“I came all the way from Germany to this fabulous event, to have a look at the peach blossom which I absolutely adore. You have to come because it’s stunning and beautiful and heavenly.”
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Visitor Andrea Lachnit is one of thousands flocking to the city of Veroia in northern Greece to soak in the beauty of nature.
170,000 acres of peach trees display baby pink blossoms, allowing visitors to walk amongst them and, of course, take the obligatory selfie.
Like many beautiful sights, the annual blossom wouldn’t happen without daily toil and dedication from local farmers.
“For all this to happen, it takes a lot of hard work – a lot of effort from us farmers. We are happy that this beautiful event is taking place, this great promotion for the wonderful product we have,” says Anastasios Chalkidis, president of the local farmers’ union.
The blossoming peach trees create an enchanting spectacle that attracts visitors, mainly from Greece but increasingly from the rest of Europe as well.
“I want people in the Netherlands and Belgium to know what amazing places there are still, in addition to all the places people already know. For example, Veria. More and more people know it,” says Dutch blogger, Wesley Van Eyck.
The Tourist Club of Veroia is organises events at the peach blossom trees to commemorate the occasion: photographic activities, cycling routes and promotion of local agricultural products.
“It’s something that people should experience and see at least once in their lives, because it’s a huge area – a plain of 170,000 acres that turns completely pink, and this is something that people should see at least once in their lives,” says Yanna Pilitsidou, president of the Veroia Tourist Group.
The events have also benefited the tourism sector, with hotel workers saying that visitor numbers swell at this time of year.
“The hotel is full, both on weekdays and weekends. It is mostly groups interested in the weekends. On weekdays, there are families with children who come to see this phenomenon, which they really enjoy. It’s the beauty that exists here,” notes Efthymios Gagakas, a Veroia hotel employee.
The peach trees in the Veroia area bloom from around mid-March to mid-April.