Elche is renowned for its magnificent palm forest, the only one of its kind in Europe, comprising over 300,000 century-old trees. These surround and infiltrate the whole city centre, giving it a cool shady feel. The best known area is the Huerto del Cura (The Priests Garden), home to the Imperial Palm, a huge seven-stemmed specimen. Elche is also famous for its Mystery Play (Misteri dElx) dating back to the mid 13th century, staged in August.
