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HydrangeasSome cities are worth visiting just for the flowers: their streets turn into greenhouses, squares are covered with carpets of petals, and balconies compete in geranium splendour. We have gathered Europe's most flower-filled cities with verified facts about their main flower spots and festivals, a calendar to help you get the dates right — and a few Ukrainian addresses for spring walks.
Paris: the flower market and Bagatelle rose garden
On the Île de la Cité, a stone's throw from Notre-Dame, a flower market has operated since the early 19th century — today it bears the name of Queen Elizabeth II. Its pavilions sell cut flowers, houseplants and garden tools. In spring and summer visit the rose garden of Parc de Bagatelle in the Bois de Boulogne, home to thousands of roses of hundreds of varieties and an annual competition for new roses, and the Jardin des Plantes with its glasshouses and old trees.
Prague: rose gardens and blossoming parks
In spring Prague is awash with magnolia, cherry and lilac blossom. The best-known spots are the rose garden on Petřín Hill with its city views, the gardens below Prague Castle, open to visitors from spring to autumn, and Vyšehrad. In late April and early May Petřín's slopes are covered with flowering cherry and apple trees — one of the best times to explore the city.
Spello: the town of flower carpets
The small medieval town of Spello in Umbria is famous for its Infiorata, held on the night before Corpus Domini, in May or June. Residents spend the whole night laying carpets and pictures of petals in the streets, and in the morning a procession walks over them. In summer Spello also holds a competition for flower-decked windows, balconies and alleys, so the town looks like an open-air garden.
The Netherlands: Keukenhof and the flower parade
The Netherlands is the world capital of bulbs. Keukenhof near Lisse has opened for about eight weeks a year since 1950, from mid-March to mid-May, with around seven million tulip, daffodil and hyacinth bulbs planted. In April a flower parade of floats decorated with millions of blooms travels through the surrounding bulb district (Bollenstreek), and Aalsmeer hosts one of the world's largest flower auctions. For the history of the Dutch love of flowers, see Dutch flower traditions; for tulip varieties, see our tulip guide.
More flower destinations in Europe
- London — every May hosts the Chelsea Flower Show, the world's best-known garden show, run by the Royal Horticultural Society since 1913.
- Funchal (Madeira) — a spring Flower Festival with a parade and a "Wall of Hope" built from flowers by children.
- Brussels — every two years, in August of even-numbered years, the Grand-Place is covered with a huge carpet of hundreds of thousands of begonias.
- Girona and Córdoba — May festivals of Temps de Flors and the patios. More in our article on Spanish flower traditions.
When to go: a flower event calendar
Exact festival dates change every year and depend on the weather and the church calendar, so check official websites before you travel. April and May are best for gardens in bloom; June and July for summer balconies and roses.
Blooming cities in Ukraine
You don't have to go far. In April Uzhhorod becomes a city of sakura, with Japanese cherries blossoming on the embankment and in the centre. In Kyiv, visit the Hryshko Botanical Garden in spring, with its magnolias and one of the largest lilac collections, while Spivoche Pole regularly hosts flower shows. And if you want warmth at any time of year, head for a glasshouse — see our article on the world's most beautiful greenhouses.
Frequently asked questions
When is Keukenhof open?
Roughly from mid-March to mid-May; tulips usually peak in mid-April.
What is an Infiorata?
A festival of flower carpets in Italian towns, including Spello, held on Corpus Domini in May or June.
When is the Brussels Flower Carpet laid?
Every two years, in August of even-numbered years, on the Grand-Place.
Where can I see cherry blossom in Ukraine?
In Uzhhorod in April, and in Kyiv's botanical gardens and parks.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
