March 1, 2024

The top 20 spring destinations for 2024 according to Instagram

Spring is a great time of year to get outside and travel - everyone's spirits seem to lift when the days start getting longer, the sun comes out, and flowers start to blossom.

Wherever you go in the world, spring livens everything up, whether that's because of the natural beauty of the season or the celebrations and special occasions that go with it, such as Easter, Carnival and Spring Break.

At DiscoverCars.com, we wanted to see where the most popular destinations to visit in springtime are. Using the same method as our fun roundup last year, we searched on Instagram for spring-related hashtags, aiming to discover the world's favorite places to catch some springtime sun.

Searching for spring, flowers and Spring Break, we added the total scores together to see which countries came out on top. We also searched for Easter hashtags to create a separate list. Compared to last year's results there are a few changes!

Methodology

We used our data from last year as well as the seed list from CNN Traveler which looked at the countries around the world throughout 2022, which we used to help build our list in 2023.

We used Instagram to record the number of posts for each country using hashtags related to spring, spring break, flowers, and (country) in bloom. We combined the number of posts across all hashtags and ranked the countries according to the data.

We also created a separate ranking of Easter-related hashtags, ranking the locations according to the hashtag data.

The Rankings

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Netherlands

Combined posts - 64,177

Coming in at the top of the chart, the same as last year, it's the Netherlands. The country scored a total of 64,177 - the majority of these coming from the hashtag #DutchFlowers, which people on Instagram used 61,461 times!

One attraction that draws tourists to the Netherlands every springtime is the famous tulip fields. A 'Bloemenroute' or literally 'Flower Route' is the Dutch name for a beautiful scenic journey that will take you along the country's flower fields, often either by car or by bike.

United Kingdom

Combined posts - 48,169

The United Kingdom comes in second place. One of the hashtags we searched for was each country's name followed by 'in bloom' - #UKInBloom was one of the most popular of these hashtags, as it was used 191 times.

The British countryside is full of lovely places to visit in spring, from the wild beauty of the Scottish Highlands to sunny Cornwall. The warming influence of the Gulf Stream means that this southern area sees flowers blooming earlier for spring than elsewhere in the country.

United Arab Emirates

Combined posts - 47,858

The United Arab Emirates is in third place, with 47,602 posts on Instagram tagged #UAEFlowers. The country's warm weather makes it a very popular destination for travelers to feel some spring sunshine. As you can guess from the sheer number of floral Instagram posts, there are plenty of opportunities to see springtime flowers here.

The UAE's national flower is the pretty yellow Tribulus Omanense which can bloom even in the desert. Dubai is home to the world's largest natural flower garden, the Dubai Miracle Garden, which is open until the end of April before the weather heats up, making early spring the perfect time to visit.

Canada

Combined posts - 44,104

The hashtag #SpringInCanada was used a huge 33,204 times, and perhaps one of the biggest reasons is the country's beautiful countryside. In springtime, the melting snow feeds the waterfalls, meaning that this is the best time to see these wonderful sights. The national parks where you can find the waterfalls come alive with flowers.

It's also often cheaper to stay in hotels in Canada during the spring as it's technically off-season. It's hard to think of a reason why not to take a trip! Why not go and see the 90th annual Annapolis Valley Apple Blossom Festival?

Colombia

Combined posts - 43,646

The majority of the Instagram posts were tagged #ColombianFlowers, at 43,576 - the flowers in this South American country really are something to see!

Colombia's Medellin is sometimes known by the poetic name 'The City of Eternal Spring'. It is home to the Jardin Botanico (botanical gardens) where you can find over 1000 different species of plants, as well as a huge butterfly house with guided tours available.

Singapore

Combined posts - 36,208

Singapore ranked in sixth place, with a huge 35,846 posts tagged #SingaporeFlowers. This city-state is affectionately called 'The Garden City', due to its commitment to creating and maintaining gorgeous green spaces and parks.

Some of the most popular places to see flowers in this country include the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the National Orchid Garden. However, the most famous of all might be the Gardens By The Bay, with 18 Supertrees, metal structures up to 150 feet tall, which are designed to be vertical gardens themselves, planted with all kinds of plants and flowers. Visitors can walk between them on a raised walkway.

Turkey

Combined posts - 27,870

Turkey was tagged 27,870 times in springtime-related posts, most frequently using the hashtag #TurkishFlowers at 25,396 times, but with quite a high number tagged #SpringInTurkey, at 2,468.

While we've already talked about the Netherlands, a country famous for its tulips, did you know that tulips actually originate in Turkey? The annual Istanbul Tulip Festival runs throughout the month of April, and visitors and locals alike will enjoy seeing the 30 million flowers planted throughout the city.

Emirgan Park Istanbul is one location where you can see especially beautiful displays - the flowers are planted so that the colors create stunning pictures and patterns.

New Zealand

Combined posts - 27,640

Next up, in eighth place, it's New Zealand. The country achieved a very similar score to Turkey, only just behind it at 27,640 combined points. The hashtag #NewZealandSpring was used 3,391 times.

New Zealand has 17 listed Gardens of International Significance, but the only one that is publicly owned is the Dunedin Botanic Garden. It was established in 1863 and is nearly 70 acres in size, with a duck pond, a tropical hothouse for flowers and a bandstand where you can often see musicians play live. In the spring, it comes alive with rhododendrons and daffodils.

Finland

Combined posts - 26,773

The vast majority of the Instagram posts that gave Finland its high ranking were those tagged #SpringInFinland - there were 26,314!

One lovely spring fact about the capital city Helsinki is that it is home to the Roihuvuori Cherry Park. 152 pink-blossomed cherry trees bloom here every spring, and Hanami, the Japanese practice of going to spend time under the trees and admiring them, is celebrated here. People gather to rejoice in the coming of spring and enjoy the beauty of the blossom together.

Australia

Combined posts - 26,226

Australia completes our top ten. Interestingly, it was one of the country's with the highest number of posts tagged relating to Spring Break, with #springbreakaustralia tagged 122 times.

Australia has plenty of beautiful parks, gardens and natural spaces, but one celebration that stood out to us was Floriade. This is the biggest flower festival in the Southern Hemisphere, where hundreds of thousands of people a year gather in Canberra's Commonwealth Park to admire the flowers, enjoy live entertainment and learn about horticulture. There is even a night time strand of the festival called Floriade NightFest, in which the flowerbeds are lit up in the dark for a truly magical experience.

Italy

Combined posts - 22,636

#SpringInItaly was tagged 17,912 times and #ItalyFlowers was used on 4,492 posts - both of these topics were very popular for Instagram users posting pics of this gorgeous country!

Later in the springtime, from May onwards, you can find infiorata festivals across Italy. In this amazing tradition dating back to 1625 celebrations for the Corpus Domini feast, flowers and petals are used to make elaborate, colorful carpets. Artists and members of the community will usually assemble the infiorata - flower carpets - by night, ready to surprise everyone when morning comes.

Poland

Combined posts - 20,415

For Poland, it's close competition between the hashtags #SpringInPoland (which was used 11,143 times) and #PolishFlowers (which was used 9,260 times).

The Botanical Garden of the University of Wrocław and Krakow's Botanical Garden of the Jagiellonian University are two beautiful examples of places you can visit to see flower beds in full spring bloom. But if you are feeling adventurous, why not take a hike through the Polish countryside and look for wildflowers?

United States of America

Combined posts - 17,904

#AmericanFlowers at 9,727 outranks #AmericanSpring at 7,156 - there are also 648 posts tagged #AmericaInBloom.

America is such a huge and varied country that you couldn't possibly experience what spring is like here in just one visit; many states and towns have their own springtime flower festivals, and we have listed just a few of them here.

In the second weekend of April, Bluebonnet Festival in Barnet, Texas draws 35,000 people to celebrate the state flower. In Macon, Georgia, the Cherry Blossom Festival will see the town's 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees erupt into bloom. Or perhaps you might like Washington State's Skagit Valley Tulip Festival?

Mexico

Combined posts - 17,262

Far and away the majority of the Instagram posts celebrating Mexico in springtime are tagged #MexicanFlowers (14,876). One type of flower that heralds the coming of spring in Mexico is the jacaranda tree - from mid-March, it's covered with incredibly pretty violet blossoms.

One of the country's most popular places to see flowers is the Cosmovitral Jardín Botánico. As well as housing plants from all over the world, it is an architectural marvel, with walls of colorful stained glass that let the light in.

Japan

Combined posts - 16,504

16,263 posts were tagged #JapanFlowers, and 241 posts were tagged #springbreakjapan. In Japan, spring is also the start of the new school year, adding to the feeling of renewal, change and fresh starts that spring can often bring.

Japan is the home country of Hanami, gathering to enjoy the cherry blossom trees, which people now take part in all over the world. You can celebrate during the day but it's also popular to go out in the evening and hang paper lanterns in the trees. The best time of year to see the cherry blossoms is March till May.

Sweden

Combined posts - 16,493

There were 15,221 posts tagged #SpringInSweden and 35 posts tagged #SwedenInBloom. This beautiful Scandinavian country comes to life in the springtime - as the ice thaws, you can kayak through the archipelagos and get out on the water.

The last day of April is Walpurgis Night, celebrated in Sweden as the official coming of spring. Getting together on a warm evening to light bonfires and sing songs with your friends sounds pretty perfect! In spring, Swedish flowers like wood anemones carpet the woodlands.

Switzerland

Combined posts - 15,355

Coming in at number 17, it's Switzerland, famous for its gorgeous landscapes. #SpringInSwitzerland was used 7,845 times on Instagram and the only slightly less popular hashtag #SwissFlowers was tagged 7,474 times.

In Switzerland, you'll know it's springtime when the 'watch out for frogs' road signs go up, warning drivers to look out for the little creatures: a sure sign that nature is bouncing back after winter.

In Zurich, locals and visitors can enjoy the parades and fun of the springtime festival of Sechseläuten. The name means the ringing of the 6 o'clock bells. In medieval times, Zurich's workers would work until the daylight ended, but in summer when the evenings wer light, everyone could go home at 6!

Greece

Combined posts - 14,505

Greece is next and the most popular hashtag was #SpringInGreece, which was used 12,212 times.

In Greece, spring is traditionally welcomed by wearing a Martis (or March) bracelet made of red and white thread. The tradition says that it should be made on the last day of February and the wearer should tie the bracelet to the first flowering tree they see in March, to bring a good harvest later in the year.

Germany

Combined posts - 13,796

The most popular spring-related hashtag for Germany was #SpringInGermany which was used 12,553 times.

This country has plenty of lovely green spaces and gardens where you can enjoy springtime flowers. In Schwetzingen, the palace grounds have wonderful flower beds, as well as fountains, statues and waterfalls, and you can wander for hours. In Munich, the Botanischer Garten Muenchen-Nymphenburg is well worth a visit - in springtime, it is full of tulips and azalea.

China

Combined posts - 12,564

Finally, in our top 20, China ranks with 12,564 posts, most of them tagged #ChinaSpring (10,350 posts) but a good number tagged #ChinaFlowers (2,043).

Each year on 4 or 5 April, many people in China observe the Qingming Festival, which is a national holiday. This is a day devoted to remembering your ancestors, and it is also known as Taqing Festival, Taqing meaning 'tread green'. Traditionally, families will go on a spring outing and fly kites, sometimes with lanterns attached, and enjoy the fresh spring air.

Spring Destinations Comparision

The most noticeable difference between the results from 2023 and 2024 is that Japan has dropped 13 places down the chart. We wonder why? For whatever reason, other countries have moved up through the ranks, moving Japan out of the top ten. The UK takes Japan's spot from last year, and most of the other countries have similarly moved up by a single spot. New Zealand has moved up by 2 places, and China is a new entrant to the top 20 this year, moving up 3 places.

Easter Destinations

As well as researching the top springtime destinations, we also wanted to discover which countries in 2024 are tagged the most times in Easter-related posts, to see where the most talked-about and photographed festivities take place.

Easter is a holiday that comes from the Christian faith, so it's very popular in countries that have a larger population of Christians. However, in many cases, it's celebrated in quite a secular way, such as eating chocolate Easter Eggs or going on an Easter Egg hunt around the garden.
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As with the springtime top 20, you can see that the Easter top 10 features countries from all over the world, each with its own ways of celebrating the holiday. In Malta, Easter Sunday is celebrated with a parade with live music, and in Kenya, one of the highlights of the holiday is a special Easter meal of nyama choma or grilled meat.

We also compared the order in which countries ranked for their Easter celebrations on Instagram in 2023 against the results from this year. As you can see in the chart below, there isn't much change from 2023 to 2024 - it seems like the countries most famous for their Easter celebrations are still receiving lots of attention for them!

Easter Destinations Comparision

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By calculating the number of spring and Easter-related hashtags, we have crowd-sourced the most popular springtime destinations from Instagram users. We're very happy with the range of destinations that appear in our ranking, and we think any of them would make a beautiful place to explore by car this spring!

Remember, if you're thinking of taking a trip later in the year, that doesn't mean you can't experience some springtime sun - while many countries have their spring in March, April and May, in Australia and New Zealand, spring comes much later, from September to November.

Whatever time of year you're planning your vacation, and wherever you're going, we'll be able to help you find the perfect car for your trip!

Top Related Locations

Here are some other locations where you can enjoy great spring weather and flowers.
  1. Amsterdam, Netherlands (Amsterdam Schiphol Airport - AMS): Spring marks the blooming of millions of tulips, turning the countryside into a vibrant tapestry of colors.
  2. Rome, Italy (Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport - FCO): Enjoy mild weather and fewer crowds, ideal for exploring ancient ruins and savoring outdoor dining.
  3. Athens, Greece (Athens International Airport - ATH): The pleasant spring climate makes it the perfect time to discover ancient sites and enjoy the islands before the summer rush.
  4. Paris, France (Charles de Gaulle Airport - CDG): With the city in bloom, Spring is wonderful for enjoying the gardens, outdoor markets, and the start of café terrace season.
  5. Los Angeles, California, USA (Los Angeles International Airport - LAX): Experience the superbloom of wildflowers in nearby deserts and enjoy great hiking weather.
  6. Ponta Delgada, Azores Islands (João Paulo II Airport - PDL): Spring's lush landscapes and blooming flowers make it ideal for hiking and thermal baths.
  7. Reykjavik, Iceland (Keflavik International Airport - KEF): Catch the end of the Northern Lights and the onset of milder weather for exploring dramatic landscapes.
  8. Sydney, Australia (Sydney Airport - SYD): Spring in Sydney offers beautiful weather for outdoor activities without the extreme heat of summer.
  9. Barcelona, Spain (Barcelona-El Prat Airport - BCN): Spring is perfect for exploring Gaudi's architecture and the city's vibrant street life before the summer heat.
  10. Vancouver, Canada (Vancouver International Airport - YVR): Cherry blossoms bloom throughout the city, and the mild weather is great for outdoor activities.
  11. Lisbon, Portugal (Humberto Delgado Airport - LIS): Enjoy the city's historical sites and beautiful azulejos in the comfortable spring climate, with fewer tourists.
  12. Cape Town, South Africa (Cape Town International Airport - CPT): Spring brings wildflowers and whale watching season, along with the perfect weather for hiking Table Mountain.
  13. Dublin, Ireland (Dublin Airport - DUB): Springtime is filled with greenery and mild weather, perfect for pub crawls and exploring the countryside.
  14. Marrakech, Morocco (Marrakech Menara Airport - RAK): Enjoy the city's gardens, bustling markets, and cooler temperatures before the summer heat.
  15. Prague, Czech Republic (Václav Havel Airport Prague - PRG): The city's historic buildings and streets look stunning in the spring light, with fewer crowds.
  16. Edinburgh, United Kingdom (Edinburgh Airport - EDI): Witness the city bloom in spring, ideal for exploring the historic sites and nearby highlands.
  17. Auckland, New Zealand (Auckland Airport - AKL): Spring in the Southern Hemisphere brings beautiful blooms and the chance to explore the outdoors in mild weather.
  18. Oslo, Norway (Oslo Gardermoen Airport - OSL): The melting snow reveals green landscapes and offers perfect conditions for hiking and exploring the fjords.
  19. San Francisco, California, USA (San Francisco International Airport - SFO): Spring brings wildflowers, perfect weather for exploring the city's landmarks and outdoor activities.
  20. Montreal, Canada (Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport - YUL): Experience the city's lively spring festivals and beautiful botanical gardens in bloom.

Aleksandrs Buraks

Head of Growth at DiscoverCars.com
Aleksandrs has over 10 years of experience in marketing with a focus on creating stellar content that provides topical insights using data. Having taken five road trips across Europe and one in the U.S., he is passionate about traveling by car. His favorite countries to visit are Denmark and Thailand. You can find him on Linkedin, Facebook, and Twitter.