The best garden holidays for 2025

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The best garden holidays for 2025Herbert Frei / 500px - Getty Images

Love exploring beautiful gardens? We've rounded up the best green-fingered garden holidays and tours, from the Cotswolds to Madeira.

On these wonderful garden tours around the world, you can soak up the subtropical gardens of the Isles of Scilly, revel in the joyful atmosphere of the Madeira Flower Festival, and see millions of tulips in bloom in the Netherlands' Keukenhof Gardens.

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Whether you're after a spring holiday with gorgeous gardens in bloom or a late summer getaway to explore glorious gardens after the crowds have dispersed, we've got you covered with our selection of incredible horticultural escapes.

Luckily, you don't need to know your hyacinths from your hydrangeas to enjoy one of Good Housekeeping's garden holidays, as many include the company of expert guides who'll tell you all you need to know.

Add in the guided tours and Q&As from experts such as Gardeners' World's Christine Walkden and Countryfile's Adam Henson and you'll return home with increased knowledge and appreciation of all things green.

Enjoy the acres of rainbow-coloured tulips as you cruise through Holland's canals to Keukenhof Gardens or wander around the exquisite, manicured gardens of baroque palazzos on northern Italy's lakes . Our hand-crafted itineraries bring together some of the finest horticultural displays in Europe.

Check out our best garden holidays in the UK and Europe for 2025.

See the tulips of Keukenhof in full bloom on a spring cruise with Adam Frost

The world-renowned Keukenhof Gardens in all their spring glory are the focal point of a gorgeous four-day trip to The Netherlands. Here, you'll see an incredible seven million flowers carpeting 80 acres of landscaped gardens in an awe-inspiring riot of colour. It's a real bucket list holiday for any garden lover.

The trip will also take you to Amsterdam, the culture-rich Dutch capital. Here you'll enjoy a relaxing cruise along the city's famous canals, spotting blooming tulips along their banks, before spending some free time exploring at your own pace. You'll also journey through Holland's windmill-dotted landscapes to the traditional villages of the Zuider Zee.

When? March 2025

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Combine Loire châteaux and Monet’s garden on a tour of the 'Garden of France'

The Loire Valley is world-famous for its magnificent châteaux and their superb gardens, along with churches, cathedrals and fabulous French cuisine. Among the iconic locations you’ll visit on Good Housekeeping's marvellous tour are Chenonceau, Villandry, Chinon, and Amboise. You’ll also enjoy idyllic landscapes in spades in this vineyard-dotted region with its wine-cellar tours with tastings.

Look forward to venturing up to Monet's house and garden at Giverny, to see the sublime Japanese water garden that inspired some of his most famous works, and the spectacular Château de Fontainebleau, which includes the largest formal garden in Europe, Le Grand Parterre.

When? Until September 2025

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A horticultural hurrah in the Atlantic's 'floating garden'

Renowned for its volcanic landscape and lush gardens, Madeira – a.k.a 'The Floating Garden in the Atlantic' – grows a diverse array of flora from the purple-bloomed jacaranda trees, rare orchids to bird of paradise flowers. See them all in their glory on a garden tour of the Botanical Gardens, Monte Palace Tropical Garden and Palheiro Gardens.

A highlight of this trip is tickets to the annual Madeira Flower Festival, where floral-filled classic cars parade along Avenida do Mar and Comunidades Madeirenses in Funchal. Parades and performances will take place throughout the day as locals celebrate the beauty of the island in bloom.

When? April 2025

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See the baroque palazzo gardens of the Italian lakes

The northern Italian Lakes are a dreamy holiday destination, where grand villas stand proud amongst manicured gardens with views over the sparkling water. The region's mild, sunny climate allows diverse flowers and trees to flourish, with gardens full of citrus trees, aromatic pines, colourful hydrangeas, roses and camellias.

On a tour to Italy with Gardener's World presenter Christine Walkden there'll be a packed schedule of garden visits to look forward to. A highlight is a trip to the 18th-century baroque palace on Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore, whose gardens are said to be modelled on the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. You'll also visit the private garden of the President of the Italian Camellia Society, with its collection of over 500 plants.

When? March 2025

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palazzo borromeo terraced gardens, isola bella, borromean islands, stresa, lake maggiore, piedmont, italy
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Discover the gardens of the delightful Dordogne

The Dordogne is a postcard-perfect part of France nestled between the Pyrenees and the Loire Valley. It's full of atmospheric medieval villages, vast palace gardens and historic walled cities where time seems to have stood still. Among the finest gardens in the Dordogne are the Marqueyssac Gardens, where over six kilometres of shaded pathways are lined with hand-pruned shrubs and dotted with belvederes, rockeries, waterfalls and greenery.

You'll visit the Marqueyssac Gardens on Good Housekeeping's tour of the Dordogne. The tour also takes you to the remarkable village and monastery of Rocamadour, the medieval town of Sarlat, and nearby Carcassonne, one of France's most impressve walled citadels, with cone-topped turrets and cream-coloured battlements.

When?
Until October 2025

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Escape to the heavenly Cotswolds countryside

The Cotswolds are considered by many to be England's most enchanting pocket of countryside. With their gently rolling hills, honey-coloured cottages, stone bridges over gently flowing rivers and cosy country pubs, it's hard to disagree. There is also a huge range of gorgeous gardens to explore here, from cute cottage gardens to the sprawling grounds of stately homes.

Good Housekeeping's five-day Cotswolds adventure will show you some of the best, including Sudeley Castle and Gardens, Sezincote Garden, Painswick Rococo Garden and Batsford Arboretum. A highlight will be a visit to Adam Henson's Cotswolds Farm Park where the TV farmer will give a private talk over lunch before a short tour of the farm.

When?
September 2025

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painswick rococo garden, gloucestershire view along gravel path to the eagle house
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A royal jaunt in pretty Norfolk with Lucy Worsley

Norfolk is known and loved for its peaceful way of life. The countryside is idyllic, with a striking coastline, winding rivers and crimson-red poppy fields. It's no wonder the county is the favourite rural escape of the Royal Family, who have been heading to their famous country retreat at Sandringham Palace for generations.

Join Good Housekeeping on a special tour of Norfolk with historian Lucy Worsley and you'll get to see Sandringham and its 60 acres of formal gardens. In spring, you'll see the colour of snowdrops and daffodils dotted between a collection of rhododendron, camellia and magnolia trees. You can also look forward to an exclusive talk and Q&A with Lucy, who's an expert on all things royal.

When? April, May, June, September 2025

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sandringham, england october 17, 2012 the view from the gardens of sandringham house in norfolk situated on 60 acres of parks and gardens, it has been a country retreat since 1870
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Go garden Scilly on the UK's most southwesterly archipelago

With their white-sand beaches, crystal clear waters and spectacular gardens, the Isles of Scilly are often confused with somewhere more tropical. While the archipelago off the southwest of England has five inhabited islands, this trip is based on the main island of St Marys. From your base at The Atlantic Hotel, you'll take boat trips over to the other islands to witness some of their famous wildlife, including dolphins, whales and the Atlantic grey seals.

Another highlight of the trip is a day tour of Tresco, where you'll discover Tresco Abbey Garden, a 19th-century garden built in the grounds of a monastery. Known as 'Kew without the glass', this beautiful botanical garden grows legions of subtropical plants and rare species from more than 80 countries. You'll be joined for part of thie tour by Julian Branscombe, Chief Executive of the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust.

When? April 2025

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Looking for more inspiration for your next holiday? Grab a cuppa and browse our brochure packed with unique escapes.

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