If you want to travel during spring and have an appreciation for nature, it makes sense to plan your holiday around the bloom of lovely wildflower scenery - it may even influence where you visit too! It’s a great time to be out and about breathing the reinvigorating fresh air of spring, and it’s as if the injection of a new palette of colours somehow revitalises your vision after winter. Below, we highlight eight of the best places to see wild flowers in Europe during spring and early summer - just don’t leave it too long!
1. The Corfu Trail - Greece
Set in the Ionian Sea to the north-west of mainland Greece is Corfu, an island shaped by jagged mountains - which sometimes reach right to the sea - and a stunning coastline. Adding to its appeal are the picturesque landscapes and wildflowers that scatter the hillsides. Multiple species of orchids, poppies, geranium, primrose, daisy, honeysuckle, iris and lily intersperse the lush greeny of willow, cedar and juniper forest, meadows, vineyards and olive groves. And the botany highlights don't stop there, at Agii Deka, Corfu's second-highest peak, an abandoned monastery and walled garden is waiting to be explored.
"The highlight of the walk was the stunning wild flowers with over 200 species identified including many orchids." - Christopher H, The Corfu Trail: 8 days
2. Slovenia's Lakes & Mountains
Slovenia is a playground for any nature enthusiast, defined by its kaleidoscope of pristine mountains, lakes, meadows and forests, walkers are spoilt for choice. In spring and early summer, the mountainsides of the Julian Alps are covered with a fragrant carpet of white daffodils that - when seen from a distance - looks like snow. These delicate scented flowers have some 120 folk names. The woodlands are full of flowery delights too, with many orchids spilling out onto the trail edges and hellborines, while saffron crocus, gentians and pinks are found on the upper slopes.
3. Along the Salento Coast - Italy
This memorable walking holiday follows the Salento peninsula’s east coast, boasting views from high rocky clifftops, walks through olive groves and dips in secluded turquoise coves. Starting in the beautiful Baroque town of Lecce and concluding in Santa Maria di Leuca, on the tip of the boot’s heel, a visit during the verdant blossoming springtime provides rewarding scenery and opportunities for flora. Expect to see euphorbia, prickly pear, orchid, poppy, buttercup, crocus, marigold and calendula dotting the classic Italian countryside. This itinerary also includes a visit to La Cutura Botanical Garden, an old country estate which now covers 35 hectares, housing a variety of rare succulents and tropical plants.
"The coastal scenery was wonderful and there were amazing flowers and olive groves - May was probably the best month for them". - Sue F, Along the Salento Coast
4. Andalucia: Along the GR7 - Spain
The foothills of the Sierra Nevada afford some delightful walking as the GR7 long distance footpath winds its way along the flanks of Europe’s second-highest mountain range, through the sleepy, whitewashed villages of the Alpujarras. The arrival of spring here heralds a vivid display of wild flowers and almond blossom. Trails through valleys and gorges washed by rushing streams lead past fragrant meadows of rosemary and lavender, alongside terraced groves of pomegranate, apricot, apple and orange trees set against the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada’s lofty snowcapped peaks.
5. Hiking in the Pindos Mountains - Greece
This off-the-beaten-track walking holiday explores the little known northern region of Greece, where the stunning Pindos Mountains are the southerly extension of the Dinaric Alps. As a result of their geographical isolation and geological complexity, these mountains boast an astonishing wealth of biodiversity. Each spring through until the middle of June virtually everywhere you look is covered with blooms of every colour imaginable and the mountains seem to rise from amidst a sea of buttercups, narcissi, hyacinths and other wild flowers. This is also a great time to go mushrooming in the dense forests.
"Great walking & flowers" - John C, Hiking in the Pindos Mountains
6. Walking the Rhodope Mountains - Bulgaria
The Rhodope Mountains cover a huge variety of habitats, making them a European hotspot for flora and fauna. The use of traditional farming methods ensures that many wildflower species sensitive to pesticides used throughout the rest of Europe survive here in abundance. In spring the countryside is awash with colour from hay meadows dotted with cowslips, dog violets and grape hyacinths, along with the vividly coloured butterflies that thrive here. One highlight is the chance to see many rare and interesting orchids - such as the red helleborine.
7. The Alps of Transylvania
This intoxicating hiking holiday and classic high route through Romania’s Carpathian Mountains explores the varied landscapes of this off-the-beaten track country. High craggy mountains, swathed with large sections of virgin forest, interspersed with the occasional traditional shepherd alpine meadow; afford the opportunity to walk in one of Europe’s last wilderness landscapes. The wildflowers of the Carpathians include rhododendron, crocus, snowdrops, marigolds, lady slipper orchid, salvia and clover, and with around 270 species of butterfly in Piatra Craiului, it's ideal for any walker wanting to witness unspoilt mountain scenery.
"Highlights of the trek were the mountain scenery and abundance of Alpine flowers". - Angela E, Alps of Transylvania
8. Walking on the Azores
This remote mid-Atlantic archipelago of nine volcanic islands is bathed by the Gulf Stream, with a climate that varies from Mediterranean to subtropical. One of the most remote pockets of Europe, the islands are often seen as Europe’s Hawaii due to their volcanic origins that are visible in crater lakes, steaming geysers and black sand. Your walks on the island of São Miguel and its southern neighbour, Santa Maria, reveal incredible displays of hydrangeas that flower each spring. Wild roses sprout from rocks beside the roads, yellow flowers and wild garlic run wild, and the fields are full of white lilies and a variety of camellias.
Contact us to book your wildflower walking holiday, or view all of our trips with a nature focus.
