Where To See Flowers Bloom Around the World

This isolated high plain set in the Apennine Mountains has been home to shepherds and farmers for centuries, and today it's also one of the top flower-spotting destinations in central Italy. Each spring, the plateau erupts in color as the fields planted with rapeseed, lentils, and sweet clover bloom, while poppies and other wildflowers take over plots left fallow.

After spending some time eating your way around Umbria, you can join a guided hike through this pristine alpine countryside to see it for yourself—and don’t forget your camera.

Among Canada’s premier gardens, this vibrant oasis stands out in particular for being beautiful in spring, when thousands of seasonal blossoms blanket the grounds. One of the most famous attractions near Victoria, the 55-acre (22-hectare) park includes manicured flower beds, lily ponds, and footbridges, as well as a number of themed landscapes.

Given that they're set just outside the city, the gardens are best visited on a tour that includes shuttle service from Victoria or as part of a day trip from Vancouver, after which you can return to the capital for a walking tour or foodie experience.

Arguably spring’s most famous flowering, Japan’s sakura (cherry blossoms) brighten cities across the country from early spring. These delicate pink flowers make their first appearance on the southern island of Okinawa in March before following the season north to Tokyo and Kyoto in April and finally the northern island of Hokkaido in May.

However, if you can’t make it to Japan, know that Washington DC has its own spring cherry blossom season, featuring trees given to the city in 1912 by Tokyo.

Related: 11 of the Best Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan

One of the most famous—and most famously painted—gardens in the world, this lush retreat was planned and tended by the Impressionist master Claude Monet at the end of the 19th century. Once a private garden, it’s now one of the most famous sights in Giverny, and it's at its most colorful in spring.

Take a day trip from Paris to tour the Japanese-style garden and iconic water lily pond depicted in hundreds of Monet’s later works, before returning to the capital for more outdoor activities.

Related: Where To Find Impressionist Art in Paris

Spring means different months to different hemispheres. In the UNESCO–listed Cape Floral Region, September and October are the best times of year for springtime blossoms.

This vast stretch covering 54,000 acres (22,000 hectares) of land from the Cape Peninsula to the north is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, and dazzling fields of wildflowers are easy to admire on a day trip to Table Mountain just outside of Cape Town or to West Coast National Park.

Set in the western Mojave Desert about 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve is known for its rolling hills that are blanketed in golden California poppies (as well as countless other native wildflowers) between March and May.

The nearby town of Lancaster also celebrates the state flower each April with the 3-day California Poppy Festival, too, in case you're in town. Either way, break up your days exploring Los Angeles with a day trip to this unique corner of southern California.

Related: The 9 Best Places To See California’s Wildflowers This Spring

When most people think of tulips, Holland comes to mind. Kashmir, however, is home to the largest tulip garden in Asia and hosts an annual Tulip Festival each spring.

Visit the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden (which overlooks Dal Lake) as part of a Kashmir tour to admire more than a million tulips from around 65 varieties, in addition to springtime daffodils, hyacinths, and ranunculus blooms—all grown from bulbs originally imported from, you guessed it, Holland.

Related: Where To See Tulips in the Netherlands

In Chile, just west of the Andes peaks, is the arid Atacama Desert. The desert might not seem like an ideal spot to see flowers—particularly this desert, considering it's the driest on earth—but even here, spring showers bring flowers.

Head out between September and December to catch the plateau after the season's rains, and you’ll be treated to a picturesque vista of blooming wildflowers carpeting the rugged landscape in a field of pink and purple blossoms. Allow for plenty of time to explore the desert, such as on a multi-day driving adventure.

Set along the route between Ouarzazate and Dades in the southern foothills of the Atlas Mountains, the Assif M’Goun River valley has long been Morocco’s hub for commercial rose production. Between April and May, the cultivated flowers reach full bloom and their petals are gathered by local women to be used in everything from cosmetics to pharmaceuticals.

Set off from Marrakech to tour this captivating area, right as it's infused with the scent of roses for a few magical weeks each year, before returning to the bustling city to shop for the flowers in their commercialized state in the Moroccan marketplaces.

From mid-October through November, thousands of jacaranda trees paint Australia purple. While not native to the region, these South American beauties have been a symbol of spring across the country since the 19th century.

And while all of Australia will be carpeted in lilac, a few notable vantage points include Kirribilli in Sydney, the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria in Melbourne, Westbourne Park in Adelaide, and Applecross in Perth.