Eager to get out of the heat of the city? A mere hour's drive from Manhattan lies a magical sanctuary with sprawling gardens full of Spanish flair. Its primary offering, however, is music—jazz, folk, classical—thanks to the generosity of its music-loving benefactors, Walter and Lucie Rosen.
Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, located in Katonah in Westchester County, is the perfect antidote for the grime and sweat of urban summer living. Go for the music, but take a picnic and linger in the gardens. Recent concerts include Metropolitan Opera stars singing Verdi and Emmylou Harris crooning folk. For more information on tickets and schedules, visit Caramoor.
Above: The owners of the estate, Walter and Lucie Rosen, bought Caramoor in 1928 as a country retreat. Walter Rosen spent ten years designing and building a sprawling house on the property, and the Rosen House is now a museum open for tours.
The house and its outbuildings have many features of Spanish architecture. The house is built around a central courtyard edged in an arcade supported by 12th-century Byzantine columns. Photo courtesy of Gabe Palacio Photography.
Above: The Rosens were avid collectors, and their house is filled with the art and furnishings they acquired on their many trips abroad, including 15 whole rooms imported piece-by-piece from European palaces and villas. Photograph by Caramoor via Flickr.
Above: Unfortunately, this bucolic setting has a sad provenance. When the Rosens' only son was killed serving as a pilot in World War II, they decided to transform the property into an arts center for the public as a memorial to him. Photograph by Nevik77 via Flickr.
Above: It is no accident that Caramoor has become a preminent concert setting; both Rosens were musicians and treated their friends to concerts in their home featuring well-known artists of the day. Before Walter Rosen became a banker, he considered a career as a concert pianist. Photograph by Jeanne Rostaing.
Above: Lucie Rosen became fascinated with an instrument know as the theremin, named for its inventor, Leon Theremin, who was a friend. This bizarre instrument makes a distinctive eerie sound and is played by waving your hands through an electromagnetic field. Lucie Rosen eventually gave theremin concerts in the US and Europe and commissioned a number of compositions for it. Photograph by Jeanne Rostaing.
Above: There are several beautifully maintained gardens to explore, including a shady woodland area with hosta (Shown) and a more formal sunken garden. Photograph by Jeanne Rostaing.
Above: Acres of trails welcome hikers. Rolling lawns are a signature of the Caramoor experience; concertgoers are encouraged to spread out a blanket and enjoy a picnic. Photograph by Caramoor via Flickr.
Above: Lucie Rosen is said to have wanted visitors to Caramoor to feel that they had gone to another country in another time. Caramoor seems to have become everything she hoped for, and thousands of people enjoy its gardens, educational programs, and concerts each year. Photograph by Jeanne Rostaing.
For an even more Spanish garden—this one in Spain—see The Best Secret Garden in Barcelona.