Cherry Blossom, Tokyo
Billowing with blossom, the city of Tokyo pulls a big crowd for its “hanami” flower viewing celebrations. Bunches of pale raspberry petals hang heavy on tree branches and against a backdrop of blue skies you are thrown into the color palette of your own Japanese manga or painted into one of Hiroshige’s ukiyo-e woodblocks of floating worlds. Take your chances in Ueno Park, Shinjuku Gyoen and Chidorigafuchi around the Imperial Palace to contemplate the blossom.
If you like your toilet seat warm, try K’s House Tokyo for added comfort. The hostel is close to Kuramae station on the popular sightseeing ‘Oedo’ line. The Asakusa Ryokan Toukaisou Hotel 2H is in the historic downtown district of Tokyo. All rooms have traditional tatami flooring, en suite facilities and there is a pleasant roof terrace.
Wild Orchids – Lake Bohinj, Slovenia
You can gaze upon the panoramic vistas of mountainous peaks and dramatic lakes in the Slovenian valleys all year round; but only in spring can you find a fantastic display of wild flowers growing across the meadows and up the mountain paths beside Lake Bohinj. In fact, so abundant are the flowers that locals forage and cook with the blooms. In the surrounding area you can take trips to the Savica waterfall, go boating on the lake or ride the cable car up to Mount Vogel. The mountainous region offers a number of adventure sports including paragliding, biking and kayaking. Spending the trip ogling the scenery is enough for most people but from 22 May – 5 June the International Flower Festival offers guided walks, cookery lessons and hay-cutting workshops.
Rooms at Stefan is a great place from which to explore the area surrounding Lake Bohinj. It offers traditional and rustic accommodation with access to a kitchen, garden and living room all for as little as €12 per person. If you would prefer catered hospitality, the family-run Hotel Tripic has wonderful views of the mountains with breakfast, lunch and dinner included in the price
Tulip Fields – Holland
The area surrounding the tulip fields is flat-as-a-pancake so the best way to see them is by bicycle. This year the Keukenhof Flower Gardens open for 2 months from 18 March-16 May. Each year over seven million bulbs are planted across 70 acres and will burst into bloom for your viewing pleasure this spring. If you would prefer to stay in a city, base yourself in Amsterdam and just take a day trip to Keukenhof. You can hire bikes at the gardens and they provide a map with specific routes. Check out our top 10 things to do in Amsterdam for under $10. If you have visited Amsterdam before, the suburb Haarlem is a nice alternative. It is a charming market town and has some spectacular tulip-viewing spots to the south of the city. “Bike” in Dutch is fiets or rijwiel and “for rent” is te huur.
The Stayokay Haarlem Hostel is 15 minutes from Amsterdam and the beach. It occupies a pleasant spot beside the river where you can relax on the terrace when the weather is fine. For great value city apartments, stay at the Flying Monkey in Amsterdam or the Flying Pig Uptown Hostel which offers beds from €20 a night.
Bluebells - Normandy
Normandy is renowned for a number of foodie treats. Pungent Camembert, apple cider and calvados will all make pleasant accompaniments to your spring picnic. By early May, bluebells carpet most of the countryside and if you journey south from Caen you can combine your visit with a leisurely tour of the cider route. Pass by farmer’s hamlets, orchards and breathtaking glimpses of bluebells adorning the crags of the gorged river Orne. The orchards offer a canopy of pink blossom in spring and the small village of Coutances holds an annual Jazz festival from 8-15 May under the apple trees.
Hotel** Restaurant Lunotel is located in Saint Lo, a pleasant town with an interesting heritage. Witnessing the 1944 bombings and also housing the country’s first stud farm, Saint Lo is a good place from which to explore and Coutances is a short drive away. Alternatively, Bayeux is a pretty market town with a huge cathedral. On Saturdays, it boasts one of the best food markets in France where you can pick up the regional specialties. For a central location, stay in Hôtel De Brunville which is close to the infamous Tapestry Museum.
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