Each spring, the Netherlands bursts into a colourful landscape of bulb flowers, the most famous being the tulip. After a long, particularly harsh prairie winter at home in Canada, by the time we travelled to Amsterdam in March this year, I was in dire need of some colour therapy. Keukenhof, often referred to as the most beautiful garden in the world, was the perfect place to revive.
Flowers Are Big Business in the Netherlands
I was surprised to learn that the Netherlands produces 70% of the world’s commercial flowers. It’s a multi-billion Euro industry in the county. Not only is flower export big business, tulip season is also a major tourist attraction. Visitors stream to the Royal FloraHolland flower auction to witness dealers bid on blooms, they rent bicycles to ride from Leiden to Haarlem to experience the glorious stripes of colour that burst from the ground from spring to summer, and they visit Keukenhof to see the stunning garden beds and artistic arrangements.
Colour Therapy at Keukenhof
Due to a busy work schedule, Steve and I had just one window of opportunity to get our tulip fix during our last visit to the Netherlands. We decided that a visit to Keukenhof was our best bet.
Keukenhof is a 32-hectare park located in Lisse, which is about a 45-minute drive from Amsterdam. How big is that? Big enough to accommodate seven million flowers with room to spare! The park is open just eight weeks a year (tulip season) and welcomes 1.4 million visitors during that period.
Annual Flower Theme
Each year, the park chooses a theme, and the country’s leading florists create displays to illustrate it. The 2019 theme is Flower Power, which celebrates ‘70s Hippie culture and the way flowers bring people together.
So Many Tulips!
There are 800 different tulip varieties on display at Keukenhof. Visit with well-rested feet to enjoy the 15 kilometres of footpaths you can wander to enjoy it all.
Not Just Flowers
In addition to gazing in amazement at the beauty on display, kids can enjoy the playground and a small petting zoo. There is a hedge maze leading to a platform overlooking the tulip fields, and several places to grab a bite to eat.
Beloved Dutch children’s literature character Miffy has a prominent spot in the park.
Helpful Details for Visiting Keukenhof
The park is open from mid-March to mid-May from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Allow 2-3 hours for a proper visit.
If you don’t have a car, the easiest way to get to Keukenhof is to take the shuttle bus from Schiphol Airport, which departs and returns from the park 4-12 times per hour. You can get a park/transportation combo ticket for 30 Euros.
The park’s FAQ page should cover any other questions you might have.
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