MAY 2025

This year I finally got to visit Floralia Brussels: a tulip garden surrounding Castle Groot-Bijgaarden. This season I already visited Keukenhof, so I was prepared for crowds, however this wasn’t the case at all at Floralia. Floralia turned out to be a super relaxed alternative to the Keukenhof. The grounds are enormous and the castle provides the perfect backdrop for all the tulip displays. We visited late in the season and next year I will definitely go earlier in the season to see different sorts of tulips. In this blogpost I will tell you all about our visit.

Practical information Floralia Brussels

Floralia is located in the castle grounds of Castle Groot-Bijgaarden near Brussels. It usually takes place in April, in 2025 Floralia was open from 4 April-2 May. You can book your tickets in advance on the website of Floralia. Over the school holidays it is possible that tickets sell out. We visited on May 2, tickets didn’t sell out and it wasn’t crowded at all. The castle itself isn’t open for visits. At the back of the gardens there is a “restaurant tent” that sells sandwiches and hot meals. The terrace is located under the trees, next to a little playground for kids. Sandwiches and drinks are priced reasonably and portions are generous. There is a big car park next to the entrance and parking is free.

Tulip gardens

Floralia is the biggest tulip garden in Belgium and it features over 1 million bulbs. Over the weeks different tulips bloom, we visited late in the season and some tulips were already past their prime, but still there was plenty to see! Early in the season you can see crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths, while later in the season mainly the tulips are left (and some alliums). There is a stunning rododendron garden as well, which blooms late in April. The park itself is stunning and has lots of old lanes with trees, we loved finding shade underneath them! Lots of rainbow tulip beds are planted underneath the trees, giving true fairytale vibes.

When you visit late in April/early May, you might be in luck to see the wisteria in bloom. It is located at the side of the castle on a stunning arch.

Floralia with kids

I definitely found Floralia kid friendly, you will mostly see adults exploring, but it is fun for kids as well. As indicated before, there is a playground next to the terrace. The park also has Maya the Bee features, kids can go on a search to find them. On some weekends you can even meet Maya in person. The displays are kitsch, but didn’t take away beauty from the park. Hugo loved searching for the Maya icons! There is a small exhibit in a greenhouse as well, with colorful photo opportunities, which is perfect for kids.

Brasserie Bijgaarden

If you are looking for a good location for an extensive lunch, Brasserie Bijgaarden is a good option. It is located opposite the castle and features a lovely shaded terrace for hot days. We stopped for an ice cream and found the staff very welcoming!

You might be interested in

I would recommend to spend about 3-4 hours enjoying the tulip gardens. This means you have some time left in your day. I have a few recommendations which are located close to Floralia and which can easily be combined. We combined our visit with Kruidtuin Leuven, as we were visiting in the beginning of May and the wisteria would be in bloom. Plantentuin Meise is Brussels botanical garden and definitely worth a visit. In the beginning of April you will find the magnolias in bloom which is magical. A few weeks a year you can visit the Royal Gardens of Laeken, which are also located close to Brussels. These tickets sell out incredibly fast, so this requires some planning. However, it is absolutely worth it to plan ahead of time so admire the magic of the fuchsia greenhouses.