We all know Europe is a wonderful place to visit at pretty much any time of year. The streets turn gold every autumn, while the winter season sees twinkling lights flung up on buildings, lampposts and everything in between.
But spring is when the world looks alive again, with dazzling flowers breathing new, vivid life into parks, squares, riversides and forests right across the continent. So, from the forests of Scotland to the mountains of Poland, these are the best places to see spring blooms in Europe.
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Tulips at Keukenhof, Netherlands
Whether you’re a flower fiend or not, the blindingly bright displays of tulips at Keukenhof gardens definitely won’t fail to wow. It’s the largest bulb garden in the world, boasting over 800 varieties of tulips and seven million blooms, plus irises, lilies, daffodils, orchids and hyacinths. 2024 marks its 75th anniversary, so what better time could there be to visit?
Bluebells in Kinclaven Bluebell Wood, Scotland
Bluebells are about to sprout all over the UK, but the aptly named Kinclaven Bluebell Wood in Perthshire boasts one of the boldest, bluest displays. The flowers completely carpet the forest ground, which is nestled cosily on a bend of the River Tay. It’s quite a spectacular sight.
Cherry Blossom in Stockholm, Sweden
Though they’re native to Japan, cherry blossoms bloom all over the world, including in the Swedish capital. Kungsträdgården hosts an annual festival in late April, but Hammarby Sjöstad is the place to avoid the crowds. Either way though, the blooms here form a delicious icy pink canopy.
Poppies in Tuscany, Italy
In mid-April between rows of vines, poppies pop up all over Tuscany, providing a fiery contrast to the big blue sky. It’s like the rains have rolled out their very own red carpet, which only adds warmth to this region’s already vivid natural beauty.
Crocuses in the Chochołowska Valley, Poland
Tucked away in the south of Poland, spring is the time when the edges of the Chochołowska Valley totally explode with shades of violet and yellow. That’s because Crocuses, these tiny bundles of colour, begin blooming as soon as the mountain snow has begun to shift. The hills certainly come alive.
Did you see that these have been named Europe’s 25 best beaches?
Plus: this European country is the happiest in the world for under 30s.
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