If you’re not new here, you may have realised that I have a thing for flowers: they brighten up a gloomy day with their touch of colour, liven up a room with their sweet scent and they are simply the sign that spring, summer and longer, warmer days are coming. So, of course, it was almost my duty to check the Floralia flower show, right next to Brussels!
Once a year, the Groot-Bijgaarden Castle, located within a 20-minute drive from Brussels, opens its gardens and greenhouses to the public for an amazing flower exhibition: Floralia Brussels. Thousands of visitors come to walk around the 14 hectares park, adorned with thousands upon thousands of flowers, including more than 400 varieties of tulips.
From 1 April to 4 May 2023, Floralia Brussels comes back in full swing for its 20th edition!
Practical information
When: This beautiful event takes place once a year in spring and only lasts around a month, between April and May. If you are ever in the area around those times, be sure to check it out!
Where: The Floralia Brussels flower show takes place in the Groot-Bijgaarden Castle, which is located North-West of Brussels.
How to reach it: It takes approximately 20 minutes by car, and there is a parking area for visitors that costs 5 euros.
You can also reach the castle via public transport from Brussels, taking a regional train to Dilbeek, then walking for around 10 minutes.
Tickets: You can buy the tickets directly on the website of the event, where you’ll also find more comprehensive information. The price for adults is 16 euros, but you have discounts for kids, students or seniors.
What to expect
I went there at the end of April 2022 and was absolutely amazed! First of all, when you arrive, you have to cross a bridge which leads you in front of a gorgeous 12th-century castle. Even though the castle itself is not open to visitors, from there you are free to walk around its massive garden, where millions of bulbs (literally!) are in full bloom.
What I really liked about it, on top of the beautiful flowers and general atmosphere there, was how incredibly different the flowers were from one another!
There were really hundreds of varieties of beautiful tulips (from the Netherlands), hyacinths, daffodils and many other spring flowers that were organised in neat little alleys, wide flower beds and colourful “islands” in a sea of green grass. The flower arrangements created beautiful colour palettes, mixing bright and pastel colours, and various shapes and sized.
After a walk in the first portion of the garden, which was more neatly arranged, we ventured into the “wilder” part of the park, taking pictures of literally everything. We checked the greenhouses, took pictures surrounded by flowers and walked in every alley. There was also a very tiny flower market at the entrance/exit where you could buy bulbs or flowers!
Overall, it was an amazing experience, perfect for a morning or afternoon local adventure around Brussels, to get in the mood for spring! And since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are some from this little adventure!
What was your latest local adventure?
Other spring-related local adventures:
– Chasing flowers
– Belgium’s Blue Forest
Sunny Days with Juliette 
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