Spring in the Netherlands is a glorious time of year. The dark and windy days of winter are replaced with blue skies and sun, which is especially exciting because it signals the beginning of tulip season! The months of April and May are some of the busiest in Amsterdam for this very reason. Most visitors this time of year will head south to Keukenhof Gardens to stroll around its famous manicured gardens of tulips, hyacinths, and crocus.
It may get all the hype this time of year, but it’s not the only place to enjoy the springtime flowers. To mix things up a bit for our second spring in the Netherlands, we decided to check out the Cherry Blossom Festival in the Amsterdamse Bos, or Amsterdam Forest, about a 20 minute bike ride south of the city center.
The grove of cherry trees are located in a part of the forest called Bloesempark, or Blossom Park, which is a relatively small area that once served as Amsterdam’s tree nursery. In 2000, the area was incorporated into the Amsterdam Forest when 400 cherry trees were donated by the Japan Women’s Club and planted in the area of the park closest to Amstelveen, the small town immediately to the east of the Forest.
Here, for just a few glorious weeks at the end of March and early April, a grove of cherry trees create a canopy of pinkish-white flowers.
The event transforms what it otherwise a rather sleepy corner of the park into a lively scene as families and groups of friends descend on the grove all at once. Many people come prepared with food and a picnic blanket, which are spread out on the manicured lawn between the trees. We, too, came prepared with a blanket and spent the sunny afternoon lounging around, playing cards, and people watching.
How To Visit
The festival takes place over one weekend every spring, but the flowers can be seen any time while in bloom from late March to early April. For more information, visit the Amsterdamse Bos website.
There is no admission to the area. Traveling by bike or public transportation is best as car parking is limited in the area. For routing to the park, you can use the address Mayor A. Colijnweg 68, 1182 AL, Amstelveen.
Many restaurants in or around the park have special Cherry Blossom Festival menus or to-go picnic baskets. For more information, visit the town of Amstelveen’s website.
