If you find yourself in the Netherlands during the Spring, you must take advantage of the tulip season festivities. Tulip Season runs from the end of March to mid-May. We had originally planned a trip for my birthday in mid-April and didn’t even have this on our radar. Luckily, a friend who had studied abroad in the Netherlands told us how beautiful the tulips are in the Spring and it ended up being one of our favorite stops of the trip.
Keukenhof
Keukenhof is a famous garden decorated with over 7 million flowers located in Lisse, about a 30 minute drive outside of Amsterdam. If you don’t have a car, there are several other ways to get to Keukenhof from Amsterdam with pricing as follows:
- Keukenhof Express Public Bus – €16 round trip.
- Shuttle Service – starting at €39 which includes €19 entrance fee.
- Guided tour – starting at €79which includes €19 entrance fee.
- Taxi – €80 – €100 each way.
You could spend an entire day at Keukenhof as there is so much to see. However, most people visit for 2-4 hours and may opt for an accompanying bike ride. You’ll find a variety of beautiful flowers in bloom including tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, roses, carnations, irises, and lilies. Each year, the 32 hectares garden is decorated with a theme. In 2022, the theme was Flower Classics. Outside the entrance to Keukenhof, you can climb a windmill to take in the views of tulip fields overlooking Lisse. For more information about visiting Keukenhof, visit their website: https://keukenhof.nl/en/
Rent a Bike
You can rent a bike outside Keukenhof and cruise along the trails that pass through small towns and tulip fields. You can choose between several routes ranging from 3-16 miles (5-25 km). We did the 10 km route which was a very easy ride with flat terrain. As you pass through towns, you may have to cross the road a few times, but there is always crosswalks and sidewalks to ride along. It was a relaxing ride with many spots to stop and take pictures.
The map below shows the options for biking near Keukenhof. We chose the Flower Fields South and Village Center (purple route).
Bloemenmarkt – Floating Flower Market
Along the Singel Canal in Amsterdam, you will find Bloemenmarkt, the world’s only floating flower market that has been around for more than 150 years. The shops and stalls are set up on houseboats and sell fresh flowers, bulbs, and souvenirs. There are also many shops selling a variety of Dutch cheeses. We enjoyed sampling the delicious cheeses and jams and taking in the scent of fresh flowers.
