In search of Cherry Blossoms

Spring is here ! And what’s the first thing that comes to my mind when spring arrives? To be precise and in three words - The sun, the blossoms and the blooms. And what better than to plan my day finding the most gorgeous places to view the Japanese cherry blossoms in and around Europe. Listed here are 2 out of the 7 prominent places in Europe where cherry blossoms are seen - in Netherlands and Germany (and more to come soon!) and a couple more less prominent ones but totally worth a visit! It indeed is a sight for sore eyes because the most fatiguing part is to figure the exact time for a visit as it is practically impossible to predict when the blossoms will be at its full bloom. It all depends on the weather - the rainfall, the temperature and the wind. So one might just hope and keep their fingers crossed 🤞🏼

Somei Yoshino (Yoshino Cherry)

Het Amsterdamse Bos

Behold! Little did we know when we moved to The Netherlands, that we didn't need to travel to Japan any time soon in search of Cherry Blossoms. There are 400 Japanese flowering cherry blossom trees in Netherlands! Now, how did that happen? When one hears of Netherlands, all that comes to mind are the colourful tulip farms. Little did I know, the Japanese women’s club had donated 400 cherry blossom trees to the municipality of Amstelveen back in 2000. The high season is March/April which is the flowering period. It draws visitors and tourists from all over the world. I visited the park in the first week of April and the flowers were in full bloom. I witnessed dozens of instagrammers, professional photographers, artsy costume-clad models, the tourists, the nature lovers, artists and the locals, all enjoying the highs of sakura dazzling above their pretty heads. In the non-blossom period too, this park is an ideal place for unwinding and relaxing.

How to get here?

By car - At an approximate 20 minute drive from the Amsterdam Central lies the Amsterdam Bos (or forest in Dutch) in the municipality of Amstelveen. Closest car parking is the Parkeerplaats Zonneweide which is a 9 minutes walk to the cherry blossom park.

By bus - Or you walk from Amstelveen bus station which is basically 2 kms from the park. But a bus ride to Amstelveen bus station can take anywhere from an hour or more depending on where you live. So you need to factor that in along with the walk to the park.

By bike - A third option is biking it up, however this is at the risk you excessively tiring yourself out by the time you reach the park.

Once you reach the forest, there are clear directions provided to the cherry blossom park. There are two entrances, one which makes you walk over a small bridge to enter the park (it is stroller friendly and takes about 10-15 minutes) and the one on the opposite side which is basically entering through the main forest (mind you the forest will take you a good 50 minutes to reach the park. But if you fancy a good walk, nothing like it). For this leisurely walk through the forest, best is to enter the park from the entrance at the crossing Van Nijenrodeweg and Amstelveenseweg. To the left of the main entrance you will find the Visitors' Centre 'De Boswinkel'.

Upon entering, you will notice that the trees are laid out in an oval shape. You will feel the pink breeze of Sakura all around you. In the middle of this oval is a concrete floor on which you can sit.

Entrance to the park

The pretty lush light pink of the blossom hanging low on many trees is a treat to the sore eyes. The park also makes makes for an ideal picnic spot.

Visitors having picnics in the park ground

A mandatory photo with the cherry blossoms

Few points to consider:

1. There are no shops inside the park, however the path leading to the park has now been dotted by several temporary set ups selling water, biscuits, chocolates, cold drinks and chips. This wasn’t the case when I visited the park in the spring of 2020.

2. There is no washroom here, so brace yourself in case of a full bladder!

3. If the weather gods are kind to you, you can bring in your picnic mats, food and drinks (but of-course ensure to clean up the place before you leave). There are cemented pavements for one to sit in case it’s a bit wet due to the weather.

4. If you fancy it, you can also visit the Goatfarm Ridammerhoeve. This organic farm is situated in the heart of the Amsterdamse Bos, a 20 minutes walk from the cherry blossom park.

5. When I visited the place last week, I was shocked seeing the long queue of people wanting to enter the park. It was 3:30 pm, I guess peak time. The queue moved slowly but once we entered the park, the situation wasn’t too bad. It was quite spacious inside with people spreading out and maintaining their distance from each other.

Long waiting times to enter and exit the park

Heerstrasse, Bonn, Germany

Another place where I saw photographs and tourists thronging for a view of the cherry blossoms was at Heerstrasse in Bonn Germany. The very popular Altstadt avenue is transformed into a tunnel of gushing cherry blossoms in the first two weeks of April every year.

Cherry Blossoms in Heerstrasse

A charming cobblestone street dotted with cafés, ice cream parlours and small eateries is one of the most reached out places in Germany in Spring.

What you witness here are symmetrically dotted trees along two parallel streets which make you feel the pink love, the crispness in the air, the serene and the calm.

Altstadt Avenue, Bonn Germany

It almost feels like violins are playing the background and the stage is laid for you to arrive and exclaim. If you don’t believe me, I’d urge you to check out this video of an Instagrammer who has beautifully captured this scenery - https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cq0fTCMrP9L/?igshid=ZTE2MDY0MWU=.

The dark pink variety cherry blossoms

I travelled to Bonn on the Easter weekend with the hope that the blossoms would be in full bloom, but they seemed to be just about opening up when I arrived. Another few days and I too would’ve been able to witness the Sakura in all its glory. Nonetheless, it still did give me the awe and joy of being present.

A picture with my munchkin

Few things to consider:

1. There is a paid parking garage at the Stadthaus Building right at the entry to Altstadt, basically across the road from Altstadt.

2. The street Heerstrasse on which the trees are laid out is actually a car street and biking path too. So please be considerate and walk on the footpath to allow bicyclers to ride freely and safely. Also please keep a watch on your kids to avoid accidents.

Cycle path and Pedestrian walking zone

Enjoy an ice cream or sorbet from the parlour EisLabor Bonn-Altstadt - Einmalig, Frisch & Lecker on Maxstraße 16 which is a 3 minute walk from Heerstraße. My favorite was the passion fruit sorbet.

Westbroekpark in The Hague

Beautiful cherry blossom trees are in full bloom in the Westbroekpark in The Hague from late March onwards. Even The Waterkant cafe opens in March in the Westbroek Park. Sip a cup of thee met taart (tea with cake) or a glass of wine at this beautiful cafe. You can also enjoy a boat ride in the lake of the park.

In full bloom in Westbroekpark

Theresiastraat

The street parallel to Theresiastraat (Merkusstraat) also houses a few cherry blossom trees.

Leidschenveen

Gas station Den Haag Leidschenveen Esso. Yes this is it! You can make a quick parking at the gas station and capture your million dollar photos or videos at this gorgeous cherry blossom avenue. Check out the video below if you don't believe me ! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CbSllUBjDN8/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

I'll keep updating this post as and when I visit other cherry blossom locations in Europe.Stay tuned for more :)

Leidschendam

You also have a couple of gorgeous and unpretentious spots in Leidschendam where you can freely indulge yourself in the beauty of cherry blossoms without the unpleasantness of unnecessary crowds.

A quiet spot on Dobbelaan opposite the Westfield Mall of Netherlands

Another lovely quiet street is Graaf Janlaan next to the Interdenominational Elementary School De Trampoline, De Haar in Leidschendam. This street lies opposite to the street that leads you to the supermarket Plus.

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