A flower festival is a great reason to plan a trip: millions of tulips in the Netherlands, a carpet of begonias on Brussels' main square, peonies in an ancient Chinese city. Here are the world's best-known flower festivals month by month, with tips on when to go and what to see. Organisers announce exact dates each year, so check before you travel.
Keukenhof (Lisse) — a park planted with around 7 million bulbs each spring. It opens for about eight weeks, from mid-March to mid-May; tulips usually peak in mid-to-late April.
Bollenstreek Flower Parade — in April, floats decorated with hyacinths and tulips travel more than 40 km from Noordwijk to Haarlem.
Corso Zundert — on the first Sunday in September, huge floats covered entirely in dahlias, built by the villagers themselves.
Battle of Flowers, Nice (February) — part of the carnival, with mimosa and carnations thrown from the floats. See French flower traditions.
RHS Chelsea Flower Show (London, May) — Britain's premier garden show, held by the Royal Horticultural Society since 1913.
Córdoba Patios Festival (May) — residents open their courtyards, draped in geraniums and bougainvillea, to visitors. See Spanish flower traditions.
Brussels Flower Carpet — every two years, in even-numbered years, in mid-August the Grand-Place is covered with a design made of roughly half a million begonias.
Madeira Flower Festival (spring) — a parade in Funchal and the "Wall of Hope" built from flowers by children.
Luoyang Peony Festival (China, April) — the self-styled peony capital has held its festival since 1983, with hundreds of varieties in bloom. See Chinese flower traditions.
Hanami (Japan, late March–April) — cherry blossom viewing in parks across the country; see Japanese flower traditions.
Istanbul Tulip Festival (April) — millions of tulips in Emirgan Park and around the city.
Chiang Mai Flower Festival (Thailand, first weekend of February) — a parade of floats made of orchids and chrysanthemums.
Flowers do not follow the calendar, so a few rules help you catch the peak:
Follow bloom forecasts on official park sites and pages: a warm or cold spring shifts dates by 1–2 weeks.
Book accommodation early, but choose free cancellation so you can adjust to the actual bloom.
Go on weekdays and early — fewer people, softer light for photos, flowers fresh after the cool night.
Check the rules: many parks forbid leaving paths, picking flowers or flying drones without permission.
Wear comfortable shoes and bring water — large parks such as Keukenhof take several hours on foot.
FAQ
When is the best time to visit Keukenhof?
Usually mid-to-late April, when the most tulips are in flower. It depends on the weather, so follow the bloom reports.
Which flower festival is the biggest?
Keukenhof is among the largest by area and number of plants, while Corso Zundert and the Pasadena Rose Parade are the most spectacular parades.
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.
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