When Cherry Trees Blossom in Holland

It is finally March, which means spring season is right at our doorstep. I love this time of the year! Visiting the Kersenbloesempark in Amstelveen has become an annual tradition of mine. I first stumbled across the park in complete awe back in 2014. Honestly, I was so happy I brought my camera along. I returned the next year in 2015 and the cherry blossoms were even better than before. I’m definitely going to try and go this year as well. Hopefully I can convince some of my friends to join me! So, if you will be visiting the Netherlands this April, keep reading. I will tell you exactly when cherry trees blossom in Holland (and where to find the prettiest petals).

A Sea of Pink Petals: When Cherry Trees Blossom in Holland

Pink cherry blossoms in Holland.

Happy child among the cherry trees in Amstelveen.

The Kersenbloesempark in Amstelveen

The Kersenbloesempark (Cherry Blossom Park) at the Amsterdamse Bos is the best place to see cherry trees blossom in Holland. The 400 sakura that trees stand at the Kersenbloesempark were a gift from the Japan’s Women’s Club (JWC) in 2000. The Kersenbloesempark was initially planted in celebration of 400 years of cultural ties between Japan and the Netherlands. Amstelveen is home to a community of about 1700 Japanese expats, the largest Japanese diaspora in Europe.

Picnic underneath the cherry blossoms.

Child playing at the Kersenbloesempark, Holland.

Taking photos with the cherry blossoms in Amstelveen.

A bee enjoys the cherry blossoms near Amsterdam.

Fully bloomed cherry blossoms in Holland.

Cherry trees in full bloom (Holland).

Hanami Matsuri is the Annual Cherry Blossom Festival

Every year, there is a Cherry Blossom Festival or hanami matsuri (“flower viewing festival”) at the Kersenbloesempark, when it is customary to have picnics under the beautifully blooming trees. The Festival in Amstelveen is more of an exclusive event, so the best thing to do to just plan your very own ‘picnic festival’ somewhere in April and bring along some of your friends and/or family for a wonderful afternoon. If you are in the Amsterdam region, Westerpark also seems to be a nice location.

Dog sniffs fallen cherry blossoms in Amstelveen.

Cherry blossoms in Holland.

Mother and daughter share a picnic at the Kersenbloesempark.

When Cherry Trees Blossom in Holland: The Best Time To Go

Most years, the best time to go and see the cherry blossoms in Holland is early to mid-April. Of course, every year is different, so keep an eye on how the temperatures have been doing. In 2014, I visited the park on April 6 and in 2015 I visited on April 12. A few years back, an Amstelveen news website already reported the first cherry blossom in February, so make sure check if you need to get to the park before mid-April. Possibly, the earlier in April, the better.

Cherry Blossom Season 2021 in Holland

2021 Update: My cherry blossom prognosis for this year right now would be to aim for late March to early April.

Have fun!

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25 thoughts on “When Cherry Trees Blossom in Holland

  1. hi roselinde, this 2017 when will be the best time to visit the cherry blossom? will still be there at April 22? i\’m planning to visit together the tulip fields.

    1. Hi! It’s hard to say right now, since it’s still early winter. If spring arrives late, it might still be possible. However, if spring arrives early, the cherry blossoms could be gone by then. April 22 is a good time to visit the tulips fields, though! Mid-april is usually the peak for tulip season 🙂

  2. Hi 🙂 I know this is probably a gamble but we’re in Amsterdam 6-9th May. I heard some cherry blossom trees can stay longer depending on the weather, do you think the blossoms will still be there by then? Thank you

    1. Hi! 🙂 The cherry trees have already gone past full bloom, so I’m afraid most will be gone by then 🙁

      1. ahh no, thanks for letting me know though 🙂 just thought I’d check. We’ll stick to Vondelpark on our short trip for now. Thanks again 🙂 and lovely photos

    1. It currently looks like they will blossom in time for upcoming weekend! 😀 They will have surely blossomed by the weekend after, so that may even be a safer choice, but then again there is always the risk that bad weather may shorten the blossom period.

    1. Cool! That will probably be the perfect time to see the Cherry Blossoms 😀 Where are you planning to go when you are in the Netherlands?

      1. It just three days, so i think i can only go to Amsterdam, Keukenhof and Giethoorn? I don’t know, maybe you can give me some suggestion? And i just find the hotel in Amsterdam is quite expensive…

        1. I think for three days that’s a good travel plan! Maybe look for a hotel on the edge of the city or just outsdide the city? Short ride on public transport to Amsterdam shouldn’t be much of a problem 🙂

  3. Hi Roselinde, thank you for sharing your experience and tips! Do you think end of March e.g. 27 or 28 March will be possible to see them? Thank you!

      1. Thank you Roselinde 🙂
        Keep up your good blog posts! Look forward to reading more about your global experience!

    1. Just a quick update: current reports are predicting blossoms sometime during the first week after Easter. 27 or 28 may still be a bit early!

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