Hidden among the orange groves in the Valencian Community, there is a place that feels quietly extraordinary. Welcome to the Todolí Citrus Foundation, a farm that is gently rewriting what most people think citrus means.
This is not about oranges and lemons lined up in neat rows. Todolí is home to more than 500 different citrus varieties, making it the largest private citrus collection in the world.
Some are familiar, many are not. Buddha’s hand, finger lime, sudachi, bergamot, calamansi, trifoliate orange and pomelo all grow here, often just metres apart.
Todolí Citrus Foundation: Sharing with friends
Vicente Todolí, former director of Tate Modern, created the foundation as a non profit project. From the start, it had no commercial ambition. Todolí shared the fruit with friends, neighbours and the occasional ice cream maker. That changed when chefs began to discover what was growing quietly in this corner of the Valencian countryside.
What makes Todolí stand out goes beyond variety. It lies in how the fruit is grown. The foundation follows organic practices throughout, without pesticides or chemical shortcuts. Frogs, bees and songbirds thrive among the groves, species that have vanished from many commercial citrus farms.
The team manages water through traditional irrigation channels and ponds, a system inherited from Arab agriculture. This method stores water efficiently and suits the Mediterranean climate.
Climate change
According to the foundation’s technical director, Óscar Olivares Fuster, this work matters far beyond the Valencian Community. Spain leads the world in fresh citrus exports, yet climate change already alters where and how fruit can grow. Todolí’s collection serves as a genetic safety net, offering scientists and growers a place to study which varieties cope best with cold, heat and shifting conditions.
At the farm, some citrus trees shed their leaves in winter. Others withstand colder nights or require less water. These traits may shape how growers cultivate citrus in the future, possibly further north in Europe, as southern regions face increasing pressure.
Discover more
The farm now offers guided visits by appointment, welcoming people who want to understand citrus beyond the supermarket shelf.
Tours are offered from Monday to Friday: 9:00 to 14:00 and from 15:00 to 18:00. On Saturdays: 10:00 to 12:30. Visits must be pre-booked via the website : todolicitrusfundacio.org.
The farm is located at Carrer l’Esglèsia, 28, 46714 Palmera, Valencia, about 40 minutes drive north of Benidorm.
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