Tulip Festival in Amsterdam
Originating from the Ottoman Empire and introduced to Dutch merchants at the beginning of the 17th century, it has had a lasting economic impact from the Golden Age to the present day.
As the days grow longer, the temperature on the thermometer begins to rise. There is perhaps a no better way to enjoy the best of spring in the Netherlands than by going in search of blooms. Cherry blossoms and trailing wisteria aside, there’s perhaps no flower quite as synonymous with this European country than the tulip.
The Tulip festival in the Netherlands is a perfect reason to visit Amsterdam in April or May. That is to say, the colorful tulips in full bloom attract thousands of tourists every year who come to admire the beauty of it.
Netherlands' tulip legacy
The tulip is one of the most lasting symbols of the Netherlands and Amsterdam. Originating from the Ottoman Empire and introduced to Dutch merchants at the beginning of the 17th century, it has had a lasting economic impact from the Golden Age to the present day. Indeed, every spring Holland is the place to admire colorful flower fields and to welcome the new spring season.
When is the Tulip Festival in the Netherlands?
The city center of Amsterdam is blooming in April. Not with tulip fields but with beautiful flowering tulips at more than 85 locations. It is everywhere: public areas, gardens, city’s museums, hotels, and notable buildings. All displays in public areas are open to enjoy. But for some museum gardens, regular prices apply.
Tulip Festival connects city districts, businesses, residents, and visitors. Garden designer, Saskia Albrecht, is a founder of the Tulip Festival. It is her ambition to bring the tulip back to the streets of Amsterdam. Moreover, her motto is ‘a tulip for every citizen of Amsterdam.’ Every citizen also expects a tulip from every citizen. Are you ready to count the 850,000 tulips? Click the Guidebook to plan your own route.
Have you ever heard about Keukenhof?
During Tulip Festival, the tulips are blooming not only in Amsterdam (Captain Obvious!). And best of all is Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, which opens from March 21 till May 10, 2020. Keukenhof in the Netherlands claims to be the world’s largest flower park. With 7 million flower bulbs planted across 79 acres (32 hectares), Keukenhof Gardens are a colorful sea of 800 varieties of tulips and other spring flowers.
More than 9 miles (15 km) of footpaths provide space to stroll around the park, take photos of flowers in bloom, and enjoy this favorite Holland tradition.
Moreover, the park is an accessible day-trip destination from Amsterdam. It is popular among visitors of all age groups. From families with small children to group tours of seniors.
The main attraction of Keukenhof is obviously the flowers. Still, the park is truly a destination for visitors of all ages. Small children will enjoy the various playgrounds with a full-scale windmill and public art performances.
Hidden tulip "pearls."
Some of the best and most exciting tulips are in the indoor pavilions. You’ll see there just about every tulip color and type imaginable. You can buy some tulip bulbs directly at the Keukenhof gardens, in Lisse or at the floating garden centers on the canals in Amsterdam. Just make sure your country allows you to bring in home plants.
Don’t forget that around Keukenhof botanical garden, there are massive fields of tulips. It is certainly recommended to visit these flower farms after visiting the tulip gardens. There are various options for sightseeing in the flower fields as well. You can take whisper boat trips and rental bikes when traveling Keukenhof Gardens.
Enjoy whisper boat trip!
Enjoy a relaxing boat trip that takes about 45 minutes. These boats travel through the beautiful Dutch flower bulb landscape in implicit silence. Spectacular photos are guaranteed! You can just buy tickets for this boat trip at the windmill in Keukenhof. Waiting times can add up, so plan your boat trip early during your visit. A boat trip will cost you € 8,00 (Ex. admission to Keukenhof), Kids (aged 4-11) € 4,00.
Discover the beauty outside Keukenhof by bike!
The best way for sightseeing in the flower fields is to rent a bike and explore the flowers in the Dutch style. With a bicycle, you experience the silence, listen to the birds sing, and quickly stop to take the perfect photo. Holland is a remarkably cycling country, the roads along the flower fields are ideal for cycling.
The easiest way to hire a bike is to book online before you go. Your bike will then be waiting for you near the main entrance at Keukenhof. You can hire a bike for 3 hours or all day. A bike cost € 15,00 for 3 hours or € 20,00 a day.
It is better with a flower card.
There isn’t a massive difference in price, so we’d suggest going for the full day booking. Otherwise, you might have to hurry back to return the bike. If you book a rental bike online, you’ll get a FlowerCard with your online order. With the Flower Card, you will receive a digital magazine about the surroundings of Keukenhof. You will get tips for the best hot spots to visit and get great discounts at a flower farm, museum, restaurants, and shops. You also get discounts on attractions and museums in Amsterdam. Best buy!
What about the helicopter?
We are not joking! The flower fields are beautiful to see from the ground but from a helicopter, you get a completely different view of the colorful flower fields. The aircraft flies only on 6 days in April, and the number of seats is limited. In 2020 the flight days are Saturday, April 4, Saturday, April 11 (Easter weekend), Sunday, April 12 (Easter weekend), Saturday, April 18, Sunday, April 25 (Flower Parade day), Saturday, April 26. This is the ultimate sightseeing experience!
Take the longest tulip route in Holland!
With nearly 5,000 acres worth of red, yellow, and purple flower-bulb fields, Flevoland is Holland’s most significant flower-growing region! The areas can be found in East and South Flevoland and, most importantly, the Noordoostpolder.
Every year in spring, there is a spectacular ‘Flower-bulb route’ encompassing over 100 km through flowering fields. The route has become the longest and most colorful route in Holland.
According to National Geographic, it is one of the world’s ultimate road trips. You can follow the Tulip Route on foot, on a bicycle or by car. And it’s better to book apartments or hotels in Flevoland. What could be better than get up in the morning and enjoy an endless sea of flowers?
Ready to spend some time with the tulips in Amsterdam?
If you can’t be in the Netherlands during the Keukenhof festival, National Tulip Day is held in Amsterdam each January. Most importantly, this is the start of Amsterdam’s tulip season, and there’s a temporary tulip garden in Dam Square where you can pick a tulip for free.
Jerulita Team takes an opportunity to invite you to join a Tour to the Netherlands: Rembrandt, Tulips, and Music. It includes Amsterdam, The Hague, Haarlem, Delft & some other sites.