Spring in the Netherlands, it’s a tulip season.
Keukenhof Gardens, which celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2019, is a flower garden where tulips are in full bloom and many tourists visit from all over the world.
Keukenhof is a tourist spot that symbolizes in the Netherlands in spring, with more than 1 million visitors every year in just under two months.
Seven million tulips are planted in Keukenhof, a huge site of 32 ha.
It’s like a land of flowers. The garden is filled with the fragrance of flowers. You can enjoy tulips with your sight and smell.
Date: 23rd March to 14th May
Hours: 8:00-19:30
Entrance: €19
Parking: €6.00
Ticket >>
Address: Stationsweg 166a, 2161 AM Lisse, Netherlands
URL：Keukenhof Gardens
* There is also a combination ticket that includes a round-trip bus ticket from Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport, Leiden Central Station, and Haarlem Station.
*Check the schedule of events such as shows on the website.
When is the best time to see tulips?
*Please consider this as a guideline as the best time to see the flowers changes depending on the weather every year.
from March to mid-April
It’s still a cold season, so you need a jacket. From March to April, the temperature is low and there are raining lots of days.
However there are many tulips in bloom in Keukenhof Garden and the tulip fields around Keukenhof. So you can also enjoy the Flower Stripes (striped landscape of colorful flowers blooming in a huge tulip field) from late March to early April.
A best tulip sightseeing way is visiting Keukenhof Garden in the morning, and cycling to Flower Stripes in the afternoon.
Mid-April to May
There will be many warm days from mid-April to May, so you can enjoy a picnic in Keukenhof Garden with watching tulips.
In May, the withered tulips are mixed in, but still many tulips are in full bloom.
However you may not be able to see the flower stripes in May. Because the tulips in the field may have already shipped.
Check flowering status online
You can see a lot of tulips no matter when you visit during the period.
If you are concerned about the flowering situation, you can see pictures of the garden on Keukenhof’s Facebook page. Photos will be posted everyday.
It is often crowded between 10 am and 4 pm even on weekdays, and it;s crowded all day on weekends.
I personally think the weather is the most important. Even if there are many visiters and very crowded, a sunny day is the best for taking pictures.
Access
Keukenhof Garden can be reached by bus or car. As a result, heavy traffic jams occur every day during this period. Until Keukenhof is about 30 minutes by car from Amsterdam, but it takes about 1-2 hours if you get stuck in traffic.
To avoid the traffic, it is better to visit early morning or after 3 pm.
When visiting by bus, there are direct buses from four locations.
- Amsterdam RAI
- Schiphol Airport
- Leiden Central Station
- Haarlem Station
Ticket
The entrance fee for 2023 is €19. Since last year, you have to buy tickets online by selecting the date and time. When you have plan to visit by owncar, you need to buy a parking ticket as well.
When you visit by bus there is a combination ticket that includes the entrance fee and a round-trip bus.
Facilities in Keukenhof Garden
Keukenhof Garden is a vast site of 32 ha. In addition to tulips, there are various facilities in the garden.
Pavilion
At the pavilion, you can see various kinds of flower exhibits.
Windmill
There is a large windmill, so you can take pictures of the windmill and tulips that symbolize the Netherlands. And you can see the flower stripes of the tulip fields from the top of the windmill.
Food
There are cafes, restaurants and stalls. But cafes and restaurants are very crowded at lunch time. When you’re really hungry, If you’re so hungry that you can’t stand it, you can buy burgers quickly at a food truck. But there are no benches or tables, so it is good to bring own picnic blanket.
Souvenir shop
There is a souvenir shop at the main entrance, and some small shops in the garden. You can purchase tulip bulbs and Keukenhof exclusive goods. The Dutch rabbit Miffy shop is also popular.
Don’t miss the Keukenhof exclusive tulip pattern products and the Keukenhof exclusive Miffy statue!
Toilet
There are free toilets and very clean.
wi-fi
Free Wi-Fi is available everywhere in Keukenhof.
Lockers
There are free lockers at the entrance.
Dogs
You can enter with your dog. However it is essential that there is only one dog per person, and that it is always connected with a lead. And some facilities (pavilions and restaurants) will not be allowed to enter with dogs.
Keukenhof Garden, the world’s largest tulip garden is a tulip spot you must visit. Have fun!