Tulip Wonderland of Holland during Spring
Updated: Aug 27
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Spring in the Netherlands means one thing: tulips, tulips everywhere! And moving from Dubai to Holland has been a big ‘floral change’, if that is a term. From South Holland to Flevoland, you'll find fields bursting with colorful blooms and human crowds from late March until early May.
Over the years, my fascination with Dutch tulip farms hasn't waned a petal 🌷. For my family, it’s practically a ritual to hop around these blooming beauties annually. They visit us from India religiously every year to witness the tulip bulbs bloom into young buds in different parts of this flower country and it doesn’t just end there. We also indulge in tulip picking activities in tulip fields and then we purchase these beautiful flowers to adorn my house weekly with a different colored bouquet of tulips. This year I decided to impart all the collected knowledge of ‘Where to see tulips in the Netherlands’ to many more avid flower enthusiasts just like my family. So buck up and get ready for the biggest show of the season.
🌷 Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse
Every year, droves of tourists flock from all corners of the globe to marvel at the vibrant Dutch tulips at the famous Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse. These tulips are such a big deal that they actually boost the Netherlands' economy during the 60-day spring flowering period. Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is one of the world's largest flower gardens, situated in the municipality of Lisse, only 30 minutes from the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. According to the official website, Keukenhof Park covers an area of 32 hectares and approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted in the gardens annually. Keukenhof is like the holy grail for tulips, boasting an incredible collection of over 800 varieties, each flaunting a rainbow of colors that just blows your mind. At the beginning of the season, small flowers like crocuses, daffodils, and hyacinths bloom. Later on, bigger tulips join the party. Their flower shows keep going from the start to the end of the season. Inside, you'll find food trucks to satisfy your cravings and handy route maps to navigate around. Oh, and don't forget to climb the windmill for some epic views. If you're a hardcore flower lover like my mom, you could easily spend 4-5 hours here. It's best to get there early to avoid the crowds and take your time soaking in all the floral beauty.
Visiting Hours: March 21 to May 12, 2024 - 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM .
Ticket Sales: Visit www.keukenhof.nl. Tickets can be purchased online and are valid for a specific date and time slot. Here are the prices:
Adult entrance ticket: €19.50 online (€23.00 at the ticket office)
Child entrance ticket (ages 4-17): €9.00 (children 0 to 3 years old enter for free)
Parking for cars or motorcycles: €8.00
Helpful Tip: It is less busy before 10.30 and after 16:00. It is also less busy on the weekdays than on Friday and the weekend.
How to Travel:
There are several ways you can travel to the tulip fields in Keukenhof:
Public bus from RAI station Amsterdam 852
Public bus from Amsterdam airport 858
From Leiden Central: Keukenhof Ticket and Public Bus Transfer
From Schiphol Airport: Keukenhof Entry and Public Bus Ticket
⭐️ Hop on an electric whisper boat for a peaceful tour of the Dutch countryside around Keukenhof. It's a 45-minute ride with an audio guide about the flower bulb region. (Remember, you need a Keukenhof entrance ticket to book the whisper boat. Departure point is behind the mill in the park.)
Tickets:
Adults (including seniors 65+): €10.00
Kids (4-11 years old): €5.00
Little ones (3 years and under): Free
🌷 Tulip Farm Tulperij, Voorhout
Tulperij isn't just any old farm; it's a magical place where they grow tulips for export. This farm is just a 10-minute drive or a 20-minute bike ride from Keukenhof in Lisse. It’s basically the efforts of four generations of tullipgrowers with a beautiful farm. You get a cool tour of the fields, and the owners Daan or Anja spill the beans on how they grow and harvest these beauties. And the best part? You can actually pick your own tulips and snap some awesome photos while you're at it. There is a store to buy food, drink, and souvenirs.
Visiting Hours:
21 March - 12 May 2024
9.00 AM – 6.00 PM
Ticket Sales: Visit Tulperij Farm Tulip Fields Excursion. Tickets are available online and valid on a fixed date in a predetermined time slot.
Adults € 7.95 p.p.
Children 4 to 12 years € 4.50 p.p.
During the tulip season, three tours are available daily at 9:45 a.m., 12:15 p.m. (Dutch only), and 4:00 p.m.
Helpful Tip: The fact that only the tourists opting for the guided tours are allowed into their fields allows for more room for exploration and photography. The light of the morning and evening sun allows you to take wonderful photographs so plan your trip accordingly.
How to Travel:
Begin your journey from THIS IS HOLLAND in Amsterdam, situated behind Central Station. Their bus service will transport you to our farm, De Tulperij, located in Voorhout.
The farm lies a mere 5 kilometers away from Keukenhof Gardens.
From Amsterdam Private Day Trip Tour to Keukenhof and De Tulperij
From Amsterdam, Tulips Fields and Windmill tours with Lunch.
⭐️ They are also open in the summer with a dahlia show garden with 600 varieties of dahlias.The show garden welcomes visitors from August 8th to October 1st. You can explore it from Tuesday to Sunday, between 9:30 AM and 5:00 PM.
Address: Tulip Farm De Tulperij, Oude Herenweg 16B, 2215 RZ Voorhout
Contact: Anja at +31 6 – 42233291
Email: info@detulperij.nl
🌷 Tulip Festival Amsterdam
No one will believe me but yes the city center of Amsterdam is also blooming in April. Amsterdam's famous Tulip Festival is like a blast from the past, bringing back the tulip craze in full force. Not with tulip fields but with beautiful flowering tulips at more than 85 locations in the city center. Museums such as Rijksmuseum, NEMO museum government and heritage buildings, parks such as Vondelpark, Erasmus Park, stations such as Strandvliet station, Bullewijk station, roundabouts, shops, boats, canal sidesteps and even restaurants and cafes have tulips blooming in glorious colors. It's unfortunate that many tourists' first impression of Amsterdam is often limited to the Red Light District and cannabis shops (which, by the way, also incorporate tulips in their décor) ;)
Visiting Hours: April 1 – April 30; 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Visit the website Tulip Festival Amsterdam
Helpful Tip: Combine your trip to the Tulip Festival with a visit to the Cherry Blossom Park in Amsterdamse Bosje! That way you aim for two birds (or two flowering beauties) in a single throw.
⭐️ Every year, during the Tulip Festival, tulip bulbs are planted in the ground or in pots. Since 2015, there's been a special day called 'Tulip Planting Day' in Vondelpark in October. It's become a tradition where different groups like schools, companies, and volunteers join in. You can help by donating money to plant more tulips in April.
🌷 Noordwijk's Fun Bike Tours
Who would've thought biking through flower fields could be a thing? Well, in Holland, it totally is! Noordwijk offers these fun bike tours where you can pedal your way through stunning tulip fields, especially the flower fields near Bronsgeesterweg.
Helpful Tip: Three places where you can rent bikes for tours of Noordwijk’s tulip fields are Noordwijk Bike Rental, Rent-A-Bike Noordwijk and Fietsverhuur Noordwijk (Bike Rental Noordwijk).
Bike Route: Before you hop on your bike, check out the different routes you can take along the flower fields. One option is the Leidse Bollenroute, which is about 37 kilometers long and has signs to guide you along the way.
⭐️ Hillegom, a town in South Holland, 15 minutes drive away from Noordwijk, is famous for its beautiful tulip fields that burst with color in spring, making the scenery look like a painting. You can ride an e-scooter or e-bike from near the train station to explore these stunning fields. Rentals are easy to find, so if you're up for an adventure, book your tour now!
How to Travel:
Noordwijk is a coastal town in South Holland. From Amsterdam, take a train to Leiden, then a bus to Noordwijk. It takes approximately 45 minutes.
🌷 Flower Parade at Haarlem
Haarlem knows how to throw a party with its epic flower parade that's a real jaw-dropper! Concluding its journey in the picturesque city of Haarlem, the world-renowned Bollenstreek flower parade arrives on Saturday, April 20th, around 9:00 p.m. Visitors can marvel at the parade floats up close in the historic city center until Sunday, April 21st. Around 5:00 p.m., the floats will depart from Haarlem.
Visiting Hours: April 20 – April 21; 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Ticket Sales: You can find information about the Flower Parade at Haarlem on their official website: https://www.bloemencorsohaarlem.nl/
Helpful Tip: Many people watch the flower parade from the main entrance of Keukenhof Gardens and also visit the nearby tulip attractions and fields.
⭐️ Score a spot in one of the seven grandstands! They’ve got them in Lisse, Hillegom, Voorhout, Noordwijk, Heemstede, and Sassenheim. Plus, you'll get perks like nearby parking, clean bathrooms, and top-notch food!
How to Travel:
Traveling from Amsterdam to Haarlem is effortless, with the quickest route being by train.
🌷 Tulip Fields of Noordoostpolder in Flevoland
I used to think that the only place to see tulips in the Netherlands was Keukenhof. But I found out that Holland's biggest tulip area is actually in Flevoland, specifically in the Noordoostpolder. It's a peaceful place with stunning tulip fields, perfect if you prefer quiet spots over crowded ones. In spring, you can bike or walk through the lovely countryside and join the annual Tulip Festival.
Visiting Hours:
TULIP ROUTE FLEVOLAND - April 7th- April 25th 2024
TULIP FESTIVAL NOORDOOSTPOLDER - April 13th - April 28th 2024
Ticket Sales:
To avail tickets for the car routes and to download your Tulip cycling Routes, head to the website Tulip Routes of Flevoland.
⭐️ Get ready for some serious fun at the Renne Streekproducten tulip festival in Nagele! Kids can dive into a maze made of tulip crates, while thrill-seekers can soar high above the vibrant tulip fields on a helicopter ride!
How to Travel:
There's a set route you can follow by bike or car to see the fields, with stops for activities along the way - the Tulip Route Flevoland and the Tulip Festival Noordoostpolder.
Closing Thoughts
Spring in the Netherlands is all about tulips, and let me tell you, it's a sight to behold! So, get ready for a bloomin' good time in Holland. Bike, walk, or drive, these places in Netherlands guarantee a fantastic floral experience and awesome views! 😍
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Extremely articulate. Could plan a trip purely on your blogs work!