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(Last Updated On: 10/09/2021)

Everyone is dreaming of Spring for the warmer weather. It’s always a beautiful time in Europe when the snow of winter makes way for the glowing renewal of spring. Parks and gardens come alive and cities return to life again. Traveling in Europe in spring, ahead of the summer throngs, is also a fabulous time to bulk the European crowds while keeping your costs down with friendly shoulder-season rates. We take a look at some of the most enticing, exciting, and stunning places for Traveling in Europe in Spring.

 

The first things that come to mind when Traveling in Europe in spring:

 

Traveling in Europe in spring illustration

Enjoy the Food while Traveling in Europe in spring:

We’ve written a few articles about food. You can read them HERE and HERE. So it’s no surprise that we have food as a highlight of Traveling in Europe in Spring!

Rome Food:

After a long winter of roasted root vegetables, Romans look forward to a bitter green called puntarella, a form of chicory. It is late wintergreen that flourishes in Lazio. It’s the harbinger of spring, dressed with a little oil and chopped anchovy. Delish!

Terni to Rome Trains

Foggia to Rome Trains

Grosseto to Rome Trains

Arezzo to Rome Trains

 

Italian Food:

In Italian spring markets, you’ll find many familiar and many unfamiliar vegetables. There will still be artichokes in spring (Thank goodness), and they will be inexpensive, but there will be several kinds. Our favorite is the spiny artichokes of Sicily and Sardinia. They’ve evolved to shoo away the sheep; practically every plant in Sardinia has spines!

Other oddities include our favorite, agretti, a marsh grass that you saute in a little oil and some garlic, seasoning lightly if at all because it has a saltiness inherent in its place of birth. There are also Cardoons (cardoni in Italian, a relative of the artichoke) and the onion-like bulb in the picture called lampascione, really a specific type of hyacinth bulb that was once cucina povera, the cooking of the poor, and now has become quite trendy as a side dish in Puglia preserved “sottolio” or under oil.

Messina to Catania Trains

Syracuse to Catania Trains

Taormina to Catania Trains

Palermo to Catania Trains

 

French Food:

The wild strawberries of France are a must! Even rarer, are the strawberries grown in the Aveyron are special and ripen earlier than garden strawberries.

Dijon to Paris Trains

Reims to Paris Trains

Lille to Paris Trains

Tours to Paris Trains

 

Asparagus Festival

Spring is also the start of a two-month asparagus festival in the Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire in the Cotswolds. White asparagus season in Germany and the north of Europe starts in May.

Yes, people in Europe go all out to celebrate asparagus, white, green, or wild as all get out.

Greece has much the same spirit of gathering and many of the same spring vegetables as Italy.

Now, enough about the food. More about the actual travel!

Amsterdam to London Trains

Rotterdam to London Trains

Paris to London Trains

Brussels to London Trains

 

Traveling in Europe in spring the asparagus festival cotswolds

 

Paris:

I think we can all agree that there’s never a bad time to go to Paris. However, there’s something special about this city of romance and gastronomic delights come springtime. Making it definitely worth Traveling in Europe in spring!

The charm of Paris in the spring is just overwhelming. From picnicking in front of the Eiffel Tower to wandering the city’s many impressive gardens, dappled wanderings by the banks of the Seine, sunny mornings over a fresh croissant and café au lait, husky eves over Pernod and red wine – surrounded by blossoming chestnut groves, blooming Jardins, and truly breathtaking blue spring days.

Convinced yet?

The best part is the lines. Or lack of them, should we say. The Louvre and the Eiffel Tower are not nearly as thick as Summertime.

A big plus of spring in Paris is the Nuit des Musee or Night of Museums. It’s when museums, art galleries, and cultural centers throughout the city open their doors for one night in May so visitors can experience some of the best art in the world in a very different way: totally free and very late at night.

Brussels to Paris Trains

London to Paris Trains

Marseille to Paris Trains

Amsterdam to Paris Trains

 

Traveling in Europe in spring – Eastern Europe – Hungary:

When the grey falls away to spring, the Hungarian capital truly comes to life. We highly recommend the party scene in Budapest in the Spring. There are a whole host of cultural events and exhibitions to attend. Visitors can lap up the annual Pálinka Festival, featuring tastings of over 300 types of brandy, while the Spring Festival, a two-week spectacular, draws in the masses in with its fusion of orchestral, jazz, and world music performances.

Here’s a great list of things to do in Spring in Budapest:

  • Ride the Budapest Eye See the cherry blossoms at the ELTE Botanical Garden
  • Eat out at food-truck gardens
  • Enjoy a breezy BKK ferry ride Enjoy a gluttonous day at food festivals
  • Peek into historic buildings during Budapest100 Find local handicrafts at the Budapest Spring Fair Get groceries at Sunday markets in ruin bars
  • Traverse the city’s rubberized running tracks
  • Take the chairlift for a high-flying ride
  • Visit compelling exhibitions Sip local craft beers at terrace hangouts

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nipHsxjBVaE

 

The hot weather part of Traveling in Europe in spring – Seville, Spain:

The exciting Andalusian capital explodes with life in the spring: cafes and restaurants buzz with energy. Orange blossoms and white citrus leaves bloom, and the cultural calendar kicks into a whole new gear.

If you’re feeling excited about Spring and wanna celebrate it, then you’re in the right place.  Expect weeks, of partying, dancing, and flamboyant performances in the cobblestoned streets. Fall in love with flamenco, and get your fill of incredible Andalusian fare.

For a cool event to experience when Traveling in Europe in spring, head to Seville during its famous Feria de Abril, or spring fair. The Seville Fair traditionally starts two clear weeks after Semana Santa, in a huge area in Los Remedios (map), to the south-west of the city, next to the river. This is a week of serious dancing, drinking, eating, and socializing, with late nights – or all-nighters – the norm. The sheer size of the April Fair’s spectacle is extraordinary. From around midday until early evening – especially on Tuesday, the first official day – Sevilla society parades around the fairground in carriages or on horseback. There are also daily bullfights, generally considered the best of the season.

 

Munich, Germany:

Munich is amazing year-round, but a true highlight is catching the city during its annual Fruhlingsfestival, or spring festival, every April/May. Think Oktoberfest, but with way fewer people, but just as much beer 😉

 

The last Traveling in Europe in spring – Dublin, Ireland

The streets of Dublin burst to life this month for the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Travelers visiting the capital in March will have plenty to capture their attention. Check out the guided walking tour of Dublin Port, or the famous two-mile-long St. Patrick’s Festival Parade. The celebrations span the entire weekend, so plan on escaping the crowds at The K Club, a 5-star country manor located 30 minutes outside Dublin. With a vintage 1936 Jaguar house car, curated whiskey tastings, and horseback trails on 550 acres. Sign us up!

 

Traveling in Europe in spring st patricks day in dublin

 

Spring into gear and book that train ticket with Save A Train to visit any one of these locations by train, in minutes!

 

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