While many wait until Summer to head on holiday, visiting Europe in the spring is often a much more enjoyable experience.
With crisp blue skies, trees brimming with blossom and scatterings of wildflowers popping up across parks and gardens, the transition between winter and spring is a magical time to visit Western Europe. What’s more, this time of year attracts less tourists than peak season, meaning there won’t be the added complication of navigating a new city in the blistering heat with swarms of tourists around.
Gordon Nardini, Head of Innovation at Ambassador Cruise Line, the UK’s premium-value no-fly cruise line, has compiled a list of the most stunning cities in bloom to help you discover the best places to witness the ‘natural magic’ of spring across Europe.
Lisbon, Portugal
Amongst the most iconic sights in the Portuguese capital at this time of year are the jacaranda trees. Lining the streets with delicate purple flowers, during spring you will find these trees dotted all over Lisbon. The flowers bloom at the beginning of spring, so this is a great time to lose yourself under the purple canopies whilst stopping for a pastel del nata along the way.
Alongside the lilac streets, the parks in Lisbon will be brimming with an array of colourful flowers at this time of year. Most notably the capital has two beautiful botanical gardens; one in Belem and one in Principe Real. Within these gardens you will find over 30 varieties of flowers and trees from former Portuguese colonies. And if you time it right, the magnolia trees will also be in full bloom across the gardens, creating an oasis of pink and white peace among the bustling city centre.
Dublin, Ireland
Compared to the bitter Irish winds of the winter months, in the springtime, Dublin comes alive.
While the Irish capital is renowned for its cobbled streets, pints of Guinness and folk music, in spring, Dublin Bay takes the limelight for its natural beauty. From vibrant wildflowers to primroses, sea pinks and wild garlic, natural displays of flowers carpet the cliffside and are best seen when entering the bay by ship. It is also likely you’ll stumble across crab-apple trees bursting with white blossom or coastal gorse peppered with yellow and purple heathers, making the Dublin coastline the perfect spot to witness the natural world in full bloom.
And for those who prefer to stay in the city centre, a trip to St Patrick’s Cathedral Park is a must for any hyacinth fans. During mid-April, these flowers perfume the air providing a full sensory experience for visitors as they wander around the park in full bloom.
Barcelona, Spain
In Spain’s capital in springtime, one of the most spectacular sights are the bougainvillea vines cascading down balconies and terraces. With the pink, purple and red hues of the flowers contrasting against the backdrop of the whitewashed buildings, Barcelona is one of the most charming places to see these climbing vines.
For those who are up for a bit of a climb, located on the foothills of Montjuic, The Barcelona Rose Garden is a great place to witness the city’s blooming roses. Consisting of over 10,000 rose bushes with a huge variety and colours, The Cervantes Rose Garden is a beautiful park and is best seen during the spring when the roses are in bloom. In contrast to other parks in the city, this one doesn’t have many trees that offer shadow making it a great place to enjoy the sun during the slightly colder spring months.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
In springtime, Amsterdam’s April showers give way to May flowers.
Famous for its water ways, as the temperatures rise the towering tree-lined canals of Amsterdam come alive with fresh green foliage and vibrant window boxes that pop up on house boats. These boxes can be filled with a whole range of flowers but most commonly you will find tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and pansies adding a cheerful splash of colour to the cityscape.
Another unmissable site when visiting The Netherlands are the tulip fields, bursting into life from mid-April to early-May. With over seven million bulbs planted by hand in autumn so they can flower just in time for spring, the colourful lines of the tulip fields are world-renowned – and for good reason. So, to see this iconic sight, be sure to book a tour when in the city.
Olbia, Sardinia
Nestled on the northeastern coast of Sardinia, Olbia is a hidden gem. In spring, the azure waters, never reaching this colour at any other time of year, rise to a warm enough temperature for visitors to enjoy leisurely swims and sun-drenched afternoons.
And to accompany these crystal-clear blue waters, along the coastline, wildflowers appear to burst out of nowhere, scattering the coast with yellow blues, red and violets. On the sand you may also find crops of “sea roses”, delicate blooms on long stalks that grow in clumps. It is a magnificent sight to catch the pale pink petals contrasting sharply against the turquoise sea.
So, if you’re thinking of heading away this summer, why not bring it forward? Spring can be one of the most impressive times to see the world in full bloom and a great way to witness the natural beauty the world has to offer.
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