Welcome back! In today’s blog, I will take you along with me to the beautiful Keukenhof Garden and Tulip Fields near Amsterdam. This is the perfect weekend getaway to do during the spring months of April and May, especially if you live in central Europe. You will be surrounded by millions of flowers in every color that you can imagine and, who doesn’t love flowers?
Located in the heart of the Netherlands, just a stone’s throw away from the vibrant city of Amsterdam, Keukenhof Gardens and the surrounding Tulip Fields attract every year visitors from all over the world. Every spring, the small towns of Lisse and Noordwijk come alive with tulips, creating a spectacle that defies imagination.
Wander around the manicured Keukenhof Gardens with blooming flowers of many different species around you and once you are satisfied, rent a bike and cycle along the many tulip fields that are just outside the borders of Keukenhof Gardens. Does this sound interesting? Then read along, to find out the best tips to visit this enchanting place.
Visiting Keukenhof Gardens
What is Keukenhof Gardens?
Keukenhof Gardens, also known as The Garden of Europe is an immense garden (the garden is 32 hectares to be more precise) in the Netherlands filled with many flowers such as the traditional Dutch tulips, hyacinths, lilies, daffodils, and many more!
The name Keukenhof in Dutch translates into English as “Kitchen Garden”. The garden is named like this because it used to be the garden of the nearby Castle which provided herbs, fruits, and game. In 1638, these lands were acquired by the Governor of the Dutch East India Company and had a manor built on the grounds which he named Keukenhof. Today, this manor is known as Keukenhof Castle.
Keukenhof Garden, as we know it today, was established in 1949 by a consortium of bulb growers and flower exporters to showcase their products and support the export of flowers from the Netherlands. The garden opened to the public in 1950 and in its first year received 200,000 visitors.
A Brief History of the Tulips
These days everybody associates tulips with the Netherlands but, did you know that they are not originally from there?Tulips were actually first imported from Turkey during the 16th century. They were introduced in the Netherlands by Carolus Clusius, who had a friend in Turkey who sent him some bulbs to plant in the Botanical Garden of Leiden.
At the beginning of the 17th Century, tulips increased in popularity and they started to be used for trading purposes. Bulbs of these flowers increased exponentially which led to what is known as “Tulipmania” until the crash in 1637.
Where Is Keukenhof Located?
Keukenhof is located in the region of Duin en Bollenstreek (which translates into English as “Dune and Bulb”), in South Holland. The region is named like this because of the sand dunes near the coast and the impressive tulip fields such as those around Lisse.
How can you get to Keukenhof? Well, there are different ways to reach it.
- By car: This is the best way to get to Keukenhof if you want to visit with total flexibility on time schedules. Keukenhof is just a short 30-minute ride from the near cities of Amsterdam or Leiden. However, you should know that parking at Keukenhof will only be possible if you pre-buy your parking ticket in advance.
- By Public Transport: If you don’t feel like driving, then you can also reach Keukenhof by public transport. There are direct buses that will take you there from Amsterdam, Schipol Airport, Haarlem, and Leiden. You can find information about the buses to take and buy the tickets at keukenhof.nl/en.
Practical Information
- Opening Times: Keukenhof Garden is only open for approximately 8 weeks per year and these weeks will vary from one year to another. Always check the official website: https://keukenhof.nl/en to get the opening weeks per year.
- Ticket Prices: Ticket prices are cheaper if you buy them online than at the park entrance. In addition, you will have a guarantee that you will actually visit the park. The number of visitors per day is limited, so it is better to buy the tickets online to avoid any bad surprises once you are there. Get your Keukenhof tickets here.
- Parking near Keukenhof: If you want to park your car at Keukenhof, make sure to buy your parking token in advance. Otherwise, it will not be possible.
- Keukenhof Map: Download the Keukenhof map here to make sure you don’t miss anything of this beautiful garden.
Tips for Visiting Keukenhof
- Buy your ticket online to save money
Tickets bought online are cheaper than those bought directly at the entrance. The price difference is only 3 euros but why not save some money?
Buy your Keukenhof Tickets here: Keukenhof Tickets
Buy your Keukenhof Tickets with transfers here: Keukenhof Tickets + Bus Transfer
- Be prepared for a lot of people
Don’t get me wrong, Keukenhof Gardens are beautiful and you should definitely visit them at least once in your life. However, you should adjust your expectations. We have all seen beautiful photos of Keukenhof on Instagram with no people around you but you will most probably not be there alone.
- Get there early
This tip goes hand in hand with the previous tip. If you want to enjoy Keukenhof without excessive crowds try to get there as soon as the park opens. You will not be alone but it will be less crowded than during the middle of the day.
The Keukenhof Flower Parade
Every year at the end of April, there is a parade near Keukenhof that goes from Noordwijk and ends in Lisse. This parade includes many different floats made of flowers. It is quite impressive to see.
You can either see the parade from inside Keukenhof Garden or from the nearby towns of Lisse and Noordwijk. If you choose the second option, then you can watch the parade for free.
Beyond Keukenhof: Visiting the tulip Fields
When many people think about Keukenhof, what comes to mind is the endless tulip fields we have all seen many times on social media. However, you should know that Keukenhof Gardens don’t have any tulip fields inside them. Keukenhof is a beautiful park with curated green lawns and flower displays.
If the reason you’re visiting Keukenhof is to see the famous endless Tulip Fields, then you will be a bit disappointed. Instead of visiting Keukenhof, then I suggest you rent a bike and explore the area. You will surely see flower fields (not only tulips) in every color you can think of.
Or even better, make it a two-day trip and do both things! One day you can visit Keukenhof and the second one, you can explore the nearby towns and flower fields. It is also possible to do both activities on the same day, but in my opinion, it is a bit rushed. Especially if you’re visiting Keukenhof on the day of the Flower Parade.
Where to rent a bike?
The options are endless! All around the Keukenhof Garden entrance, there are many places advertising bike rentals. You can decide whether to do this on the spot or plan it in advance. It is also possible to choose between a regular bike or an electric bike.
Tip: If you want to be sure that you will be able to choose the type of bike you want, I suggest you book it in advance.
I booked my bikes at Lemonbike and decided to organize my own itinerary. Upon rental of your bike, you will also get a map with suggested routes.
Alternatively, you can join a sunset e-bike tour around the tulip fields.
Hillegom - Lisse - Noordwijk with our bikes
We rented our bikes and spent a beautiful day riding along the flower fields in Lisse and Hillegom all the way up to the coast in Noordwijk and back.
Good to know: The route we did normally takes between 2 to 3 hours to complete. However, if you want to stop at the different tulip fields for photos and you are a slow rider like me, then I recommend you turn this into a whole day activity. Otherwise, you can also rent an e-bike and go a bit faster.
And that’s it for my blog about Visiting Keukenhof Garden and Tulip Fields near Amsterdam. Thank you for reading and I hope you liked it and found it useful.
Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments section below and I will be more than happy to answer it!
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