Indulge your green thumb on a flower festival adventure to Floriade and Tulip Time

Dec 15, 2020
Experience the natural beauty of Floriade in Canberra and Tulip Time in Bowral. Source: Supplied

Nothing says springtime like the famous Floriade festival, with thousands of vibrant flowers creating a breathtaking display of colours in Australia’s capital Canberra from mid-September. It’s like a rainbow spread out across Commonwealth Park, with pops of red, yellow, purple, pink and white springing to life over the one month festival period.

Each year, about half a million people from across the country and the world head to Floriade to view the artistic floral display in the gorgeous spring sunshine.

Of course, the event was a little different this year due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, with Floriade instead blooming across Canberra’s city and suburbs. But in 2021 it will be back in full swing, with its full range of events and activities on offer once again, including insightful horticulture workshops, night markets, live music and spectacular light installations for the whole family to enjoy.

While the gorgeous flowers are the main focus of the festival, there’s also the opportunity to meet local producers and sample everything from local beers to wine. And, for the little ones, you can’t forget the gnome hunt! Each year at Floriade, intricately painted gnomes are hidden throughout Commonwealth Park, just waiting to be discovered.

About half a million people attend the Floriade festival each year. Source: Supplied

All of this and more can be experienced on two fantastic community holidays that have been organised by Travel at 60. Designed specifically for over-60s, they are packed full of fun adventures and sightseeing around the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales.

The tours combine Canberra’s incredible Floriade event and the Bowral Tulip Time Festival for an amazing gardening focused holiday. You’ll spend a day at Floriade wandering through the beautiful flowers, markets and sculptures, listening to live music and learning some top tips in the various workshops. And then you’ll venture to the Southern Highlands to Corbett Gardens in Bowral to view yet another colourful display of more than 75,000 tulips.

Corbett Gardens is one of the region’s oldest and most beautiful parks, with more than 40,000 people travelling there each year to experience the beauty of the flowers. It’s similar to Floriade but on a much smaller scale, with daily live music to entertain guests, an array of market stalls and, of course, lots of photo opportunities.

As part of the holiday, you’ll join a local guided tour of Parliament House and visit the Australian War Memorial, which brings together a world-class museum, shrine and an extensive archive.

While Travel at 60’s two trips follow the same route (mentioned above), the second one is a ladies-only holiday. This is a highly sought-after getaway, which has had a lot of interest from women across Australia in previous years. Both of these fantastic trips still have spots available, but ensure you get in quickly because they’re sure to sell out fast!

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