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Sunflower fields in the Netherlands and Europe

Where can you actually go to see the sunflowers in bloom? The map below shows fields in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and beyond, with the region, the status, the best bloom month, how you may visit and a source for each spot. Below that you can read how to visit a field respectfully.

In short: in north-west Europe — the Netherlands, Belgium, northern Germany — the sunflower fields are usually at their best from mid-July to late August. Further south (Italy, Spain, southern France) the peak comes earlier, from June onward. Many fields are working farmland: there, look from the public road and do not enter the field. Pick-your-own fields (PYO) and paid gardens exist too. Use the map to find a spot near you.

A field of blooming sunflowers is one of the finest sights of summer, and you rarely have to travel far for it. Across Europe, fields and cutting gardens are full of Helianthus annuus, from a fortress town in Groningen to the Valensole Plateau in Provence. This page gathers spots you can visit and puts them on a map. If you want to understand how such a field grows, read the growing guide; if you want to know which varieties you will come across, see the species and cultivars.

The map

Click a pin for that field's details: region, status, best month, access and the source. The colour of the pin shows the status.

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When they bloom

Sunflowers bloom in summer, but the exact timing depends heavily on how far south you are. In north-west Europe the peak bloom runs from mid-July to late August; in a cool, wet year it shifts back by one to two weeks. Around the Mediterranean — Tuscany, Andalusia, the hinterland of Toulouse — the fields are often at their best already in June and early July, because sowing happens earlier there and the summer is warmer. So plan a visit around the bloom month in the table, and remember that fields can move from one parcel to another year to year: a farmer rotates the crops. You can read more about the influence of temperature and day length on flowering under the biology of the sunflower.

All fields at a glance

Map not working, or would you rather have an overview? Below are all 25 fields with region, country, best month, access and source.

Sunflower fields to visit, sorted by country and region. Verified in 2026.
FieldRegionCountryBest monthAccessSource
Bourtange sunflower fieldGroningenNLJul–AugFree access via the cycle path beside the fortress.source
Soest sunflower fieldUtrechtNLAugPick-your-own, pay cash at the honesty box at the edge.source
Winterswijk sunflower routeGelderlandNLJul–SepView from the public road; do not enter the field.source
Gardens of AppelternGelderlandNLAugPaid entry park; sunflowers in the show gardens.source
Lelystad sunflower fieldFlevolandNLAugField edge along a cycle path; stay on the path.source
Noordoostpolder sunflower acresFlevolandNLAugPrivate farmland — do not enter, view from the road.source
Texel sunflower fieldNoord-HollandNLAugAlong the cycle route near De Cocksdorp.source
Keukenhof summer field, LisseZuid-HollandNLAugSeasonal field; respect barriers after the tulip season.source
Veenhuizen sunflower fieldDrentheNLJul–AugFree to view from the walking path.source
Mergelland sunflower fieldLimburgNLAugHill-country field; view from the public road only.source
Damme sunflower fieldWest-VlaanderenBEAugAlong the Damse Vaart canal, from the towpath.source
Hageland sunflower acreVlaams-BrabantBEAugPrivate field; no entry.source
Lüneburg Heath sunflower fieldNiedersachsenDEAugField edge along a country lane; respect the crop.source
Brandenburg sunflower fieldBrandenburgDEAugSelf-pick flowers; pay at the honesty box.source
Donau-Ries sunflower fieldBayernDEJul–AugFarm field; view from the road only.source
Valensole PlateauProvence-Alpes-Côte d'AzurFRJulFamous fields beside lavender; stay on the verges.source
Lauragais sunflowersOccitanieFRJulWidespread fields south-east of Toulouse.source
Charente sunflowersNouvelle-AquitaineFRJul–AugFarmland; view from the D-roads.source
Val d'Orcia sunflowersToscanaITJun–JulIconic Tuscan hills; stay on public roads.source
Umbria sunflowersUmbriaITJulFields around Bevagna; respect private land.source
Marche sunflowersMarcheITJulFarmland toward the Adriatic coast.source
Carmona sunflowersAndalucíaESMay–JunVast fields east of Seville.source
Cuenca sunflowersCastilla-La ManchaESJun–JulPlateau fields; view from the road.source
Lublin sunflowersLubelskiePLAugFarmland in eastern Poland; no entry.source
Nagykunság sunflowersJász-Nagykun-SzolnokHUJul–AugLarge fields on the Hungarian plain.source

Visiting respectfully

Almost every sunflower field you come across is someone's crop or land. A few simple rules keep the fields beautiful and accessible — including for whoever comes after you.

Respect the field and the farmer

  • Do not enter private farmland. Many fields in the table are agricultural land. Look and photograph from the public road, the cycle path or the towpath — do not stand among the plants.
  • Do not trample the crop. A trodden-down sunflower will not recover and is lost harvest. Stay on paths and verges.
  • Only pick where it is allowed. At pick-your-own fields (PYO) you pay properly at the honesty box; elsewhere, leave the flowers standing.
  • Do not take a dog into the field. Dogs trample plants and disturb the pollinators; keep them on the lead on the path.
  • Leave nothing behind. Take your litter with you and park so that you do not block a driveway or country lane.

A blooming field is also not a backdrop but a living system: it is full of bees, bumblebees and hoverflies pollinating the flowers. Walk quietly along the edge and you will not disturb them. Read more about those pollinators at bees & biodiversity, and about what happens after the bloom — the ripening and harvesting of the seed — in the harvest guide. Heading out with children? You will find fun looking-and-doing tips on the kids' page.

Read on

Sources

  1. Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) (2023). Sunflowers. Bloom time and growing season of Helianthus annuus in north-west Europe: peak mid-July to late August.
  2. Wageningen University & Research (WUR) (2023). Crop and growing information on sunflowers: influence of temperature and day length on flowering.
  3. Regional tourist boards (NL, BE, DE, FR, IT, ES, PL, HU), verified 2026 — see the source links per field in the table above.