes of North America and Europe, the tropical Caribbean biome and the Mediterranean biome), which recreate the plant-life landscapes most characteristic to each territory. Two of them may already be visited: the European boreal biome and the European temperate biome, where visitors can enjoy a stroll through the riverside woods along the River Peñafrancia and visit the Natural Monument of Tragamón Oak Woods.
EXHIBITIONS
Quintana de Rionda Museums: a typical Asturian country estate formed by the house, stable, cider press, mill and raised granary-cum-storehouse recovered and refurbished as museums where you can get further information on the collections of the Plant Factory, the Cantabrian Environment and the Garden of La Isla Estate.
The Carl Linnaeus Pavilion (European boreal biome): discover the landscape of the coldest parts of Europe through the fascinating botanical and ethnographic expedition led by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century to these lands hitherto little known.
In addition to the permanent collections and exhibitions, the Botanic Gardens have an extensive educational and entertaining offering for all audiences, with children's workshops, activities in the Children's Woods, gardening courses, celebrations with each change of season, night-time activities, theatre, concerts and the like.
