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Updated Friday, February 2, 2024-00:15
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One of the greatest spectacles of nature is that of almond trees (or cherry trees) in bloom. We travel the planet in search of the best locations to enjoy it.
TEJEDA (GRAN CANARIA)
Gran Canaria has places that are not usually taken, but you do have to go. Places where nature shows ephemeral moments of an imperishable memory. One of them is called Tejeda. Located in the center of the island and surrounded by the island's
Sacred Mountains
, arriving at this town, one of the most beautiful in Spain, is an exaltation of the senses due to its colors and sunsets. The visit reaches its peak during the
Almond Blossom Festival,
which is celebrated until Sunday, when the white flakes spread across its endless ravines and usher in the beginning of
spring in the Canary Islands,
if it ever left. And Tejeda based its economy for much of the 20th century on the exploitation of almonds, a tradition that still endures.
The show in Tejeda, Gran Canaria.SHUTTERSTOCK
The relationship between a town and a fruit gave rise to this
Festival of National Tourist Interest,
in which the streets of the municipality become scenes for dances and typical flavors, popular games and samples of traditional crafts. For this reason, the event is ideal to discover the idiosyncrasy of the place, as its mayor, Francisco Juan Perera, says: "It is a great reason to get to know our town,
its customs and its gastronomy,
since many of the products are made with almonds. In short, an open window to Canarian popular culture."
ALGARVE (PORTUGAL)
Far from the beaches and cliffs that so characterize the Portuguese Algarve, there is a time of year when the green intermingles with the brown of the earth in the vast expanse of berrocal, which opens to visitors the doors of another Algarve, one covered with
fields of orange, fig and almond trees
. Of course, those who come between the end of January and March, when the
flowering
of the latter begins, usually early, will be able to enjoy a vision that surrounds the entire interior in white and pink. It must be remembered that almond trees are part of the culture of this
Portuguese region,
since, according to legend, a Muslim king from the so-called
Al-Gharb
married a
princess of Nordic origin
, Gilda. It was he who, enamored by her beauty, ordered the planting of fields and fields of almond trees that would produce thousands of white flowers, pretending to be the snowflakes that she longed so much for in her country.
Flowering in the Algarve.VISIT ALGARVE
Since then, every year they bloom at this time of year, giving rise to two unique events: the Alta Mora
Almond Blossom Festival ,
in the municipality of Castro Marim, which is celebrated from today until Sunday, and the
International Cross of the Almond Trees in Blossom,
which will be in Albufeira on the 25th of this month of February. The first proposes walks, gastronomic workshops, cultural exhibitions, theater, music, crafts... The town becomes a party thanks to the work of the recreational, cultural and sports Association of Friends of Alta Mora, which also proposes
the Camino de los Almendros
(PR8), a route of about 11 kilometers that circularly connects several nearby towns and allows you to contemplate the spectacle of the almond trees in all their splendor. The Cross, for its part, is the oldest
athletics event
in Portugal, since it was held for the first time in 1977.
GUADALEST VALLEY (ALICANTE)
The next stop to contemplate this wonder of nature takes us to Alicante. Specifically, to the beautiful Guadalest Valley, surrounded by the mountains of
Ponoig, Aitana, Serella
and of the world). Not in vain, it is a land full of this type of tree, which does not stop flowering any year
between the end of January and the beginning of March
. During that date, it is easy to observe the pink blanket that is shown around one of the most beautiful (official) towns in the Valencian Community.
The flowery Guadalest Valley.SHUTTERSTOCK
This is how Guadalest is considered, with barely
300 inhabitants
, and with a peculiar architecture, since it is excavated in the rock. Then there would be others like
Benimantell, Benifato, Beniardá
and Confrides, most with names of Arabic origin and all scattered throughout the valley. One of the best ways to enjoy the flowering during this time of year that has just started is through a
hiking route
through the area. Various local associations organize them.
TOKYO JAPAN)
Cherry blossoms, known as
sakura
in Japan,
are a must-see for travelers visiting the country in the prelude to spring. by many travelers who visit the country. The best season for
the classic variety, someiyoshino,
is from March to April, but depending on the climate, the times of greatest splendor may differ. In Tokyo, for example, a variety of species are displayed from February to the end of April, so now is the time to enjoy it. The route starts in
Kiba Park,
famous for the early variety of sakura known as the kawazu cherry tree. Around 80 trees of this type line the promenade
along the Oyoko River
in the southeastern part of the place. A deep pink hue and a long flowering stage distinguish these flowers.
The beauty of the spectacle in Tokyo.GO TOKYO
Another corner of the Japanese capital perfect for catching a glimpse of the flowering is
Ueno Park,
visited by 3.3 million people each season. Its cherry blossom history dates back to the mid-17th century, when Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third
shogun
(leader) of the Edo government, transplanted these trees from Yoshino, Nara Prefecture. Additionally, during the season, more than 1,2000 cherry trees are illuminated at night. We continue in
Kinen,
on the outskirts of Tokyo, where 1,500 cherry trees are concentrated within its 180 hectares. About half are of the
someiyoshino
variety , many of them being over 50 years old. Next to this garden, a field of yellow
nanohana
flowers (rapeseed flowers) bloom. There is more, since in the
Komatsugawa Senbonzakura
area there are more than 1,000 trees on the banks of the Arakawa River for two kilometers. The tour concludes at Asukayama Park, with its thick forest of Yaezakura flowers that bloom until the end of April.
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