San Francisco's Victorian Conservatory of Flowers opened to the public in 1879. (Photograph by John S Lander, Getty Images)

I Heart My City (in the Spring)

March 20, 2015
5 min read

Spring is upon us (at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere), and we’re embracing it with open arms by highlighting seasonal must-dos from our amazing I Heart My City community.

From music festivals to flower shows, beaches to wineries, here are 20 ways to make the most of the next few months in 20 cities around the globe:

Beth’s Hong Kong (China): Eat “lucky buns” at the Cheung Chau Bun Festival. This festival is unlike any other and has been deemed one of the world’s “Top 10 Quirky Local Festivals.”

Diana’s Geneva (Switzerland): Experience the Open House Wine in Geneva, when the city’s wineries present the best of the previous year’s harvest.

Audrey’s Seoul (South Korea): See the cherry blossoms in bloom. Yeouido Park holds a Spring Flower Festival that draws large crowds with cameras in hand.

Yasmine’s Rabat (Morocco): Venture outdoors to take part in festival season. When the soft spring air blows, artists, artisans, and musicians can be found everywhere. The city just seems to explode with creative expression.

Diana’s Milan (Italy): Go for an aperitivo—a happy hour drink typically served with olives, bruschetta, and other finger foods—at an outdoor café.

Laura’s Sydney (Australia): Dine al fresco at one of the many Sydney cafés, then explore the Botanical Gardens while all of the flowers are in bloom.

Erin’s Williamsburg (United States): Get a cheese plate and a baguette from The Cheese Shop and have a picnic on the Governor’s Palace Green.

Kamilė’s Vilnius (Lithuania): Take part in Street Musician’s Day, when thousands of people go out to the streets to play or listen to live music

Eamon’s Belfast (Northern Ireland): Attend the first of the season’s fleadh cheoils, traditional music festivals that feature competitions. The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival also happens in May.

Helen’s Livingstone (Zambia): Go see Victoria Falls—but be prepared to get soaked.

Shanna’s Minneapolis (United States): Visit the Macy’s Flower Show, an annual tradition, held each year in the department store’s eighth-floor auditorium. Thousands of winter-weary Minnesotans come out of the woodwork to bask in the joy of seeing the return of colors in nature other than white.

Cecily’s Amsterdam (The Netherlands): See the cherry blossoms in tiny Wertheimpark. If it’s cold, duck into one of the tropical greenhouses at the De Hortus botanical gardens across the road.

Deepti’s Delhi (India): Come for the Surajkund Craft Fair and the Mughal gardens at Rashtrapati Bhawan, which opens its gates to the general public. If you don’t mind getting drenched, then Holi, the festival of colors, is something you won’t want to miss.

Jill’s San Francisco (United States): Enjoy the outdoors. Visit the Conservatory of Flowers, the botanical garden, or the Japanese Tea Garden–or go for a walk on one of the many beaches in the area, such as Ocean Beach, China Beach, and Baker Beach.

Elie’s Lima (Peru): Check out the Holy Week processions to see how Catholic and indigenous customs have fused, and bear witness to the superstitious and faith-filled culture of the city.

Rose’s Cincinnati (United States): Take a stroll through Krohn Conservatory. Each year, the facility hosts a Butterfly Show in which visitors can mingle with these special guests.

Nicola’s Rome (Italy): Check out the rooftop terraces at Rome’s top hotels and sip a cocktail while watching the caput mundi go by.

Kate’s Christchurch (New Zealand): Visit the fields of beautiful daffodil flowers in North Hagley Park, in the heart of Christchurch.

Karla’s Zagreb (Croatia): Enjoy sunny days and warmer temperatures. Hike to the top of Sljeme or walk along the Sava between old and new Zagreb. Spring is also a terrific time to experience the cinematic arts at the Subversive Film Festival or at the World Festival of Animated Film, known as Animafest. Or, if you’re more into literature, don’t skip out on the Festival of the European Short Story.

Tranh Ha’s Hanoi (Vietnam): Visit the Temple of Literature, the various flower markets, and the vendors selling goods for the Lunar New Year.

Wherever you are, what’s your favorite thing about your city in the springtime? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

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