Last week, I wrote about 6 places to see spring flowers in the U.S. This week, I’ve written about some cool places in other parts of the world to see beautiful blooms!
1. Germany:
The island of Mainau, aka, “the Flower Island” is located in the southwestern part of Germany on Lake Constance. Mainau is nicknamed "the Flower Island," because it’s where Prince Nikolaus von Esterházy created a botanical garden in the 19th century. Eventually, an arboretum was built to expand the gardens. Today, tulips bloom from March until May, and in September, be sure to check out the Dahlias
2. Italy:
While the town of Montepulciano in Tuscany is famous for its sunflowers, Val d’Orcia, also in Tuscany is full of poppies in April and May. And in the region of Umbria there are all sorts of wild flowers from late May to June. As if we needed one more reason to visit Italy…
3. Colombia:
Each August the Flower Festival takes place in Medellín. Silleteros or farmers/flower vendors, build displays, also known as silleteros, and compete in a parade through downtown Medellin. The word silletero comes from the word silla in Spanish, meaning seat or chair and the word was originally used at a time when local peasant men strapped wooden chairs on their backs to carry their produce. Today, the word has generally come to mean anyone who carries something in a wooden frame on their backs.
Did you know? Colombia is the world’s second largest producer of cut flowers behind the Netherlands!
4. Japan:
Flowers are everywhere in Japan in the spring. Ibaraki Prefecture (east of Tokyo) is reknowned for “baby blue eyes” flowers. Cherry blossoms can be found in Okinawa in January, then in Kyoto and Tokyo in March and April and Hokkaido in May. And don’t forget to check out the wisteria in Ashikaga Flower Park outside of Tokyo!
5. Thailand:
Every year in February, the Chiang Mai Thailand Flower Festival takes place. Chiang Mai is known for its traditional floral art, so you’ll see enormous flower covered floats parading down the streets. And, the festival also doubles as a beauty pageant! After the parade, you can buy fresh cut flowers at the 24-hour flower market!
6. Morocco:
Who woulda thought you could see flowers in Morocco? Well, every year between April and mid-May in Morocco’s M’Goun Valley, also known as the Vallée des Roses, 3,000 to 4,000 tons of wild roses are produced. Yup, 3,000-4,000 TONS! Who knew? The buds are harvested, dried and used for things like oils, potpourris, and rosewater, but the majority of the rosebuds are bought by big perfume houses in France.
Have you been to any of these places and seen these beautiful flowers? Tell me about it on Facebook or in the Traveleidoscope comment section!
