Are you planning a trip for Spring Break 2020 but you’re stuck on where to go? Then this is the blog post for you! Click here to get a list of some awesome places that you can add to your Spring travel itinerary.
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Shorter ques, cheaper flight tickets and not unbearably hot as Summer.
These are some of the reasons why I love to travel in Spring.
What I get excited about during Spring is flowers.
I love flowers and there are many places all over Europe during this time of the year where tulips and cherry blossoms bloom 😍
Don’t get me wrong.
I love to travel to beach destinations such as Greece & Croatia during Summer time to enjoy the beach.
But when it comes to doing sightseeing and exploring,
Spring is the best time to go.
Therefore, Yours Truly did some research and came up with this list of thirteen Spring travel destinations in Europe!
Resources for travelling in Europe for Spring:
🌸 My #1 go-to airline for cheap travel in Europe is Ryanair. Everyone and their mother know about this airline but you can find some pretty great deals! It’s not the first time I paid €18/$18 dollars for a round trip.
They do have some extra charges though like paying priority to board first and take a carry on with you on the plane. However, if you book early enough, you’ll pay no more than €10/$10 dollars for it. Not too bad!
🌸 If you live in mainland Europe like me, you can consider travelling by train or bus. I recently booked a trip to Prague (I’m STOKED!) by train and it cost me €56 for a round trip.
When it comes to trains or buses, by go to companies are Trainline and Omio. I recommend booking trains and buses from these websites and not from the train company directly to save some €€€€
🌸 My top three websites when it comes to booking accommodation are Booking, Airbnb and Hostelworld. Personally speaking, I don’t like staying in shared rooms in hostels but you can find private rooms (with shared bathroom) on both Booking and Hostel World.
The Best Spring Destinations In Europe:
Let’s get to the fun part!
🌻 Portugal:
Portugal is usually a Summer destination with its peak season being during the Summer months. However, Spring is also a good time to visit!
Lisbon, the country’s capital city, gets super crowded with tourists during the Summer. If you want to enjoy a romantic getaway without bumping into people every two steps you take, this is the time of year to go.
The Algarve region is one of Portugal’s most beautiful and sought out travel spots. If you want to beat the crowds, go now!
To entice you even further, there are a number of events that occur in Portugal between April and May. For example, in April there is a chocolate festival!
In May, there is a street fair called Feira das Cantarinhas where traditional handicrafts are displayed. Click here for more information on activities happening in Portugal all year round and check out the below tours and activities too!
Related: Road Trip from Faro to Lisbon – Exploring Portugal’s West Coast
🌻 Malta:
I had to mention my home country because Malta is absolutely stunning in Spring. The weather is just perfect! It is sunny with a cool breeze which is the perfect combination to go sightseeing.
Malta is a major tourist hotspot starting from June till September/October. Visiting Malta between March and May is the perfect time to avoid the hustle and bustle of tourists.
As a local, I always recommend visiting major landmarks like Valletta and Mdina but my beautiful island has so much more to offer.
My favourite thing to do in Malta in Spring is to go on hikes. The Victoria Lines are perfect for nature lovers. Don’t forget to check out our sister island Gozo. It is a quieter and more rural version of Malta. You’ll love it. I mean, look at that view!
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Other recommendations I have is to go on a picnic in Ta’ Qali or Baħrija.
Fun fact: Malta has only ONE airport. You won’t get confused which airport to fly into when you’re booking flights to Malta 😉
Even though Malta is tiny (our population is approx. 450,000), accommodation is not hard to find. Tourism forms the backbone of Malta’s economy and a result, there is a hotel or hostel all over the island. Take a look below!
Check out my Malta Guide From A Local section on the blog: TEN HIDDEN GEMS IN MALTA
🌻 Bonn:
If you’re allergic to flowers you might want to steer away from Bonn during this time of the year.
Although most people think of Japan when they think of cherry blossoms, some of the most picturesque blossoms can be found on Heerstrasse, also known as Cherry Blossom Avenue in Bonn.
Back in the 1980s Japanese cherry blossom trees were planted and these trees turn into like pink clouds every Spring. I found the exact location for you in the map below:
Getting to Bonn is pretty easy. If you like in Germany, you can drive there. As you can clearly see from the map, there are two parking garages nearby (Stadthausgarage and Friedensplatzagarage) or take the train to the city’s main train station. Tickets can be bought from the Deutsche Bahn website or check out Omio and Trainline for cheaper tickets!
Cherry Blossom Avenue is about 15 minutes walk from Bonn’s city centre.
The exact dates for the bloom vary from year to year, but they usually happen sometime in April. Unlike some blooms, which may only happen for a few days, the Bonn cherry blossoms tend to linger for two or even three weeks. Check the festival’s website for the latest news regarding blooms, as well as photos from previous years.
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🌷 TULIP FIELDS IN THE NETHERLANDS:
You thought the cherry blossoms in Bonn are amazing? Luckily, Bonn isn’t the only destination where you can make your floral dreams come true!
Thousands of tourists flock to the Netherlands, specifically the Keukenhof Gardens in Amsterdam, each year to marvel at rows of different coloured Tulips.
While Keukenhof Gardens are stunning, I was on a mission to find a more quiet place to be able to enjoy the experience more.(and not having to wake up at the crack of dawn to take pictures without having people in the background #priorities)
We drove from Germany to the Netherlands last year for the Tulips and stumbled upon a family-owned field in Marknesse. It was just like how I imagined it: colourful Tulips, clear skies and no people!
I had the time of my life and this trip was one of the highlights for 2019. I cannot wait to hopefully visit again this year!
Want to know more?
🌻 Lake Bled:
With its beautiful blue water and picturesque surrounding, Lake Bled is a dream come true. The Alpine lake is situated in the Julian Alps in northwest Slovenia and lies next to the town of Bled.
The postcard-perfect spot is surrounded by mountains and forests, and the medieval castle Bled Castle.
Lake Bled is very popular among tourists and travel magazines and companies state that Lake Bled is good to visit all year round. However, it gets pretty crowded during the Summertime because you can actually swim in the lake!
If you’re not that fussed about swimming, you can easily visit during the Spring to avoid the crowds.
I recommend visiting the island on a traditional Pletna boat. These wooden boats have been taking tourists to the petite island for centuries and are operated by standing oarsmen. Even if you don’t fancy exploring the island, the boat ride will give you an alternative view of the lake. You will not be disappointed.
Furthermore, don’t forget to a Kremsnita – the Bled Cream Cake.
While Lake Bled is perhaps Slovenia’s most popular landmark, there are tons more to do. Less than two hours away, you can find Slovenia’s charming capital city Ljubljana. It is the perfect destination to go to after spending an afternoon taking in the beauty and charm of Lake Bled! Scroll up for the link to go on a tour from Lake Bled to Ljubljana!
YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: A Travel Guide To Malaga,Spain
🏰 CASTLES IN GERMANY:
Germany is known for some of the most beautiful castles in the world. Ever since moving here, I had the opportunity to visit a couple of them.
Let’s take a look at them:
Neuschwanstein Castle:
Also known as the Disney Castle of Germany, Neuschwanstein is a magical castle located in Bavaria, Germany. Springtime is perfect because the weather is much more stable and that means you can go to Mariebrucke to take a picture of the castle in full view. Like this!
FOR A SUPER IN DETAIL ITINERARY TO NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE, CLICK HERE
BURG ELTZ:
Another favourite of mine is Burg Eltz.
I describe Burg Eltz as a fairytale castle. This was the first place in Germany I went to visit back when I moved here in 2018.
We spent the afternoon taking pictures, exploring the castle, eating German sausage and fries and hiking the surrounding forests.
I HAVE A BLOG POST UP ON OUR TRIP TO BURG ELTZ. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
Cochem Castle:
Another cute castle I visited is Cochem. This was a spontaneous road trip but we had lots of fun!
Unlike Burg Eltz, when visiting Cochem you can actually go inside the castle which was pretty cool.
My favourite part was the view you get! Nothing beats greenery and panoramas in Germany, am I right?
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT COCHEM CASTLE
THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS:
One of my favourite places on this earth.
The Scottish Highlands are picture-perfect, literally. You can visit castles, learn about Scottish Clans (I’m part of Scottish clan 😏) and go on hikes with nothing but green around you and not a single sight of concrete, learn Scottish whiskey is made and so much more!
Whenever someone asks me for any recommendations when visiting Scotland, I always recommend steering away from the major cities and spending the majority of your time in the Highlands and the Isle of Skye.
If you must visit the major cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, dedicate just one day for them. That’s plenty.
And you also get to see cute Highland cattle 🥺
TO SEE PICTURES OF CUTE SCOTTISH HIGHLAND CATTLE CHECK OUT MY 4 DAY CAMPER VAN ITINERARY IN SCOTLAND POST
[bctt tweet=”Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s party!'” username=”reebeccaam”]
🌻 Rome:
The eternal city of Rome.
Rome is one of those places where you have to visit at least once in your lifetime!
What makes Spring the perfect time to visit Rome? That’s because there are fewer tourists and it’s less hot.
Yes, it does get stupid hot in Rome. I visited the city three times. Two times in June, one time in March. Guess which time I wasn’t dehydrated? March.
There are a ton of things to do in Rome. Instead of making this post longer than it actually is, I found some top activities for you to do in Rome!
HOW TO SPEND FOUR DAYS IN ROME
WINDMILLS IN ZAANSE SCHANS:
Another cute day trip from Amsterdam or a weekend trip from Germany is Zaanse.
I visited Zaanse in April and the weather was just perfect. However, I have to warn you that even though we went earlier on in the year, it was still packed. Try going early in the morning rather than later during the day like we did!
It was a very cool experience learning more about Dutch culture and how the people lived back in the day.
The windmills at Zaanse are still functioning to this day! Each windmill has it’s own workshop where you can learn a lot of different things. My favourites were the baking workshop and the clogs workshop.
WINDMILLS AND CLOGS: A TRAVEL GUIDE TO ZAANSE SCHANS
🌻 Palermo:
Palermo in Sicily is another stunning place if you want to sightsee + eat some bomb Sicilian food. Nope, not Italian but Sicilian!
I’ve been to Palermo a couple of times (my home country is about 20 minutes away by plane). The most recent trip I took to Sicily was last year. The one before that, I visited in 2018 in .. Spring!
While it was still slightly warm, it was still enjoyable walking around and eating my body weight in pasta, cannoli, pannelle, arancini and gelato.
I do have a blog post coming your way so keep your eyes peeled for that one!
If you’re a history lover, the reasons why you should visit Sicily in Spring do not stop there. Take a day trip to Agrigento! You can find ancient Roman temples there and a lot of information about Sicily back in the day.
While you’re there, don’t forget to check out Mount Etna and Taormina
You might also be interested in: 10 Quaint Towns in Italy You Do Not Want To Miss
🌻 Liechtenstein:
Last but not least .. Liechtenstein.
Liechtenstein is often overlooked but it is a really pretty country. This tiny province is sandwiched between Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Literally. One side of the road you’re in Austria and on the other side of the road, you’re in Switzerland!
We took a quick weekend trip to Liechtenstein and absolutely loved it. This is another blog post in the works.
My favourite part was the Liechtenstein castle, which by the way, it’s not in Liechtenstein!
You might also be interested in: The Best Destinations For Solo Female Travelers
Do you have any more countries on your spring itinerary?
I hope you found this post helpful! My intention was to give you a list of countries and places which I think are perfect to visit in Spring!
If you have any other destinations I didn’t mention in this post, list them below 👇🏼
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