Best Spring destinations in Europe

Planning a trip to Europe?…if so, I highly recommend you plan a European vacation in the spring.

Visiting Europe during the shoulder season will not only guarantee less crowds, but the weather will be so much nicer as well.

Springtime in Europe is just absolutely magical. The cities come alive with an explosion of spring blooms and color.

Theres nothing like seeing window sills dripping with flowers, tulip fields as far as the eyes can see, and blooming trees lining the streets.

On the blog I will highlight some of the best spring destinations in Europe.

I will share our favorite places for spring blooms in Europe, including the Dutch tulip fields in the Netherlands, and the Bluebell forest in Belgium and more.

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Best Spring Destinations in Europe

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Spring in the Netherlands at Keukenhof Gardens

Nothing says spring like a visit to the tulip capital of the world!

One of the best spring destinations in Europe is the Netherlands, which is known for their tulip fields in the town of Lisse and Keukenhof gardens. 

The best way to experience these Dutch tulip fields is on a road trip through the Netherlands, just so you can stop roadside and have your breath taken away by the sea of colorful tulips!

You can easily purchase your tickets online to Keukenhof Gardens to avoid the queues. Make sure to dress warm as the weather in the Netherlands during the spring is still very cold! 

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*Read more about our visit to Keukenhof gardens here.

Spring visit to Utrecht 

If you’re planning a spring trip to the Netherlands, Utrecht is another town I recommend visiting in the spring.

Utrecht is one of our favorite Dutch cities, and prefer it to Amsterdam. It’s a much less crowded city, and you can easily explore it on foot (or bicycle).

Some of the top things to do in Utrecht, is a canal ride on the historic canals, a historic underground tour to learn more about the city’s history. 

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*Learn more about this city in the Netherlands, Read about our Weekend visit to Utrecht here.

Belgium spring destinations

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Hallerbos forest Belgium 

One of the best spring destinations in Belgium is a day trip to the Hallerbos Forest.

From about mid April to early May, the Hallerbos Forest transforms with a magical carpet of bluebells, and it’s absolutely stunning!

You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a fairytale as you hike along the trails in the Hallerbos forest.

It’s an easy day trip if you’re planning a visit to Brussels, and so worth the visit!

To ensure you enjoy the bluebells at their peak, visit the Hallerbos official website to follow the progress.

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*To learn more about this magical forest in Belgium, read our guide to visiting the Hallerbos Forest here.

Tulip Festival at the Groot Bijgaarden castle Belgium 

Another place to visit in Belgium in the spring is the Groot-Bijgaarden Castle.

Located just outside of Brussels, the castles opens it’s doors to the public for it’s annual Floralia Brussels festival.

This tulip festival in Belgium is reminiscent to the Dutch tulip fields and is absolutely beautiful!

The festival runs from April 4- May 3, with some indoor flower exhibits to admire as well.

It’s a fun way to celebrate spring in Belgium, and is another easy day trip from Brussels.

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*Read more about our visit to the Groot Bijgaarden castle tulip festival here.

Spring visit to Bruges Belgium 

Visiting Bruges in any season is just so amazing. However, a visit to Bruges in the springtime is even more beautiful in bloom.

One place you can’t miss on your visit to Bruges in the spring are the Convent Gardens, or as it is called in Belgium, the Beguinage.

 In the spring, the Convent gardens bloom with these bright and cheery daffodils. It’s such an amazing sight, especially against the backdrop of the whitewashed Almshouses!

Another must do in Bruges in the spring is a stroll along Minnewater lake. This peaceful oasis in the city is perfect for a leisurely stroll.

Watch the swans swim by, as you take in the spring blooms, it’s one of the best thing to do on a spring visit to Bruges.

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*Check out this post on our visit to Bruges Belgium here.

Spring in the Alsace region 

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Okay the Alsace region is just spectacular in any season! But in the spring all the colorful flowers just add extra charm and magic to these fairytale towns.

Known as the inspiration to the Beauty and the Beast movies, the Alsace Region is a must see, especially in the spring.

Some of our favorite villages in the Alsace, is Riquewihr, Colmar and Ribeauville.

One thing they all have in common are colorful half-timbered houses covered in flowers, and cobblestone streets oozing with charm.

One event to look forward to during the spring in the Alsace Region is the Colmar Spring and Easter Markets.

During this spring event in Colmar, you can expect to find vendors selling local handmade products, gourmet specialties, and of course chocolate eggs and rabbits.

The Colmar Spring and Easter market goes from April 8-May 1, 2022 from 10am-7pm daily.

You can easily explore this charming town on a day trip, or spend two days in Colmar and explore this fairytale village more.

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*Read about our Beauty and the Beast road trip through the Alsace region here. We visit Strasbourg, Colmar, Riquewihr, and Ribeauville.

Germany Spring destinations

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There’s no shortage of charming fairytale towns to visit in Germany.

When you visit Germany in the spring, these charming towns just get even more magical with all the colorful spring blooms.

Some of the our favorite places to visit in Germany in the spring is the Mosel Region.

Seeing castles perched up on grapevine covered hills, and medieval buildings covered with flowers is just absolutely stunning.

Cochem and Beilstein Germany are a few of our favorite fairytale towns in Europe. Visiting these castle towns is like stepping into a fairytale book.

We loved strolling through cobblestone streets, with grapevines and wisterias crawling through the facades of the half-timbered buildings.

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*Check out this post on our guide to visiting Cochem Germany and it’s fairytale castle.

* Read about our day trip to Beilstein Germany here, which is one of the most charming towns.

Luxembourg in the spring

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Luxembourg in the spring is absolutely beautiful. If you’ve never visited one of the smallest countries in Europe, then I highly recommend you plan a visit, and take a road trip through Luxembourg.

Luxembourg is one of the most outdoorsy place we’ve visited in Europe, with lots of opportunities for outdoor recreational activities.

One of our favorite things to do is hiking along the Mullerthal trail. This scenic trail is one of the most beautiful hikes we’ve done during our time in Europe, and I highly recommend a visit.

Some of our favorite cities to visit in Luxembourg is it’s capital, Luxembourg City.

In the spring Luxembourg city is just blooming with spring flowers and it’s so beautiful, especially along the Grund area of the city.

Vianden is another one of our favorite cities to visit in Luxembourg during the spring.

This charming town is just bursting with charm, with Vianden castle perched up on the hills. In the spring, the city is covered in flowers and it’s just so beautiful.

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*Read our blog on our day trip to Vianden Luxembourg

*Check out this post on some of the fairytale castles in Luxembourg.

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