Excursion Tips for Flower FansSpring Magic in Baden-Württemberg: Our Blossom Countdown

5.2.202515 min. read timeby Hirsch & Greif

In spring, we head out into nature. The splendour of flowers and dreamy places await you. Our top tips for unforgettable spring experiences!

Goodbye Winter.Hello Spring!

Winter is on the wane! As temperatures rise and the days lengthen, blossom and flowers are a sure sign that spring is just around the corner. We all love the sight of millions of delicate petals, along with the first warm rays of sunshine. Spring is a very special season – a time of renewal for the whole of the natural world. With its huge variety of trees and shrubs, flowers and mild climate, Southwest Germany is especially pretty at this time of year.Take Mainau Island on Lake Constance. With a near-Mediterranean microclimate, the island is known for flowers. In spring, it is, quite simply, spectacular. Add in views of the Alps across the water, paths for strolling and cafés for meals or coffee and cake, and this is a perfect spot to enjoy nature and recharge the batteries.But, Southwest Germany, the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg, offers even more special places to visit. Each is like a unique bouquet of spring flowers. Here are some of our favourites. Please note: Since Mother Nature follows her own schedule, the arrival of the blossom varies from year to year.

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February

Almond blossom in the Kaiserstuhl

March

Wild crocuses and starflowers in the northern Black Forest

Mid of March

Magical cherry blossom

End of March

Magnolia blossom at Wilhelma

April

Get in touch with the fruit tree blossom

April - May

Apple blossom on Lake Constance

From May

The splendour of the rose blossom

Mid - Late FebruaryAlmond Blossom in the Kaiserstuhl Hills

In the southern Black Forest, Freiburg is the hub of Germany’s warmest region. Here, the flowering season echoes the Mediterranean. In what is nicknamed the Naturgarten Kaiserstuhl, the Kaiserstuhl Natural Garden, almond trees burst into flower as early as the middle of February. Imagine a swathe of white and delicate pink blossom! A great place to enjoy this glorious free spectacle is in and around the small communities of Ihringen, Achkarren and Oberrotweil, near Breisach.

View of the municipality of Vogtsburg. The houses lie behind blossoming trees. A wooden bench stands on a slope in front of them.

View over the Kaiserstuhl landscape. A tree with pink almond blossom is in bloom in the foreground.

Two people are sitting on a bench in the vineyard. Two large almond trees are blooming with white flowers.

At the entrance to the village there are many flowering trees in a row. Behind them are vineyards.

Close-up of an almond blossom branch in bloom.

Vogtsburg in the Kaiserstuhl

Springtime in Vogtsburg in the Kaiserstuhl

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Early MarchColourful Crocuses and Daffodils in the Northern Black Forest

The northern Black Forest spa town of Zavelstein is famous for its crocus. Although the wild crocus is native to the Mediterranean region, it can be found in a few special warm spots north of the Alps. From early March, the sun encourages them to bloom, carpeting the ground with shades of blue, purple, violet and white. In spring, nothing is more romantic than an evening walk through Zavelstein’s crocus meadows. 40 minutes south of Pforzheim.South of Zavelstein is Gaugenwald, where wild daffodils are a big draw. Follow signs for the Sternweg Gaugenwald, a circular path through a vast expanse of bright, cheery, yellow flowers. Then stop by the Sternblumenkaffee, a friendly café in the old Gaugenwald town hall. Order a cup of coffee and a slice of homemade cake, then sit back and enjoy the view of wild daffodils. An hour south of Pforzheim.

Close-up of a field of purple crocus flowers

Crocus Magic

This unique natural spectacle begins around the beginning of March in the ‘Zavelstein crocus meadows’ nature reserve.

Mid-MarchMagic of Cherry Blossom

The cherry blossom has an inherent magic. Their lush blossoms delight us with their beauty. They symbolise the end of winter and the beginning of spring. For this reason, traditional cherry blossom festivals are celebrated in some regions. In the south of Germany, blossom fans get their money's worth in several places.

Schwetzingen Palace Gardens

Eggenertal in Markgräflerland

Erms Valley in the Swabian Alb

Close-up of a pale pink flower cluster with many cherry blossoms

Close-up of an ornamental cherry blossom branch in bloom.

Close-up of an ornamental cherry blossom branch in a sunny garden

Cherry blossom in Schwetzingen Palace Gardens

During the cherry blossom season, Schwetzingen Palace Gardens are transformed into a sea of blossom.

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Late MarchMagnificent Magnolias at the Wilhelma Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Stuttgart boasts the largest magnolia grove in Europe north of the Alps. Find it in what is known as the Moorish Garden at the Wilhelma Zoo and Botanical Gardens. When the 70 or so trees are in full bloom, the garden is awash with colour, from pure white and soft pink to crimson. There are even a dozen magnolias that were planted in the 1840s, when King Wilhelm I of Württemberg opened this unique zoo and gardens. Check out the Wilhelma’s webcam to see when the gardens are at their peak.

A woman stands in front of a blossoming magnolia tree. The flowers are pink and white.

Some people are picnicking under a magnolia tree.

There are many flowering magnolia trees in a meadow.

Close-up of an impressively flowering magnolia tree.

Splendour of Flowers in the Moorish Garden

The most characteristic feature of magnolias is undoubtedly their magnificent flowers.

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Early AprilAwesome Orchards Blossom

SouthWest Germany is like one big orchard, with every fruit you can think of from cherries, plums and apples to apricots and pears. So, April is a glorious time to enjoy Mother Nature in all her glory. Many cherry trees begin to bloom in mid-March. Plums, including damsons, soon follow. And throughout April, other fruits join the show. It all provides a wonderful backdrop for a hiking or cycling holiday. Just follow the well-marked trails and paths.

Renchtal in the Rhine Plain

The western edge of the Black Forest is part of the Baden wine region. But as well as wine, it is also one of Germany’s largest fruit-growing areas. An hour north of Freiburg, the Renchtal valley is best known for stone fruits, such as the Bühler plum, the 'blue queen' of the Black Forest. It’s also home of the cherries used to make 'Mon Chéri' cherry liqueur chocolates! The Oberkircher Brennersteig (Distillers’ Path) is a popular hiking trail that winds along forest paths, through meadows and past orchards and vineyards. Along the way there are craft distilleries, where you can stop and taste traditional fruit brandies.

Swabian Alb

Special to Swabia are the Streuobstwiesen, the wild “orchard meadows” of the Albtrauf, the escarpment of the Swabian Alb southeast of Stuttgart. In spring, fruit trees in bloom stand amidst a sea of wildflowers – a phenomenon often called the “Swabian Hanami”, like Japan’s famous cherry blossom festival. Besides looking at the blossoms, tasting fruit brandies is also part of the tradition.

Southern Black Forest

Two long rows of flowering cherry trees stand in a meadow.

Aerial view of blossoming fields and fruit trees in a valley

Two men and two women stand among the blossoming fruit trees and drink a fruit brandy from a small glass.

Two people on bicycles are standing in a meadow looking at a map. Many fruit trees grow in the background.

Close-up of a flowering fruit branch. The flowers are white and small.

Impressive Sea of Flowers

The blossom is particularly spectacular in the northern Kaiserstuhl, especially between Sasbach, Jechtingen, Leiselheim and Königschaffhausen, but also Oberrotweil, Bischoffingen and Burkheim.

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April and MayApple Blossom Time at Lake Constance

Lake Constance is famous for its Mediterranean-like microclimate. And the mild weather of springtime is perfect for exploring one of Europe's largest fruit-growing regions. The best way to enjoy the blossom, as well as magnificent views of the water and mountains, is by hiking or biking on the scenic trails around Lake Constance.In spring, blossom is everywhere across the Lake Constance region. It usually starts in early to mid-April, with cherries, followed by plums, apricots and, in a crescendo of colour, pears and apples.One of the best paths to follow is the 8-km / 5-mile Panorama-Blütenweg, the Panorama Blossom Path, which offers breathtaking views across Lake Constance. Running along the hillside between Sipplingen and Ludwigshafen, this circular trail is lined with orchards and wildflower-strewn meadows.

Orchard meadow with blossoming apple trees in the sun

Apple trees in bloom in a meadow orchard. Yellow flowers bloom in the meadow.

To the right and left of a path are orchards with flowering trees.

Two people are pushing their bikes beside them. They are walking along a path that leads through the blossoming apple trees.

Lake Constance is in the background. In the foreground are blossoming fruit trees. The sun is slowly setting and colouring the sky yellow.

Close-up of a blossoming branch with apple blossoms. Other apple trees in bloom can be seen in the background.

Orchard meadows near Birnau

Orchard meadows are very species-rich habitats and can harbour up to 5,000 different animal and plant species.

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From mid-MayMagnificent Rose Blossom

For poets and painters, the rose has always been the most inspirational flower. Today, the “Queen of Flowers” still represents beauty and grace, with a perfume that is unmistakable. Maybe that's why so many of us love to stroll in rose gardens: they promise us a feast for the senses.

Oberderdingen Rose Garden

Rose Society Garden (New Rose Garden)

In Baden-Baden, a visit to the Rosenneuheitengarten, the 'new rose garden', which boasts the 'Garden of excellence' award from the World Federation of Rose Societies, is worth a visit. Every year, an international jury of rose experts selects the best new roses and awards the winner the title of the 'Goldene Rose' of Baden-Baden. This is Germany's highest honour for roses. As you stroll through the rose garden, lush blossoms envelop you with their fragrances. Winding paths and hidden arbours have a decelerating effect.

Rose Village Nöggenschwiel

The sunny and traffic-free village of Nöggenschwiel is the only rose village in the Black Forest and the highest rose village in Germany. It is an extravaganza with more than 20,000 rose bushes. Next to the church, a special fragrance garden displays some 450 scented rose bushes (an incredible 140 varieties). Some roses have a history that can be traced back to the 15th century. Nöggenschwiel is truly unique: don’t miss it! 90 minutes southeast of Freiburg.

Swabian Alb