Tulip Time in the Netherlands

Spring is finally here, and Europe is exploding with color. In the Netherlands, that means it’s tulip time. 

There are some things you HAVE to see on your international travels. In Paris, it’s the Eiffel Tower. In Egypt, it’s the pyramids. And in the Netherlands, it’s the tulips, or more specifically, Keukenhof! 

Keukenhof has been called the most beautiful spring garden in the world. I can’t argue with that. Seven million bulbs bring the gardens to life from mid-March to May 15. It is positively breathtaking, and I try to take all my spring visitors to the gardens to discover the magic. Try to fit it into your travel itinerary! It’s not difficult to squeeze it in before or after a business trip to Amsterdam if you plan it right. And it is perfect for a family visit, too.

Keukenhof is Back

It is wonderful to see the gardens come to life again. While flowers were planted for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Keukenhof remained closed because of COVID-19. I was so disappointed. We could only view the magnificent floral displays online.

“Over the past year, millions of people have enjoyed videos of our blooming park,” said Keukenhof director Bart Siemerink. “But admiring the flowers live is something no video can compete with as you will miss the smells and the atmosphere in the park.”

He is right! There is nothing like seeing these flowers up close and personal. 

Flower Classics

This year’s theme is “Flower Classics” and celebrates the classic flowers that we hold dear. While hundreds of tulips look familiar, there are so many rare varieties that will capture your heart and inspire you to enhance your garden with color.

The team at Keukenhof stresses that flowers are important to people: “They are part of our lives and have been for centuries. Flowers are classic symbols in art, architecture, and design. The rose symbolizes love, just as the tulip symbolizes spring! These classics are brought together at Keukenhof with the tulip as its shining centerpiece!”

More than 600 growers brought their “best and brightest” to the park this year for a mind-boggling display of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, lilies, anthurium, and orchids. In addition to the 9.3 miles of paths that meander through the park, three indoor pavilions feature colorful and whimsical displays.

A Little History

Keukenhof has been a huge tourist attraction for decades. More than a million visitors are expected this year during the eight weeks the park is open.

The idea for a floral exhibition was spawned by a group of bulb growers and exporters in 1949. They wanted to organize an exhibition to showcase the flower bulb trade.   

All 7 million bulbs are dug up and destroyed at the end of the season. This makes my heart sad. I read that the bulbs are fed to livestock. Ah, if they would just ship a few thousand to my garden, I would be the happiest gal alive.

COVID-19 Restrictions

While the park was closed for two years due to corona restrictions, you no longer need a COVID passport to visit. The park management does advise you to keep your distance when possible, and they have implemented specific time slots to reduce overcrowding.  

Price

Tickets are €18,50 per person, and parking is €6 per car. If you are on a trip to Amsterdam, why not book a combination ticket that includes public transport to Keukenhof and admission to the park for €33.50? It will be a day out that you will remember for the rest of your life.

Fun Things to Do at Keukenhof

Take a 45-minute cruise on an electrically-propelled whisper boat and learn more about the tulips. It gives you a chance to see colorful rows of tulips growing in the fields. Tickets are €9 per person (about $10). Tickets for children 4-11 are half price, and it’s free for children three and younger. Click here to book.

If you want to see the colorful tulip fields by bike, you can rent a bicycle in the car park by the main entrance. It’s €15 (about $16.35) for a full-day rental or €10 ($10.90) for three hours. A bicycle-built-for-two is also available for a higher price.

If you happen to be in the area on April 23, you are in for a real treat. The annual flower parade returns on Saturday, April 23, 2022. It starts at the beach resort city of Noordwijk and travels to Haarlem. This year’s parade is extra special as it’s the 75th anniversary of the event. More information on the flower parade can be found here.

Family Fun

Need a good reason to take the family? There is a maze for children, a playground, a petting zoo, and an informative treasure hunt that takes kids to the park’s prettiest places.

Want an iconic selfie? There are giant Dutch clogs set up in a few places in the park for the perfect photo, including a sizeable yellow shoe in front of the windmill. The windmill was built in Groningen in 1892. In 1957, the Holland America cruise line purchased the windmill and donated it to Keukenhof.  

10 Fun Facts

• Carolus Clusius brought the first tulips to the Netherlands in 1592.
• The original design for the park was created around 1865 by father and son Zocher, landscape architects from Haarlem.
• The windmill, which dates back to 1892, has been at Keukenhof since 1957.
• In 2019, Keukenhof welcomed 1.5 million visitors of whom 80% originated abroad.
• The park is 79 acres and the entire estate, including the castle covers some 593 acres and features 15 listed buildings.
• Seven million bulbs showcasing more than 1,600 varieties are planted annually.
• Annually well over 15,000 pounds of grass seed is sown.
• The paths at Keukenhof measure 9.3 miles in total.
• There are more than 2,500 trees at Keukenhof representing more than 100 species.
• The historic garden features authentic 16th- and 17th-century tulip varieties that illustrate the development of 400 years of bulb growing in the Netherlands.

I tried to book a trip with a Brussels-based tour operator to take my brother and sister-in-law to the Netherlands, but it was an epic fail. The first trip was canceled due to COVID regulations. The tour operator claimed Keukenhof wasn’t accepting buses from Belgium, which I was unable to verify. My second attempt also failed. The vendor claimed too few people registered, and they canceled the trip.

Try to find a reliable vendor if you want to book a trip. If you happen to be in Brussels and are interested in traveling to Keukenhof, check Expat Club’s trips, which are being offered on April 16, April 24, and May 1. You can check out the trips here. You don’t have to be a member to join in on the fun.