With the northern hemisphere in full bloom, comes with it an atmosphere of hope and renewal. Spring is a time of peaceful reflection and ready rejuvenation, and there are so many wonderful destinations to experience this change. From the blossom of flowers and the comfort of the sun’s warmth to the buzz of new energy, here are five destinations to travel to this Spring:
Amsterdam
Whilst many European cities come alive in summer, Amsterdam shines most colourfully in Spring. The city bursts out from the bud of winter, with lush green leaves adorning the trees, tulips painting the town technicolour, and the parks and streets fill with people enjoying those brighter rays of sunshine.
To see the best of Holland’s iconic buds, take a stroll down the Flower Strip, where visitors can surround themselves with colour at the Keukenhof Flower Gardens. Learn more about the Dutch flower trade at the FloraHolland Auction or visit the Black Tulip Museum.
You will need tu-lips to taste this rainbow!Other Spring festivals include the Wine Festival, and the Art Fair, with something for every kind of connoisseur!
Taste your way through hundreds of food stalls and fabulous atmosphere at Foodhallen or eat lunch al fresco at De Belhame. Enjoy dinner at Nomad Aan Het IJ where innovative and seasonally changing ingredients are excellently paired with sumptuous wines.
After dinner sip cocktails at Bo Cinque or step behind a hidden door and try tasty tipples at Door 74. Dance the night away to some of the world’s top DJs at De School, where cool vibes match this unique location.
Stay at the Hotel Okura Amsterdam, in the hip De Pijp neighbourhood, and enjoy spacious rooms, a luxury spa, and fabulous restaurants.
Bogota
Bogota is an incredible city to visit year-round, but in April, there is a certain magic to this place. The lack of crowds, and lower prices than in high season, make this busy city much more open to explore.
Visit the underground Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá over Easter to see the majestic beauty of the candle-lit chapels, and an altar carved out of the salt mine’s wall. Browse the pages of the Bogota International Book Fair, or kick back at the Teusaquillo Jazz Festival.
You gotta go to Bogota!Bogota’s streets are filled with the scent of Colombia’s best coffee, and the food scene is just as enticing. El Chato, known as one of South America’s 50 best restaurants, serves unique and exquisite dishes showcasing the best of local ingredients. Enjoy dinner at Bogota Beer Factory where a laid-back atmosphere is matched with casually delicious dishes.
Hotel V is one of Bogota’s best clubs to dance off your dinner, where music plays over this two-storey venue until 3 am. For something more sophisticated Apache is a chic rooftop lounge, offering 360-degree views of the city.
Book a room at the hip boutique haunt, the Click Clack Hotel. Enjoy sleek rooms and a fantastic rooftop restaurant in a prime central location.
Brisbane
It is Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, but the springtime months are some of the best times to visit the beautiful city of Brisbane. Brisbane enjoys fantastic weather year-round, but Spring brings bright blue skies and balmy sun-kissed days.
Brisbane in spring! Have you been?Experience the beauty of the blossoms at the Mt Coot-Tha Botanical Gardens, with a stroll through this springtime paradise. Or take a walk down South Bank through the parklands and see the gardens and natural features come to life.
Experience Brisbane’s biggest street party at the Teneriffe Festival, or film buffs can enjoy Brisbane’s own International Film Festival (BIFF).
Enjoy expansive river views over dinner at Bar Alto, where delicious Italian dishes pair perfectly with this scenic setting. Try the best of Australian Wagyu beef at the Blackbird Bar and Grill.
After dinner head downstairs to the cocktail bar in an old, listed bank, and sip tipples in the building’s old bank vaults alluringly called The Boom Boom Room. Make the most of the city’s weather at Limes Rooftop Bar where a refined wine list and tasty cocktails will keep your thirst quenched.
Spend your stay at the Emporium Hotel on South Bank, and enjoy lavishly large rooms and fabulous views from the rooftop pool and bar.
Seattle
After a wet and dreary winter, Seattle blossoms in Spring, and with it comes ample opportunity to explore all the wonderful things this Emerald City has to offer.
Experience a beautiful eruption of spring colours at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Roam through vast fields of kaleidoscope tulips, perfect for a spring photo opportunity. Smell the roses at the Woodland Park Rose Garden or enjoy the splendour of the cherry blossoms around the University of Washington campus.
Movie buffs can head to the Seattle International Film Festival where more than 400 films are shown from around the globe. If wine and waterfalls are more to your taste, take the Snoqualmie Falls and Seattle Winery Tour.
Discover your inner tranquillity at Discovery Park or spend an afternoon by the sea at Golden Gardens Park Beach.
See it all in Seattle!Food lovers should head to the Pike Place Farmers Market, the oldest in the country, which is most sprightly in Spring.
Experience the best of Seattle’s seafood scene with dinner at The Walrus and the Carpenter, where an ever-changing menu serves the finest local catches. Sushi Kappo Tamura is best for a deliciously quick lunch or opulent omakase dinner.
Tune in to Seattle’s music scene after dinner at the live music venue, Tractor Tavern. Pull your socks up and enjoy tasty tipples at the Knee High Stocking Co. a cool cocktail speakeasy bar.
Book your stay at the Kimpton Palladian Hotel, where industrial-chic design, farm-to-table cuisine and bustling location make it a perfect choice.
Tokyo
With plump cherry blossoms lining the streets and pavements dusted in petals, Tokyo is prettiest in Spring.
Wandering through groves of cherry blossoms will make you feel both peace and hope, as this fleeting window of blooming (hanami), signifies a new beginning. Celebrate Sakura (cherry blossoms) with a peaceful picnic at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden or join in the party celebrations at Yoyogi Park. For a final fill of flowers, experience the beauty of The Great Wisteria Festival at Ashikaga Flower Park.
Other Spring festivities include the exhilarating Asakusa Festival, where an incredible display of horseback archery showcases archers in traditional costumes against the striking modern backdrop of Tokyo city.
Tokyo is a food lovers haven, with a cornucopia of options when exploring leaves you hungry.
Pink skies over Tokyo!For something more laid back, find some of the best sushi in Tokyo at Sushi Zanmai, near the Tsukiji Fish Market.
Enjoy sleek wood furnishing and cool atmosphere at the craft beer bar Another8. Experience the best of Japanese whiskey at Tokyo Whiskey Library, a perfect spot to settle in for an after-dinner treat.
Book a room at the Aman Tokyo, where elegant minimalist design boasts the best of Japanese Heritage.
Each of these destinations offers visitors the chance to reflect on the beauty of rejuvenation, and the peaceful hope of renewal. With warmer rays of sun and the breeze of brighter skies, a visit to any of these is sure to leave you feeling revitalised.
Love,
Isabella