It is customary to admire cherry blossoms in Japan. However, if you look at it, sakura is a cherry tree, and it blooms wherever it grows. This means the amazing phenomenon when trees, still bare after winter, are covered with a lush carpet of white and pink flowers can be observed in many countries of the world! Today we combined geography with botany and compiled for you a selection of places where you can watch cherry blossoms. By the way, in many cities holidays and festivals are dedicated to this time, which will make the trip even brighter and more exciting.
Paris, France
When: late March – early April
Photo: @shannon.rose.n/@irmanoto/Instagram.com
Tours from locals in Paris
Cherry trees are cleverly hidden throughout Paris, so a spring stroll through the romantic city can be a real treasure hunt. Thus, a miniature cherry orchard was planted in the courtyard of the Petit Palais. Another place where you can find flowering trees is in front of the southern façade of Notre Dame. The small square of Gabriel Pierne is not very well known among tourists, but those who come there at the right time of year are amazed by the beauty of the lush pink crowns of the trees. Of course, there are also cherries in the Jardin des Plantes Flower Garden, and among them we can highlight Prunus Shirotae, which means “Snow White”. It is also called “Mount Fuji”, considered the largest tree in Paris.
Copenhagen, Denmark
When: end of April
Photo: @nikolajthaning/Instagram.com
More than 200 cherry trees are planted in the huge Langelinie garden in the center of Copenhagen. Every year on the last weekend of April there is a cherry blossom festival. In 2019 it falls on the 27th-28th. The festival covers a large area of the park, with martial arts demonstrations taking place on several stages, and tea ceremonies on the lawn. Admission is free, but on the first day you can buy a lottery ticket and participate in the draw for tickets to Tokyo.
Valley Valle del Jerte, Spain
When: early April
In the Valle del Jerte valley, which stretches for several kilometers, there are more than 2 million cherry trees. In spring, from the surrounding hills, the area appears to be covered in snow, although in fact it is flowers. Moreover, the flowering here lasts for several weeks, gradually moving from the south to the north of the valley. During this time, the Cherry Blossom Festival takes place here, during which you can attend cooking classes, musical performances, excursions and a market for local artisans.
Stockholm, Sweden
When: mid-April
Photo: @visitstockholm/Instagram.com
In 1998, 63 Japanese cherry trees were planted in the Royal Garden Kungsträdgården. Over twenty years, the trees not only grew, but intertwined branches, forming a real living canopy, blooming magnificently with millions of bright pink buds. In the local climate, their peak flowering occurs in mid-spring, and April 16 is celebrated in Stockholm as the official cherry blossom day.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
When: late March – early April
Photo: @alejandroloar/@clacam/Instagram.com
Tours from locals in Amsterdam
In the large park Amsterdamse Bos, which translates as Amsterdam Forest, there is an area planted with Japanese cherry trees. Their bloom symbolizes the final arrival of spring and is traditionally celebrated with picnics and walks under the canopy of snow-white trees. Since cherry blossoms are associated with Japanese culture, during the flowering season you can find stalls selling traditional dishes and drinks from the land of the rising sun. In 2019, the annual cherry blossom festival was canceled, but this will not stop guests and residents of the city from enjoying the magnificent beauty of nature coming to life.
Vancouver, Canada
When: end of March – end of April
Photo: @glenn_/@somekidfromthe6/Instagram.com
Every spring, more than 40,000 trees bloom throughout Vancouver, bathing the streets in a cloud of pink and white scent. And the Van Dusen Botanical Garden is home to 500 trees brought from Japan and donated to the city by the mayors of Kobe and Yokohama in the 1930s. Beautiful landscape compositions of sakura are decorated in Queen Elizabeth Park and Stanley Park. In addition, throughout April, cherry blossoms are accompanied by entertainment events as part of the annual festival of the same name.
Curitiba, Brazil
When: July
Photo: @wawawanner/@tiago.r.mendes/Instagram.com
At the beginning of the 20th century, thousands of Japanese migrated to Brazil and brought with them, among other cultural symbols, cherry blossoms. The trees have taken root best in the city of Curitiba, where they now decorate the streets and parks. And in the Botanical Garden of Curitiba there is a whole area where sakura flowers shower their petals on the green lawn and you can have a picnic under their pink “snowfall”. The flowering schedule is different from Japan and Europe, since this is the southern hemisphere, the buds bloom on the trees in July.
Meghalaya, India
When: late October – mid-November
No matter how strange it may sound, in India the international cherry blossom festival takes place in the fall. And yes, the trees there are covered with flowers in October-November. The fact is that the state of Meghalaya is located in the mountains of the eastern Himalayas, its name translates as “abode of clouds”, and the climate is very different from the less high-mountainous regions. During the festival, citizens and tourists can take part in the entertainment and educational program of the holiday, sports competitions and dances completely free of charge.
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