Every year around April or May, the cherry blossom trees in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, burst into bloom, transforming the city into a picturesque wonderland. The city’s cherry blossom street, Heerstraße, located in Bonn’s historic old town of Altstadt, is a must-see. This enchanting street has even earned a spot on the top-ten list of the world’s most beautiful tree tunnels.

The cherry blossoms are simply breathtaking. As the petals fall, they blanket the streets in a stunning carpet of light pink. To celebrate this natural spectacle, Bonn hosts the wildly popular Cherry Blossom Festival, marking the grand arrival of these delicate blossoms.

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History

So why are there cherry blossom trees growing in Bonn? I was surprised because, as a South African, I immediately associated cherry blossom trees with Japan and Asia. I never thought I would find cherry blossom trees in Germany.

In 1984, the trees were planted to make the city look better. Industrialisation, which started in the 1980s, led to more buildings being built across the city. And cherry blossoms were used to counter the harder facade of the district. Kölnstraße and Herrstaβe are two of the streets in Bonn where you can find the cherry blossom trees showing off their beauty.

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More about the Cherry Blossom Festival 

The Altstadt section of Bonn in Heerstraße is where you will find this powerfully pink place. This is where the Cherry Blossom Festival is held every year. It’s pronounced Heerstrasse for those of you who don’t speak German. There are street signs showing where the Altstadt is. It’s very easy to find, plus following the large crowds will guide you to it.

The festival hosts a variety of live music acts, a flea market, face painting for kids, and food stalls. I ended up buying a dress at the market for 2 euros, which is about R32. And a delicious pancake for 1 euro, roughly R16. So it’s also a good place to bargain hunt. You can follow the festival’s website to check the dates. Click here for more information:https://www.bonn.de/bonn-erleben/besichtigen-entdecken/kirschbluete.php

The Cherry Blossom Festival dates change at times since they’re dependent on when the flowers bloom. The site is only in German, though, so use Google Translate to get the information. Be aware that the street can get crowded too. If you can get there early to skip the crowds, I really liked the fact that locals attended the festival too, and people were very kind. They didn’t mind it when I stood in the middle of the street to take photos.

How do I get to Bonn and to Heerstrasse?

There’s an international airport that serves Bonn and nearby Cologne (the airport’s IATA code is GCN). At the airport, you can take a bus or train to Bonn. Bonn has a village feel with its cobblestone streets and charming historic buildings. And it is well connected to all the major German cities. Just hop on a train or plane, and you can travel to your next destination. Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Aachen are in the same region, and I recommend visiting these cities. Bonn also has a widespread and well-established public transportation network, which is integrated. It is also a lovely place to walk around in. Just wear sneakers or takkies; comfy shoes are a must when treading on cobblestones.

It’s worth visiting the Cherry Blossom Festival, and it’s a free event. You don’t even have to buy anything if you don’t want to; you can just take lots of photos of this pretty street. So why not celebrate the start of German springtime by attending? I highly recommend Bonn’s Cherry Blossom Festival because, for some reason, I couldn’t stop smiling while walking down Heerstrasse. If you need more proof, just look at some of the photos on Instagram of cherry blossoms in Bonn.

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