Signal as much as Simon Calder’s free journey e mail for professional recommendation and money-saving reductions
Get Simon Calder’s Journey e mail
Get Simon Calder’s Journey e mail
They’re the pure European spectacles that seem and disappear because the yr unfolds.
Time it mistaken, and you could possibly be in for an enormous disappointment.
To keep away from that, observe this information to the continent’s most eye-catching seasonal wonders and mark them in pink in your calendar.
We dig up pertinent tips to the unmissable flower exhibits that blossom yearly within the Netherlands and on the lofty mountains of Switzerland; reveal prime viewing spots for the surreal “midnight solar”; clarify the place and when to see landscapes swathed in lavender; and shepherd you to a premium location within the UK for fiery fall colours.
Our round-up additionally pinpoints the most effective locations to see Northern Lights shows, the place inky darkish skies are assured.
So you’ll be able to construct a week-long trip round these extraordinary occasions, you’ll additionally discover suggestions for additional issues to see and do close by, and motels that make very good HQs for exploration.
1. Spring, late March to mid-Could: Tulip season — the Netherlands
open picture in gallery
The Netherlands is the engine room of world tulip manufacturing, rising billions of bulbs yearly, or round 80 p.c of the worldwide complete.
One standout location to see them is the Keukenhof spring backyard in Lisse (open from March 19 to Could 10), round 20 miles west of Amsterdam. Right here, strolling paths weave round seven million bulbs organized in beautiful multi-hued shows.
Tour the world round Keukenhof — the Bollenstreek area — and also you’ll see farmland tulips organized in completely ordered rows, with some farms, corresponding to The Tulip Barn, open to guests.
Broaden your trip with an exploration of Amsterdam, house to main artwork museums such because the Rijksmuseum (for Dutch Masters corresponding to Rembrandt) and Van Gogh Museum, Unesco-listed canals, olde-worlde higgledy-piggledy homes and the picturesque Vondelpark.
In fact, no journey to The Netherlands can be full with out viewing a couple of storybook windmills in Kinderdijk and Zaanse Schans, and should you enterprise to The Hague, the political capital, you’ll be in for a shock, as a result of in addition to grand authorities buildings, there’s an unlimited golden seashore dealing with the North Sea.
Great spot to remain: Golden Tulip Leiden Centre (rooms from $200) is a cushty and conveniently situated base reverse the railway station in eye-catching Leiden, the place trains depart recurrently for Amsterdam. The Keukenhof backyard lies round 10 miles away.
Learn extra: 8 finest LGBT+ motels in Amsterdam for luxurious, price range and boutique stays
2. Late spring to summer time, Could–August: Alpine wildflower meadows — Switzerland
open picture in gallery
Switzerland is famend for its winter snowboarding, however dreamy wildflower meadows paired with breathtaking mountain views make it a compelling spring and summer time trip vacation spot.
The cheat code for seeing essentially the most stunning examples is the Schynige Platte, a ridge 6,500 toes above sea degree within the Bernese Oberland area close to Interlaken — and no mountaineering is required.
The historic cogwheel prepare that departs from Wilderswil is essentially the most exhilarating method of reaching it. After you disembark, observe the Swiss Flower & Panorama Path, which leads from the terminus and takes you proper by the center of wealthy alpine flora, with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains offering essentially the most dramatic of backdrops. There’s additionally a flower backyard to discover proper subsequent to the station that accommodates over 800 flower species.
Stretch the go to right into a full week with a visit to the impossibly picturesque Lauterbrunnen Valley, between Interlaken and the Jungfrau Massif. Right here, mesmerizing meadows gently ripple across the village of Lauterbrunnen and 72 waterfalls thunder down 3,000-foot-high cliffs.
For extra epic views, take a cruise on lakes Thun or Brienz, then climb aboard the Eiger Specific cable automobile from Grindelwald to the Eiger Glacier Station at 7,612 toes. From there, you’ll be able to experience the unbelievable Jungfraubahn cogwheel prepare, which terminates at Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest railway station at 11,332 toes.
Great spot to remain: Resort Interlaken (rooms from round $200 per evening) sits within the resort city and transport hub of Interlaken, making it a handy base for exploring the area. Trains, boats, buses and mountain railways all depart recurrently from close by.
Learn extra: Is Switzerland Europe’s most stunning nation? Seven areas that may take your breath away
3. Early summer time: Midnight solar — northern Norway
open picture in gallery
Round one third of Norway’s landmass is above the Arctic Circle, the place summer time solar between Could and the tip of July can keep above the horizon for twenty-four hours. So even at midnight, it’s nonetheless daylight.
In fact, this would possibly make sleep patterns difficult to take care of, however it signifies that Norway’s wonderful panorama is consistently illuminated and wrapped in an ethereal glow when the solar is decrease.
The most effective locations to view the unending sunshine is from the Fjellheisen Cable Automobile viewpoint above the town of Tromsø. From this perch, at an elevation of 1,380 toes, it’s attainable to look at the solar hint a sluggish arc previous the encompassing fjords, islands and mountain ridgelines with out ever setting.
About an hour away, the coastal space of Sommarøy, referred to as the “Arctic Caribbean,” is one other midnight solar hotspot — beautiful driving roads weave previous tiny villages and islets.
Maybe the last word location, although, is 300 miles southwest of Sommarøy — the Lofoten Islands archipelago. With its jagged peaks and colourful fishing villages, it appears pre-packaged for midnight solar images.
Stretch the journey into every week with visits to the beautiful Lyngen Alps, house to jaw-dropping glacier-fed mountains, and Senja Island, which is like the best hits of Norway — fjords, angular peaks, seashores and fishing villages — packed into one location. They’re each below 100 miles from Tromsø.
Great spot to remain: Radisson Blu Resort, Tromsø (rooms from $365) is situated on the harbor and options rooms with views of the town, the Arctic Cathedral or Tromsø Sound. The bar serves beer from one of many world’s northernmost breweries, close by Mack Brewery.
Learn extra: Uncover Norway’s majestic fjords with TravelSmart
4. Excessive summer time, late June–July: Lavender blooms — Provence
open picture in gallery
Provence turns purple in the summertime with lavender — utilized in perfumes, soaps and important oils worldwide — masking huge swathes of the panorama.
One of many premium areas for lavender-touring is the 300-square-mile Valensole Plateau, round 60 miles north of Marseille, the place the plant stretches to the horizon.
The hillier Sault Plateau, barely additional north on the sting of the Alps, is one other showstopping lavender panorama, whereas the Abbaye de Sénanque, close to the gorgeous hilltop village of Gordes, mesmerizes not by scale, however as a result of the traditional constructing, paired with neat rows of lavender, makes for a postcard-perfect scene.
Fill out the week with visits to Verdon Gorge, France’s reply to the Grand Canyon, simply east of the Valensole space, and the historic metropolis of Avignon.
At this Unesco World Heritage Web site on the Rhone River you’ll be able to discover the Palais des Papes (Popes’ Palace), the most important Gothic palace on the planet, Les Halles d’Avignon coated market and Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Doms (Avignon Cathedral), a Romanesque masterpiece.
Great spot to remain: Hôtel Le Pré Saint Michel (rooms from $112), situated within the city of Manosque, places you in simple driving vary of main lavender areas and the Verdon Gorge.
Learn extra: This French Riviera city is ideal for an art-filled getaway
5. Fall, late September–October: Autumn colours — Scottish Highlands
open picture in gallery
Scotland is spellbinding all yr spherical, however go to in fall and its panorama pops with beech, birch and oak timber turning pink, orange and deep bronze. Past, misty lochs and snow-covered mountains add to the attract.
Cairngorms Nationwide Park within the central Highlands, between Inverness and Perth, is among the most rewarding areas to view the colours at their most kaleidoscopic. Glen Affric, about 27 miles from Inverness, is one other hotspot for hypnotic hues.
Perthshire, too, is fertile foliage-chasing territory. Whereas there, head to The Hermitage, a magical stretch of forest close to Dunkeld with simple strolling trails that’s house to Douglas firs, among the many tallest timber in Britain, and thundering waterfalls.
Spherical out your stick with visits to the immense Loch Ness, mentioned to be house to the legendary Loch Ness Monster, and a street journey to the Isle of Skye, one of many UK’s most dramatic landscapes. Not-to-be-missed sights embody the Alpine-esque Cuillin mountains and the Outdated Man of Storr pinnacle.
Great spot to remain: Kingsmills Resort in Inverness (rooms from $79) has an indoor pool and exquisite gardens, and places you inside simple attain of Scotland’s autumnal treasures.
Learn extra: My epic journey to the distant Scottish island that appears just like the Maldives
6. Winter, December to February: Northern Lights — Finnish Lapland
open picture in gallery
When photo voltaic particles collide with gases within the Earth’s environment, dancing curtains of sunshine in greens, pinks and reds ensue — and these Northern Lights are seen with explicit readability and regularity within the inky skies above Finnish Lapland between December and February.
The area’s gateway city, Rovaniemi, round 500 miles north of Helsinki, serves as the right HQ for aurora chasing. You solely must drive a brief distance outdoors city for the sunshine air pollution to drop and the possibilities of a celestial present to rise.
For even darker skies and brighter shows, head to Saariselkä, a small resort village about 160 miles north of Rovaniemi, and to Urho Kekkonen Nationwide Park, a world of snow-covered forests and frozen rivers.
Different signature experiences in Lapland so as to add to a week-long trip embody guided canine sledding, cross-country snowboarding and snowshoeing.
Great spot to remain: Arctic Mild Resort (rooms from $180), housed in Rovaniemi’s former metropolis corridor, has 57 inviting rooms and a restaurant serving regional substances, from Arctic char to reindeer.
Learn extra: 7 of the perfect locations to go to in Finland in 2026
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/TAL-lead-image-HORSESHOEBAYTX0126-448a7b4245c44801b7660ebd634cda4c.jpg "I’ve Lived in Texas for 20+ Years and This Is the Hill Country’s Best Lake Town—and No, It’s Not Canyon Lake")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/TAL-bari-station-dolce-vita-welcome-band-ORIENTEXPRESSDOLICEVITA0326-6deca41f68674dc9bd43a3a85b8e2378.jpg "The Famous Orient Express Train Is Back in Italy—Here’s What It’s Like on Board")
