Floriade Expo Packages 2012

Thursday, August 25, 2011

The Floriade is an international World Horticultural Expo that is held every 10 years in the Netherlands, for a period of 6 months. World expositions are major exhibitions that have taken place all over the world since 1851. These expositions give countries the opportunity to display their technical, economical, cultural, and social developments. After an expo, a legacy building, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, is usually left behind. The Floriade has been held every 10 years since 1960.

The first Floriade Expo was held in 1960 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch Horticultural Council set itself a goal when it launched the Floriade. It was to be ‘a major cross-sector horticultural exhibition that will attract both national and international attention’. With over 3 million visitors, it was a definite success. The Euromast tower was built just for the Floriade, between 1958 and 1960 by Hugh Masskant.

The next Floriade was held 12 years later in 1972, and took place in Amsterdam. The ’72 expo was the busiest horticulture exhibition in all the world at the time, bringing in 5 million people between March and October. All the sections were held in different locations, and were brought together by a special Floriade train. Two of the biggest highlights of the 1972 expo were the lily display and the Dahliarama. The Floriade was held in Amsterdam again in 1982.

In 1992, the Floriade was held in Zoetermeer, and it attracted 3.3 million people to the grounds. Nearly 30 percent of all tourists that visited the Netherlands during this time came exclusively for the Floriade. The 1992 expo included a tramline that had been laid for the exposition, and there was a unique sculpture display. After the Floriade Expo was finished, the grounds were immediately reused for the Rokkeveen-West residential estate.

In 2002, the Floriade was held in Haarlemmermeer. The theme was ‘feel the art of nature’, and was divided into three separate sections. The sections were the Roof, the Mountain, and the Lake. The Roof was a large, floating piece made of 19,000 solar panels and fashioned the 30,000 square meter indoor display. Another key element was a 30-meter high pyramid called Spotter’s Hill. Floriade 2002 saw around 2.1 million visitors.

The 2012 Floriade Expo will take place in Venlo, Netherlands on an area that covers about 163 acres. There is to be 5 different sections of interest. The sections are: Relax and Heal, Green Engine, Education and Innovation, Environment, and World Show Stage.

The Relax and Heal section will allow visitors to see, smell, feel, hear, and taste how nature affects their mood, health, and wellbeing in the tranquil surroundings. It will have an Oriental setting, tea rituals, a barefoot path, and healing herbs to give each person a special experience. There will be a Restaurant Relax and Heal, with choices of Thai dishes, Japanese snacks, mint tea, and delicious fruit juices.

The Green Engine section houses the Villa Flora, the biggest indoor flower show which was designed just for Floriade 2012. You can take part in a fake flower auctions which allows you to bid on your own flowers, learn to make striking floral arrangements, and even plant your very own Dutch tulip as a souvenir. There is also a Restaurant Green Engine, where you can enjoy robust soups, organic salads, and sandwiches with generous fillings.

In the Education and Innovation section, you can watch a film, American-style, at the special Drive-In Cinema, and in the DALC travel pavilion, you can take a seat in a comfy car on the motorway. At Bee for the World, you can not only learn about the life of a bee, but also experience it for yourself! You will climb to different heights with your nose in flower blooms, land in a dim beehive, and move around while surrounded by the sound of bees buzzing. Make sure to visit the Restaurant Education and Innovation, where you can eat asparagus and strawberries from Netherland gardens.

In the Environment section, you’ll learn about the importance of bringing ‘green’ into the city, indoors and outdoors, and at home and work. You will also watch a special virtual tour of the Floriade. At the Restaurant Environment, you will enjoy barbecued dishes and divine cocktails.

At the World Show Stage section, you will be able to enjoy stunning performances on Theatre Hill, take a stroll down the Floriade Boulevard, and take in the Indonesian cultures. Make sure to visit the exquisite Rose Garden, filled with vivid colors of red, pink, and green roses. At the Restaurant WSS, you will be able to enjoy fresh Italian pastas and pizzas, Oriental delicacies, and Asian stir-fries.