Have a blooming short stay in Amsterdam – Celebrate spring with The Springsnow Festival
Spring is in the air and you are invited to enjoy Amsterdam’s natural spring snow while on your leisure or business short stay. The annual Springsnow Festival runs from 21 April to 21 May, 2014 and lets you feel the Elm seeds as they fall from the trees.
Running from 21 April to 21 May, 2014 this is the perfect time to stroll the streets of Amsterdam as you witness its ‘spring snow’. Walking over a blanket of blossom your feet can’t help but kick a stack of leaves here and there. This is the time when Amsterdam’s elm trees are abloom and their natural confetti beautifies this historic city, creating a magical experience and making you feel at one with nature. Feel free to get in the spirit of spring and spread your arms and turn circles as the elm seeds fall from the trees.
Walk with a spring in your step down the Elm Route. Gather your friends, family or colleagues and walk, or bike, the 8KM route from the elm arboretum near EYE Film Institute, taking you over the IJ River and ending at Hortus Botanicus, which is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world. Elms have had a distinct presence in the city’s landscape for centuries and with over 75,000 trees planted around the canals they bring a great touch of nature into the heart of the city. The designated Elm Route is the most elm filled, giving you the best spring snow experience anywhere in the city.
Closest to the start of the Elm Route are those staying in short stay Amsterdam apartments in the areas of Amsterdam Noord, Dam Square, Red Light District, Jordaan and the immediate area around Amsterdam Central Station. You can get to the elm arboretum from Central Station using a free ferry towards Buiksloterweg that departs regularly from the docks behind the station. The elm arboretum is just a couple of minutes on foot from there. Do note that the ferry is only suitable for pedestrians, cyclists, and mopeds. Amsterdam has a good public transport system so even if you are a tad further from central station you can always get there pretty quickly. We also have many short stay apartments in the Plantage area where the route end point Hortus Botanicus is located.
Springsnow Festival is an annual event and the theme for 2014 is ‘Spring is in the Air’. Anyone can take part by catching some spring snow, following the Elm Route, or participating in the special activities. The festival begins with a
Soundtrackcity Walk on Monday April 21, bringing you
Secrets of the Amsterdam Canals. This sound walk has been designed to tell the stories that echo over the four hundred year old canals. Available in English and Dutch the sound walk brings together sound design, documentary reporting and your own fantasy to give you a whole new perspective on the UNESCO listed Canal Belt.
Other special activities include several spring walks, Open Air Art Installations in the garden of Frankendael House, and Digital Poetree. The latter is a creative digital and interactive experience with which you reveal a virtual tree full of elm seeds using your smartphone. The tree is planted on the pier near the entrance to Holland Casino. The idea is to attach a message to a Springsnow seed and even address is to someone you know. The seeds drift through the city based on the direction of the actual wind and once they land you and the recipient are notified of the location and can view the message on Google Maps and Streetview. An incredibly unique idea and perhaps one to involve your friends or family from back home.
This cheerful festival is suitable for all ages so even if you are on a short stay with children they can have fun in the spring snow too. If the little ones can’t last the 8KM walk then you could rent a bike from the number of rental companies in the city. Search our Amsterdam apartments to find the most suitable accommodation for your group.
