It’s cherry blossom season and you don’t need to head to Japan to see a frothy display of cherry blossoms – even though this is the country usually on most people’s travel lists when it comes to seeing cherry blossoms. Here are some places where you can enjoy cherry blossoms closer to home.
Cherry blossoms (or Sakura as they are called in Japanese) are only in bloom for around two weeks in the year in spring – which means April and May if you are living in the northern hemisphere. Cherry blossoms can be unpredictable so rather than making a trip across the world to Japan to coincide with their cherry blossom festival, you can plan to see them closer to home at these top cherry blossom destinations around the world.
It’s Cherry blossom season!
Cherry Blossoms in the USA
Washington DC was gifted 3020 cherry trees in 1912 and the city now has thousands more, which means their National Cherry Blossom festival in March/April attracts millions of visitors from all around the world. To see them in all their glory, just walk along the Tidal Basin or visit the East Potomac Park.
Another destination in the USA is Georgia, which hosts a massive International Cherry Blossom Festival in late March. Here you can enjoy the blossoms from over 300 000 Yoshino cherry trees, outdoor movie screenings, live music and more! The best blossom viewing spots are Wesleyan Woods, Fickling Farm and downtown Marcon.
A third destination to view cherry blossoms in the USA (no wonder they are famous for their cherry pie) is New York City’s Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The blossoms are in bloom in April and a two-day festival is held every year to celebrate the blossoms.
Cherry blossoms in France
The Parc de Sceaux, which is situated on the outskirts of Paris has hundreds of cherry blossom trees. Enjoy them with a picnic right under the cherry blossom trees themselves!
Cherry blossoms in Sweden
To see cherry blossoms in Sweden head to the heart of Stockholm and visit the Kungsträdgården. Here you will discover an annual Cherry Blossom festival in late April, which attracts thousands of visitors.
Cherry blossoms in Spain
For two weeks in late March and early April, the Jerte Valley in Spain transforms into a white cherry wonderland as over a million trees come into bloom! This is one of the most magnificent cherry blossom viewings in the whole of Europe and the local towns have plenty of festivities on at the same time to celebrate the blossoms.
Cherry blossoms in Canada
If you want to see cherry blossoms in Canada, head to Vancouver, which hosts the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival in April. Visit Queen Elizabeth Park, Stanley Bark or the VanDusen Botanical Garden for a magnificent display of blossoms.
Cherry blossoms in Germany
Hamburg is Osaka’s sister city and since 1968, Hamburg has honoured this relationship with Kirschblütenfest in May – a visually beautiful Cherry Blossom Festival packed full of culture, fireworks and of course the cherry trees themselves – which you can find at Altonaer Balkon Park or the banks of Alster Lake.
Cherry blossoms in South Africa
Closer to home, you can also enjoy the cherry blossoms in bloom – although this happens later in the year in September. To celebrate Springtime with these beautiful blossoms, head to the Calitzdorp Blossom Festival at De Krans Wines, where you can see a beautiful display of peach and apricot blossoms.
The Ceres Valley is another destination to celebrate cherry blossoms. Make sure Klondyke Cherry Farm is on your list, where you can enjoy a great day out with your family.
Ficksburg is another top cherry blossom destination – especially as this small Eastern Free State town claims to be the Cherry Capital of the World and hosts an annual Cherry Festival that draws visitors from all over South Africa and the world. To see the cherry trees in bloom, visit Ficksburg in August/September and then plan to be back for the famous cherry festival, which will be held from 21-23 November 2019.
If you are a South African living abroad and would like to know more about how you can maximise your finances through the financial emigration process, accessing your South African retirement annuity and our tailor-made tax solutions for South Africans around the world, contact FinGlobal today.