MAY 2025, UPDATED APRIL 2026

Last year I first got to visit Floralia Brussels: a tulip garden surrounding Castle Groot-Bijgaarden. I was surprised that it was such an non-crowded alternative to Keukenhof. The grounds are enormous and the castle provides the perfect backdrop for all the tulip displays. As we visited at the end of April, some tulips were already past their prime. Therefore I made sure to visit early in 2026, on the 6th of April to be exact. This year we were able to catch the tulips at their absolute best! We visited during a public holiday and therefore we automatically joined the Maya the Bee days. I have slightly updated my blogpost from last year, with new information & pictures.

Practical information Floralia Brussels

Floralia is located in the castle grounds of Castle Groot-Bijgaarden near Brussels. It usually takes place in April, in 2026 Floralia is open from April 3 – May 3. You can book your tickets in advance on the website of Floralia. Over the school holidays it is possible that tickets sell out. Last year we visited on May 2, tickets didn’t sell out and it wasn’t crowded at all. In 2026 we visited during Easter, it was much busier, but people still spread out evenly, making it an enjoyable visit. 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. Even during Easter, parking was no issue and well arranged. 2026 update: the trees were recently pruned and not as beautiful currently!

Tulip gardens

Floralia is the biggest tulip garden in Belgium and it features over 1 million bulbs. It always depends slightly on the year and the weather, but generally the tulips do reach full bloom early in April. So if you want to see the most tulips and daffodils, definitely go early. The advantage of visiting later in the season is that the wisteria, rododendrons and azaleas are in bloom as well, making the park much more diverse and green. There should be something to see for the whole month of April. I loved both my visits, so you can’t really go wrong. 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.

2025 pictures

In 2025 I visited at May 2, the tulips were slightly past their prime, but all of the other plants in the park were blooming. The wisteria, azaleas and rododendrons were in bloom and the tree lanes were incredibly green.

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.

2026 Pictures

In 2026 I visited in the beginning of April and the tulip beds were absolutely fabulous! Especially the confetti tulip beds looked amazing underneath the trees. However, the trees had not turned green yet. I loved both visits equally and if possible I am visiting again next year!

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. During some weekend days there are Maya the Bee days, where the kids can meet Maya and there is a Maya parade. The park also has Maya the Bee features, kids can go on a search to find them. The displays are kitsch, but didn’t take away beauty from the park. 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.