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ENVIRONMENT

IN PICS: The best places to see spring blossom in Spain

Spring has sprung early this year, so if you want to see the Spanish countryside in all its glory here are of some of the best places to visit during the floral season.

IN PICS: The best places to see spring blossom in Spain
Where to see spring blossom in Spain? Photo: ValverdeRedactor / Pixabay

Whether it’s almond or cherry blossom, the vibrant yellow bloom of mimosa or apple blossom festivals, there are signs of spring all across Spain. 

There’s no need to travel as far as Japan either as Spain hosts many of its own blossom and flower festivals that will be taking place over the next couple of months. Here are some of the best places to see wildflowers in Spain this spring. 

Quinta de los Molinos, Madrid

In Madrid, this is the time of year when couples flock to the Quinta de los Molinos park (Near Suances Metro in the east of the city) to admire the groves of almond trees. 

Quinta de Molinos Park in Madrid is a great spot to see the blossoms. Photo: Claudio Six / Pixabay

Aitona, Catalonia 

Located near the city of Lleida in Catalonia, each March and April the small town of Aitona transforms into a sea of pink as the surrounding peach trees begin to bloom. 

The town of Aitona in Catalonia becomes a sea of pink. Photo: Georgina Yuste / Pixabay

Valle de Jerte, Extremadura 

Move over Japan, Spain has its own cherry blossom festival. Located in the Valle de Jerte in Extremadura, from late march until mid-April over one and a half million cherry trees begin to flower. Some of the best villages to see the blooms are Piornal, Casas del Castañar, El Torno and Rebollar. The Cherry Blossom Festival takes place in these towns usually at the beginning of April with markets, fairs and tours. 

See the cherry trees in the Valle de Jerte. Photo: Luis / Pixabay
 
 

Caderechas Valley, Castilla y León

Near the city of Burgos in northern Spain lies the Caderechas valley, filled with rows upon rows of fruit trees, from apple to cherry. Each spring, they burst into a kaleidoscope of colour. 

See the blossom in the Caderechas Valley. Photo: Alexander Gresbek / Pixabay
 
 

Sierra Mágina, Jaén, Andalusia

Jaén may be more well known for its olives than its blossoming fruit trees, but hidden among the olive groves of the Sierra Mágina, you’ll find the delicate white flowers of hundreds of cherry trees. 

 

 
See the cherry blossom in Jaén. Photo: Pxfuel
 
 

Cider District, Asturias 

The northern region of Asturias is known for its delicious cider, but what makes you appreciate this amber liquid even more is visiting during apple blossom season in late April or early May. The Asturias cider district is located across the villages of Bimenes, Cabranes, Colunga, Nava, Sariegu and Villaviciosa, which turn into a snow-white scene during the yearly Apple Blossom Week. 

 

 
Visit Asturias during Apple Blossom Week. Photo: Pxfuel
 

Mallorca, Balearics

Fragrant scents of almond and orange blossom drift through the Sierra de Tramuntana mountains in Mallorca each spring. Every April, the town of Sóller plays host to the annual Orange Blossom Festival, paying homage to the town’s strong history with the citrus fruit. 

 

 
See the orange blossom in Mallorca. Photo: Joanjo Puertos Muñoz / Pixabay
 

Temps de Flors, Girona, Catalonia

While the Temps de Flors festival isn’t a blossom festival like the ones above, it is a great opportunity to see the spring flowers in full bloom in a unique and creative way. Each May, the Catalan city of Girona holds this flower festival, which sees floral artists creating living installations on routes throughout the historic town. 

 

 
Visit the Temps de Flors flower festival in Girona. Photo: Manuel Torres Garcia / Pixabay
 

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Seven of the least touristy places in Spain to visit over Easter

Looking to spend Easter in Spain but dreading the crowds? Here are seven places across the country where you're far less likely to encounter many tourists.

Seven of the least touristy places in Spain to visit over Easter

Spain’s bigger cities like Madrid, Barcelona and Seville are always pretty packed with tourists. During Easter, when many countries have public and school holidays, they can be even busier than usual and getting around can become pretty difficult.

During Easter specifically, some towns and cities, most famously Seville, can be absolutely overrun with tourists during Semana Santa – Holy Week.

If you’re wanting to get away but don’t fancy facing the crowds, here are 8 of the least touristy cities in Spain to visit this Easter.

READ ALSO: What are the best cities in Spain to see the Semana Santa processions?

Badajoz

Badajoz is often ignored compared to its neighbours Cáceres and Mérida, but well worth a visit. The city of roughly 150,000 in the Extremadura region of western Spain sits on the border with Portugal and is much cheaper than visiting traditional tourist hotspots such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville over Easter.

Badajoz’s impressive Moorish citadel, located on the banks of the Guadiana river, is an extraordinary fortress from the Al-Andalus period and is one of the largest in Spain. The San Juan Bautista cathedral is another historical monument worth seeing. For those who’ve visited Seville, Badajoz also has a Giralda tower very similar to the one in the Andalusian capital.

Badajoz and the region of Extremadura as a whole welcome very few tourists. Photo: Alonso de Mendoza/Wikipedia.

Ciudad Real

Ciudad Real is a small city, with a population of around 75,000 people, found right in the centre of Spain in the Castilla-La Mancha region. It’s about a 2.5 hour drive south of Madrid.

For the literature fans among our readership, Ciudad Real is most commonly associated with the seminal novel in Spanish history (indeed arguably in world history) Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. As such, one of the city’s main attractions is the Don Quixote museum, but the city has much to offer than literary connections. The Santa María del Prado cathedral and Plaza Mayor are of particular note. Close to Ciudad Real is Almagro, considered one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. 

Almagro is a short drive away from Ciudad Real city. Photo: Carlos Cuerda/Flickr (public domain)

Huesca

Another hidden gem is Huesca, in the Aragón region. Huesca is small, with a population of a little over 50,000, but the city and province that goes by the same name stand out and really punches above its weight for incredible historical heritage. In the old town alone, the smaller city boasts the San Pedro el Viejo monastery and the Cathedral of Transfiguración del Señor. 

The cathedral of Santa María de Huesca is arguably the most renowned and well known historical monument in the city. It is Gothic in style and was somewhere built between the 13th and 14th centuries by order of Jaime I — definitely worth a visit!

You can escape the crowds of tourists this Easter in the village of Torla in Huesca province (Aragón). Photo: Antonio López/Pixabay

Soria

Soria is a stunning little city in the Castilla y León region. It’s around a 2 hour drive from Zaragoza, and can be easily reached by public transport from Madrid in around 2 and a half hours.

The city also oozes history wherever you look. Soria’s Plaza Mayor, the heart of the city, is home to both the Fuente de los Leones and Casa de los Doce Linajes, which dates back to the 18th century and has neoclassical style. Soria also boasts the Church of Santo Domingo, considered one of the masterpieces of Romanesque architecture in Spain.

San Juan de Duero Monastery on the outskirts of Soria. Photo: Diego Delso/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

El Hierro

The smallest of Spain’s Canary Islands has fewer than 10,000 inhabitants and is a world apart from touristy Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. Dozens of trails through dense laurel forests, some of the best scuba diving Spain has to offer and quaint villages are some of its main draws. Above all, you’ll find it extremely easy to find peace and tranquillity in La Isla de Meridiano, considered for centuries to be the most westerly point in the world.  

Don’t expect traffic jams on the isolated Canary island of El Hierro. Photo: Simon/Pixabay

Camino Natural Senda del Duero

Another worthwhile Easter trip for nature lovers, ramblers and cyclists. The Camino Natural Senda del Duero is a very long trail that begins on the border of the provinces of La Rioja, Burgos and Soria in the highest peak of the Iberian mountain range, the Picos de Urbión. This is where the river Duero begins, and it then flows into Oporto before crossing Castilla y León from east to west for 750 kilometres.

Along the way are towns such as Aranda de Duero, Peñafiel, Almazán and Simancas, stops on a long tour through Castilian nature, history and tradition.

A bend in the Duero river around Fermoselle and Pinilla. Photo: Zona especial de conservación/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ezcaray

Ezcaray is a tiny town of around 2000 people in the La Rioja region. It’s less than an hour from nearby Logroño, three and a half hours from Madrid, and the picturesque town is surrounded by rolling green hills and mountains.

Ezcaray may be small, but boasts a lot of visit worthy sites. The Real Fábrica de Paños de Santa Bárbara, an old textile factory, is a recognised cultural asset, as is the Casa de Tintes ‘El Fuerte’, which has been converted into the town hall. The church of Santa María la Mayor is also worth a visit, especially during Easter, for its eye-catching reddish stone, Gothic style and an ornate altarpiece dating back to the 12th century.

Ezcaray and the region in which it is located – La Rioja – are both off the tourist trail. Photo: Almudena Sanz/Pixabay

L’Ametlla de Mar

If you want a coastal trip this Easter but don’t want the hustle and bustle of cities like Valencia, Málaga or Alicante, consider L’Ametlla de Mar in Tarragona.

A town of just 8,000 people that has gorgeous coastal views, L’Ametlla de Mar strikes a balance between being small and compact but also offering tourists plenty to keep busy with. The port is worth a visit, as is the fish auction at Llotja de L’Ametlla and, of course, the 30 beautiful coves and beaches in the area, five of which have been awarded with distinctions.

Cala de la Leña, one of the many quiet coves around ‘Ametlla de Mar. Photo: Damià Llaó/Wikipedia/CC BY-SA 4.0

Sierra Morena Sevillana

Though Seville city centre will be absolutely packed with people during Semana Santa, the province itself has something of a hidden gem you could enjoy during Easter. Sierra Morena Sevillana is a protected nature reserve north of Seville, and whether it be fishing in the Rivera del Huéznar, heading to the Almadén de la Plata, the only public astronomical observatory in Spain, or enjoying some of the famous local Andalusian gastronomy, you’re sure to find something to help you disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Escape Seville’s Semana Santa processions in the nearby Sierra Morena. Photo: NacionAndaluza/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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