With the sun finally spending a little more time in the sky each day, and the trees and plants starting to bloom, spring is certainly around the corner and ready to dust away the winter blues. While it can be a time for both chilly or rainy days as much as sunny ones, this season is always a fresh breath of air and many cities and towns across Europe certainly flourish with it. Find the perfect destination to put a spring in your travels this season from our list of spring cities.
Hebden Bridge
Hebden Bridge has its roots as a Yorkshire Market town which is famed for harbouring the same liberalism and creativity usually found in big cities. Surrounded by canals, this Yorkshire delight comes to life in the spring time with beautiful walks along the Yorkshire Dales – which are finally accessible again after the long winter! Not only is it within spitting distance of the gorgeous dales, but the whole town, which looks virtually untouched since the 19th century, is littered with quirky cafés (not a chain in sight) and boutique shops.
Head to Café Solo or Mooch for an atmosphere that is a perfect hybrid of industrial charm with a pinch of modernisation. Hebden Bridge is also home to the burial site of literary legend Sylvia Plath, and the childhood home of her husband Ted Hughes. In recent years, the National Trust has teamed up with local experts to offer free walking tours around the town and Hardcastle Crags. During these walks, the moors and woodlands will be bursting with life and experts will be on hand to answer any questions you might have.
Spring Traditions: Country walks in the warm spring weather and spring cleaning!
Typical Spring Weather: Sunny, crisp weather
Average Spring Temperature: 5° – 15°C
Schwerin
The capital city of the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schwerin is known as the “City of the Seven Lakes”. The main attraction here however is Schwerin Castle, which is situated on an a little island between two lakes. In the south of the castle there is the “Schlossgarten”or a palace garden that was reconstructed and freshly designed for the Bundesgartenschau 2009. Springtime inside the Schlossgarten is a must see on a spring trip to Schwerin. Lots of little canals run through the garden, surrounded by little avenues, flowerbeds and statues.
Additionally the whole landscape around Schwerin is worth seeing, as it is dotted with many lakes, islands and forests. This year there is an art exhibition, as the Schlossgarten turns into the “Garden of Sounds” where the garden becomes filled with natural delights and items to make sounds with. There is also a harbour festival in May where sailors, boat owners and visitors celebrate going out on the lakes again after being docked-up for winter.
Spring Traditions: Traditionally in the region there are lots of events to welcome the spring, sometimes referred to as “Frühjahrserwachen” (spring awakening). Many people will be strolling through the gardens and the city centre, sailing on the lakes and enjoying the spring awakening celebrations.
Typical Spring Weather: Usually sunny, with some days of rain as well.
Average Spring Temperature: from March to May 5° – 15°C
Mechelen
Mechelen is not only a beautiful city with lovely Flemish houses and the impressive Sint-Romboutskathedraal cathedral to admire, but a city that truly blooms in spring and is worth a visit. A great choice of outdoor activities and seasonal beer traditions make it a perfect place for walking, drinking and dining outside while exploring the highlights of the city. The best way to do this is with a boat trip on the Dijle. With a bit of sun shining over the water, visitors can enjoy views of the Vismarkt (market), Grootbrug (bridge), Kruidtuin (botanic gardens) and the Volmolen (water mill).
Afterwards climb up the Sint-Romboutstoren – the big tower of the cathedral that’s on the UNESCO list – for a wonderful view of the city and surroundings. For some more activities, go to one of the many parks in Mechelen. Vrijbroekpark is a 50 hectare park with a beautiful rose garden showcasing 100 different kinds of roses. Another park perfect for a visit in the spring is the zoo ‘Planckendael’ where you can find exotic animals.
Spring Traditions: Enjoy the first sunny spring days with a good beer, such as the Gouden Carolus at the brewery ‘Het Anker’ in the city. Try the Mechelse Koekoek, which will complement perfectly with your Gouden Carolus Tripel or Classic.
Typical Spring Weather: Although it can be sunny, it’s still Belgium, so be aware of sudden rainy and grey days.
Average Spring Temperature: 8° – 18°C
Albacete
Albacete is one of the cities in Spain with an abundance of green space. It has more than 1.3 million m2 of parks and gardens, which makes for 7.3 m2 per inhabitant. Amongst them are more than 100,000 different kinds of plants and flowers. Parks and gardens like Parque Abelardo Sánchez (offering 120,000 m2 of trees and grass) or the Botanic Garden make for perfect spring days out. During the 19th century, the city had a lot of industry and was very important in Spain (one of the first cities to have electricity), so a stroll through the city will offer up lot of Modernist style palaces from the rich inhabitants of that time.
Also the Cathedral and the Teatro Circo, one of the few theatres in the world that are for shows related to circus, are not to be missed. Spring is also the perfect time to be active and Albacete has one of the longest bike lanes in Europe. The Bike Lane Albacete-Valdeganga is 22km and connects the city with other small villages nearby. You can also cycle to some of the parks that are in the outskirts, like La Pulgosa – the biggest one in the whole region – for a picnic with regional delights like Manchego cheese.
Spring Traditions: The Noche de los Mayos (Night of May) takes place on the 30th April to welcome in the spring. It has a mix of pagan and religious origins, and nowadays people go to different squares of the city where they sing to the Virgin of Llanos. In addition to that, there are orchestras, music, dance, party and a lot of nice food.
Typical spring weather: it can be rainy and sunny, but in any case there are a lot of activities outdoor and indoor
Average Spring Temperature: between 10° – 20°C
Lecce
Lecce is the capital of Salento, one of the most beautiful regions of Italy found right in the tip of the heel. It has a wild pristine nature which starts to blossom in spring with an extraordinary range of colours and fragrances. Lecce is known for its spectacularly vivid but relaxed rhythm of life. With its over 20 km of coast, it is the perfect spot to enjoy spring beaches as well as explore nearby cities like Otranto and Gallipoli. Lecce is very far from any tourist mayhem, allowing visitors to explore and eat the delicious Salentinian traditional foods found here at their own pace.
Some of the most important monuments, and excellent examples of the Baroque influence of Lecce, includes the Basilica of Santa Croce made of the local white-pale stone, the Convento dei Cappuccini and the ancient amphitheatre. Lecce is also famous for many great stone artisans with many workshop found on Via Palmieri, and the traditional handicrafts of the art of ‘papier maché’ here dates back to 17th century. The Botanical Garden managed by the Unversity of Lecce has 2 hectares park with hundred species of plants and flowers and is a beautiful spot to walk and relax. If you go there in the late of May or later, you can go swimming in the Grotta della Poesia, a spectacular natural clear pool found just one hour away by bus.
Spring Traditions: Particularly during Easter many towns around Lecce and in the whole Apulia celebrate rituals and religious processions with music, events and a lot of food and wine. One of the most interesting is the 3rd of April in Gallipoli, called A Passiuna. Another exciting event is called “Cortili aperti”, usually at the end of May, which allows visitors to enjoy 25 old villas and churches with music, art and literature events.
Typical Spring Weather: The area enjoys a Mediterranean climate, and spring is no different offering comfortably warm days and cooler night
Average Spring Temperature: 18° – 22°C during the day, and 9° – 14°C at night
Saint Rémy de Provence
Saint Rémy de Provence is a beautiful small city in Provence that becomes bustling during the spring. As winter fades away, several events take place here including the Transhumance Festival, a carnival in March, an artists’ festival one Sunday of May (when regional artists exhibit their work in the historic center), and another parade of traditional old carts on the last Sunday of May. From Saint Rémy de Provence you can also reach the beautiful Alpilles mountain range. In spring it’s perfect to enjoy a walk, bike tour, or climbing in this regional nature reserve. Crossing a typical Mediterranean forest before reaching the typical Garrigue landscapes, hikers will discover lavender, provencal herbs, and juniper in the countryside.
Spring is also a wonderful time to go for walk amongst the ruins of the old roman city Glanum just 1 km south from Saint Rémy de Provence. Art lovers may also choose to follow the guided path of the Vincent Van Gogh paintings. The dutch painter was in a mental hospital here at the end of his life and painted more than 150 views of the landscapes he could see walking around.
Spring Traditions: On Pentecost day or Whitsunday an old tradition in Saint Rémy de Provence is the Transhumance festival. Before going up in the mountains, the shepherds (in traditional clothes) and their 3000 ewes parade in the streets. All day long you can eat at the cheese market, and there is a common lunch with regional specialties, including red and rosé wine from the region, on the main square.
Typical Spring Weather: Spring is usually sunny, but also windy. The French southern wind called ‘Mistral’ can be pretty strong, but that’s also what makes the lavender landscapes so beautiful. A few rainy days may appear in April, but that becomes less and less throughout the season.
Average Spring Temperature: between 13° – 21°C
Montreux
Montreux is situated in the French part of Switzerland between Lake Geneva and the mountains, with a great view over the lake and to the opposite shore. Because of the climate and nature around it, the city is stunningly beautiful and has lots of southern European delicacies to enjoy, like fresh olives and regional wines. The most fantastic thing to see here in spring is the large amount of white daffodils in and around the city. There are so many flowers that it looks like there is still snow everywhere – the whole landscape is transformed into white.
When spring arrives it is typical to get out and enjoy the nice weather, and visitors can enjoy going for a walk along the shore of Lake Geneva and through the mountains, taking boat trips, swimming, or just sitting outside in cafés and restaurants. For train romantics there is the “Golden Pass Line”, a panorama train that starts its route in Montreux journeying towards the direction of Luzern, which makes and extraordinary trip in the spring.
Spring Traditions: Enjoying the spring weather out on the lake and eating delicious seasonal foods
Typical Spring Weather: Mostly sunny – almost a Mediterranean climate. Often clouds may hang around the mountain tops
Average Spring Temperature: 10° – 18°C
Kudowa-Zdrój
Spring is the most beautiful season in Poland with much of the country flourishing in natural beauty at this time. Kudowa-Zdrój is located below the Stołowe Mountains, making it perfect for visiting, walking trips, biking, and as the departure point for visiting other spots in Poland. The Stołowe Mountains National Park is the “must see” of this region and is also called “Table Mountains” because of its shape. The range is built of sandstone and is the only one of its kind in Poland. Among the popular sights to see there are two massifs: Szczeliniec Wielki which is part of a hiking trail that winds like a maze, and Skalniak a part of another winding trail maze called Błędne Skały. A popular attraction in the city is the Skull Chapel (one of three in Europe) and the Pump Room, as Kudowa-Zdrój is historic spa town.
Traditions: Easter in the springtime is an important holiday, and Poles celebrate it in their traditional way. Families prepare small baskets filled with goodies and decorations, and the most characteristic are colorful egg, turned into “pisanki” that are brought to church. Celebrations continue on Easter Monday, called in Polish śmigus dyngus or śmingus dyngus. It’s a day when people try to splash one another (most often by surprise, of course) with water for good luck.
Typical spring weather: Spring in Poland is sunny, but sometimes rainy or even snowy (especially in April). In the forest and in the high mountains it can be a lit cooler.
Average Spring Temperature: April: 7°-14°C, May: 14°-18°C, June: 18°-20°C
Budapest
Budapest is a wonderful place in the spring time as the city offers a lot of outdoor activities and plenty of spring events. The spring time is still considered off-season, and in addition to finding lower airfare and hotel prices you’ll also find fewer crowds, making it one of the best times to visit Budapest. The beautiful weather makes it perfect to visit one of the city’s many parks including Margaret Island, Gellért Hill, Kopaszi-gát, Erzsébet Square and Károlyi Gardens. Sitting outside in outdoor restaurants and cafés or visiting outdoor markets like the weekly Sunday bazaar or the Farmer’s Market at Szimpla Kert are also a great way to make the most of the city in the spring.
A number of great festivals also take place at this time including the annual Budapest Spring Festival, which is one of the largest cultural events in the city with many performances and exhibitions to choose from. Architecture lovers will enjoy ‘Budapest 100‘, a unique two-day event which opens the doors of 100-year old buildings to the public. But for tipples and food, the annual Budapest Pálinka Festival, dedicated to a special type of Hungarian brandy, is one of the season’s biggest gastronomic events. Here visitors can taste a wide range of different types of pálinka made by the country’s best distillers.
Spring traditions: All spring traditions at this time are related to Easter celebrations. At Easter, boys sprinkle girls with perfume while citing one of the funny little poems written for these occasions. According to the tradition, women who are not ‘watered’ will fade away – and the boys can’t let that happen. In old times, it used to be a bucket of cold water, however today it’s a tamer version that’s in use. Part of the Easter celebrations (and a favourite among kids) is the painting of eggs. In some regions egg-painting developed into an art form of its own, with local motifs scratched into and embroidered onto the egg – sometimes with eggs even adorned with tiny horse shoes.
Typical spring weather: The spring months (March and April) see a mix of weather conditions, with a rapid increase in the average temperature. The weather in late March and April is often very nice but cool during the day and chilly at night. May is usually warmer..
Average spring temperature: March: 8°-10°C, April: 11°-16°C, May: 15°-21°C
Innsbruck
Innsbruck is the capital of the beautiful region of Tirol and is surrounded by the impressive landscape of the Alps. In the city one can wander around seeing various churches, monuments and parks in full spring bloom. Innsbruck also boasts many impressive buildings and a vivid street life with many bars, cafés and restaurants. The Alps are perfect to take long hikes and walk on some of the most beautiful mountain trails in Europe. The city itself bears a lot of gorgeous architecture to admire, and the landmark of the city is the “Goldenes Dacherl”, a house with golden shingles on the roof. A choice of wonderful mountain trails means there are great outdoor activities for everyone. For the best of the outdoors and some regional tipples, there is even a “Tiroler Schnapsroute” where you can taste typical liquors of the region while walking.
Spring Traditions: The “Innsbrucker Osterfrühling” happens this time of year with an exposition of over 1200 painted eggs with some true works of art and non-traditional themes.
Typical Spring Weather: The weather is usually very nice with a healthy amount of sun each day, however some rainy days can occur.
Average Spring Temperature: 4°-15°C during the day
