The best garden holidays for green-fingered travellers
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.
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 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
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 7m 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 - May 2025
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
A horticultural hurrah in the Atlantic’s ‘floating garden’
Renowned for its volcanic landscape and lush gardens, Madeira – aka ‘The Floating Garden in the Atlantic’ – grows a diverse array of flora from the purple-bloomed jacaranda trees to rare orchids and bird of paradise flowers. See them all in their glory on a garden tour of the Botanical Garden, 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 e das 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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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 more than 6km 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? April - October 2025
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Admire the glorious cherry blossom in Japan
As far as flowery phenomena go, it's hard to beat the wonderful sight of Japan when its cherry blossom - or sakura - is in full bloom. Every spring, Japan comes alive with paper-pink blossoms, and hanami festivities take place, which celebrate the joy of spring and the fleeting beauty of the blossoms.
Join Good Housekeeping on a once-in-a-lifetime cruise of Japan in spring and you'll get to see the spectacular sakura for yourself. Your trip begins and ends in Yokohama. Along the way you'll stop in Hiroshima, where you'll learn about its devastating Second World War history, Osaka, where you'll see some of the country's most beautiful shrines and temples, and Tokyo, the country's frenetic capital.
When? March 2025
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 & Gardens, Sezincote Garden, Painswick Rococo Garden and Batsford Arboretum. A highlight will be a visit to Adam Henson’s Cotswold 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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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 and May 2025
Learn the secrets of the English Country Garden with Sarah Raven
Enjoy a quintessential garden holiday in Kent, aka the Garden of England on a fantastic trip with one of the most respected garden designers, Sarah Raven. Named after its sheer abundance of orchards and hop gardens, the southeastern county and bordering Sussex are jam-packed with some magnificent gardens to explore.
A highlight of any trip to Kent is Sissinghurst Castle, home to possibly Kent's most famous gardens. The Grade I parkland was created by poet and author, Vita Sackville-West, and her husband, Harold Nicolson, who were particularly charmed by the views of the estate from the top of the castle's Elizabethan Tower. You'll also get to meet designer Sarah Raven and listen to a special talk.
When? June 2025
Visit Monet's garden and see the paintings it inspired with an expert
A trip to the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris is a must for any lover of art and gardens. This is where you'll find Monet’s two-metre-tall murals Les Nymphéas, inspired by his gardens in Giverny. On Good Housekeeping's holiday you'll admire these paintings as a wonderful prelude to exploring some of northern France’s loveliest gardens, including Giverny of course.
You'll also explore Monet’s gardens in Giverny, which have been maintained as they were when he was at the height of his career, along with his house. You'll be joined at Giverny by gardening expert Paula McWaters, who'll give a talk and Q&A on the gardens prior to your visit.
When? July 2025
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 Mary’s. 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 the tour by Julian Branscombe, chief executive of the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust.
When? April 2025
Looking for more inspiration for your next holiday? Grab a cuppa and browse our brochure packed with unique escapes.
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