Nowadays the gardens are open to the public but normally the building is closed. The building hosts, for instance, summer courses by the University of the Basque Country and some concerts from the Musical Fortnight.

When regent Queen María Cristina, King Alfonso XIII's mother, began spending her summer holidays in Donostia-San Sebastián, arose the need of building a "Royal Country House". The Queen chose the Count of Morianna's property, a small hillock between the city centre and Antiguo neighbourhood, with fantastic views of La Concha bay.

Following the project by English architect Selden Wornum, master builder José Goikoa built the structure in English style, but added some Neo-Gothic elements too. The compound was completed with stables, workshop and coach houses. Besides, they built a big park designed by Pierre Ducasse. In all, Miramar Palace and the park cover a surface area of 34,136 square metres.

After the Queen's decease the property went to Alfonso XIII. During the II Republic it was expropriated and, years later, given back to the Borbón family. The Town Council bought a part of the propriety (present palace and gardens) in 1972.

Nowadays the gardens are open to the public but normally the building is closed. The building hosts, for instance, summer courses by the University of the Basque Country and some concerts from the Musical Fortnight.