In the Netherlands, spring has finally sprung, and as the country emerges from its wintry slumber, the temperature is gradually rising. A vast expanse of pastoral countryside covers more than half the nation, bursting into life in a multicolored blaze of flowers from March to May. The Netherlands is known worldwide for its tulips, and during this time of year, many farms in the provinces of South Holland, North Holland, and Flevoland are draped in a tapestry of magnificent blooms. A wonderful way to acknowledge the changing of the seasons is to visit the tulip fields and the well-known Keukenhof gardens. Along with advice on where to stay, we’ve compiled a list of the top tulip viewing locations in the Netherlands.
Noordwijk, South Holland
Anyone who like flowers is familiar with the name “Keukenhof,” but only true tulip connoisseurs are aware that touring a tulip field by bicycle is the ideal way to appreciate these lovely petaled plants. The Dutch town of Noordwijk and the nearby village of Noordwijkerhout are among the best spots to admire tulips.
Consider riding through Noordwijk’s flower fields and toward the beach town of Katwijk if you have a day to spare. The route is ideal for a sunny day and provides sustainable support for nearby tulip farmers. Additionally, many farms—including the Tulperij—offer paid tulip excursions. In Noordwijk aan Zee, stay at the Alexander Hotel between the water and the flower fields.
Lisse, South Holland
The normally quiet town of Lisse is close to Noordwijk. However, Lisse’s most well-known attraction—the meticulously maintained Keukenhof gardens—attracts hordes of tulip-loving tourists in the spring. The tulip fields near Lisse are a must-see if you want to bypass popular tourist destinations in favor of viewing tulips in their “natural habitat”. The best route for touring the Dutch bollenstreekor bulb belt is along well-paved cycling lanes. Visitors are asked to respect the tulips as they would in any other tulip field that is open to the public by not touching the priceless blooms.
Keukenhof, Lisse, South Holland
Seven million bulbs are in stunning bloom over 32 hectares of gorgeous flowerbeds at the fabled Keukenhof. It has a distinct theme every year and is open for two months between late March and late May. “Flower Classics,” the subject for 2022, honors the use of flowers as a symbol in art, architecture, and design. Expect to see anything from flower power designs evoking the resistance movement of the 1960s and 1970s to the Girl with the Pearl Earring—of course with tulips. Stay at Boutique Suites Lisse – Schiphol to be in the heart of the city.
Amsterdam, North Holland
The tulip frenzy that swept the country in the 17th century had its epicenter in Amsterdam. The country was engulfed in a tulip-trade frenzy for a brief time between 1634 and 1637, which led to an economic bubble and eventual crash. Even though tulips are still highly prized, Amsterdam has subsequently lost its passion for the bloom. The Tulip Festival Amsterdam, which is held once a year, seeks to reignite tulip frenzy following the financial crisis.
Throughout the month of April, the city’s significant structures and popular neighborhoods are decorated with new flowers as part of this celebration of the national flower. Except for the museum gardens, where usual entry rates are in effect, all exhibits in the public spaces are free to view. The Hotel Weber’s proximity to the bustling Leidseplein makes it one of the best places to stay in the city. A stunning design hotel on the riverfront called Room Mate Aitana is worth checking out if you have the funds to take a risk.
Haarlem, North Holland
If the thought of tulips being in stationary beds doesn’t appeal to you, it sounds like you’d benefit from a flower parade. Bloemencorso, which translates to “flower parade” in Dutch, features a fleet of colorful floats that go from Noordwijk to Haarlem while being cheered on by crowds of happy onlookers. It begins in the morning and travels 42 kilometers before arriving in Haarlem at dusk, when marching bands welcome the parade into the city. It’s vibrant, vivacious, and a lot of fun. You’ll be grateful for a comfy room close to the parade after a day of flower-themed celebrations. Go to the Van van Valk Hotel and the Frans Hals Amrth Grand Hotel to unwind. Both of them receive great marks for comfort and cleanliness, guaranteeing you a restful night’s sleep.
Noordoostpolder, Flevoland
Flevoland may appear to be in another country on the map for travelers arriving in Amsterdam. However, the Noordoostpolder tulip trail is best enjoyed by automobile and is a nice short day excursion from the city. Traveling further north can also be more fruitful because there are less tourists in this area than in other popular locations for flower-spotting.
The landscape is brimming with clean air, gorgeous colors, and fantastic photo opportunities. You’ll pass fields covered in vibrant blossoms throughout this 100-kilometer road, as well as wine tasting venues, art galleries, and little towns that each have a piece of floral-based artwork. Kraggenburg, a charming village typical of the Flevoland province, is one such town. Right here, on the Noordoostpolder tulip path, is where you’ll discover Hotel van Saaze.
Where in the Netherlands can you see tulips the best?
The Bollenstreek, or bulb district, is the greatest location to visit in the Netherlands if you want to enjoy the tulips.
Between Leiden, The Hague, and Haarlem is a region known as The Bollenstreek. The cities of Lisse, Hillegom, Katwijk, Noordwijk, Noordwijkerhout, and Teylingen are located in this region, and the flower industry is thriving there.
The Dutch town of Lisse is where you can also locate the Keukenhof. Although it is commercial, I nevertheless urge you to visit at least once in your lifetime. The park is truly a tulip heaven with over 7 million tulips!
Go to the countryside between Hillegom and Warmond to find more tranquil spots. Amazing flower fields can be found there. Rainbow-patterned flower fields are waiting, ranging in color from blue to white or stunningly purple to orange.
In other words, if you don’t mind paying, go to the Keukenhof; if you can’t afford it, go to the fields nearby. You can be sure that you’ll see lots of those lovely tulips with either of these alternatives!
Where in the Netherlands are tulip fields?
The Noordoostpolder in the Flevoland province is where the majority of tulip farms are found in The Netherlands. Another wonderful place to see these lovely flowers is in the flower bulb fields along the coast from The Hague and Leiden up to Alkmaar in the north. The largest flower show in the world, the Keukenhof, is only 15 minutes from Leiden and 30 minutes from Amsterdam. It is known for its abundance of tulips. The largest flower auction in the world, FloraHolland, is at Aalsmeer, which is only 30 minutes by vehicle from Amsterdam.
What month is ideal for viewing tulips in Holland?
From December to about May, tulips can be found in flower stores throughout Holland. These tulips are being grown in greenhouses rather than on flower fields. Tulip fields are not visible in December, January, or February. A tulip field in bloom in March is also extremely unusual but not impossible. The majority of visitors want to see the open tulip fields. April is the ideal time to view tulips in Holland. Mid-April to early May 2023 offers the best possibility of seeing the most picturesque tulip fields.
Where in Amsterdam can you see tulips the best?
Where are the Dutch flower fields is one of the most often questioned queries. There are several places in the Netherlands where you may see tulips in the spring. Only 40 kilometers from the center of Amsterdam is the most well-known region with the most stunning flower fields: the area surrounding the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens. The region is known as “Bollenstreek.”
Between the cities of Amsterdam, Leiden, Haarlem, and The Hague, the Bollenstreek is situated behind the North Sea sand dunes. Numerous flower fields are covered in tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. The Bollenstreek is renowned for its views of the authentic Dutch countryside. which look stunning when combined with the colorful landscapes.
Where can I find free tulip viewing in Holland?
Millions of tourists travel to the Netherlands each spring to see the tulips in full bloom. Keukenhof, a popular tulip destination, but regrettably very crowded and pricey. Additionally, on popular days, it can be hard to purchase Keukenhof tickets since they sell out.
To see tulips for free, I thus listed the top 6 Dutch locations with tulip fields. Additionally, I’ve listed the top flower markets and parades in The Netherlands for 2022 because they’ll both let you observe Dutch tulips for free.
The following six areas in The Netherlands are the finest places to see free Dutch tulips:
- Bollenstreek
- Flevoland
- Noord-Holland
- West-Friesland
- Beemster
- Zeeuws-Vlaanderen
The following six tulip-viewing locations are free to visit, or scroll down to uncover the greatest free flower markets and parades in the Netherlands in 2022.
How can someone in Rotterdam see tulips?
In the Netherlands, the southwest region is the best region for free tulip viewing. We were both born and reared on an island named “Goeree-Overflakkee,” which features one of the top wind and kite surf beaches in the Netherlands and vast tulip meadows.
Use Sunny Cars to rent a vehicle in the Netherlands. The cost already includes all insurances. Reserve a vehicle here.
The drive from Rotterdam to Goeree-Overflakee and its tulip fields takes 35 minutes. These tulip fields, unlike Keukenhof, Lisse, or Amsterdam, are only well-known to locals who go to see the tulips on the weekends or after a long day at work. Finding tulip blooms alone won’t be difficult because there are so many fields around.
Where can I find free tulip viewing in Amsterdam?
The privately owned Amsterdam Tulip Museum, which is situated in the city’s incredibly charming Jordaan neighborhood, was established by and supported by a nearby bulb firm. To properly examine the museum’s exhibits and discover more about the tulip industry in Amsterdam, allow between 30 and 60 minutes. You can find information here about the tulip museum’s hours of operation.
Additionally, you should be aware that the I Amsterdam City Card, which offers excellent value if you intend to visit a lot of museums and other attractions in Amsterdam while there, includes admission to the Amsterdam Tulip Museum. For instance, the one-time cost of this card includes access to the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and public transportation.
#4 Museum de Zwarte Tulp (Black Tulip Museum) in Lisse
In the village of Lisse, near to the Keukenhof Gardens (about an hour’s drive from the center of Amsterdam), lies the second of the Netherlands’ most well-known tulip museums.
You may discover all about tulip production in the area, as well as the history, methods, and tulip culture that have since come to be so associated with Lisse, at this location, which is right in the center of the old town.
From Schipol Airport, there is a direct train to Lisse; however, there is no direct rail from Amsterdam Centraal. You might think about spending the night in Lisse the day before if you intend to visit both the Museum de Zwarte Tulp and the Keukenhof Gardens. We personally stayed at the Restaurant De Vier Seizoenen, and we were ecstatic with our room’s seasonal decor.
#5 Pick your own flowers in Annemieke’s Picking Garden in Hillegom (U-pick farm)
The Bus 50, which travels between Haarlem and Leiden, stops at Annemieke’s Picking Garden, which is situated on the route between Hillegom and Bennebroek.
You must board a train from Amsterdam Centraal to get to Haarlem or Leiden. The Bethlehemlaan stop is where you can get the #50 bus to get to the Keukenhof Gardens.
The flower garden is open during the spring and is a simple day trip from Amsterdam. Here, you may select your own tulips, stroll through the flowerbeds, and even take some of the lovely blossoms home with you! Despite the fact that dogs are not permitted in the picking field, tulips cost 0.25 per and may be purchased using a debit card (making this a fantastic value).
#6 Keukenhof day trip from Amsterdam
The Keukenhof Gardens, often known as “the Garden of Europe,” is undoubtedly the ideal place to celebrate spring and take in the best tulips in the Netherlands.
The fields are a straightforward day trip from Amsterdam, and you can even buy a Keukenhof combi ticket in advance that includes admittance and transportation (though you should be aware that you can’t just cycle there because the fields are almost an hour away).
Once you get at Keukenhof, it will become clear that the gardens are just that—gardens—contrary to what you may have been led to believe on social media. There are many locations where you may enjoy distinct walled gardens and floral displays that are picture-perfect and themed. Here is where you can buy tickets for the Keukenhof Half-Day Guided Tour with a Free 1-Hour Canal Cruise.
Although it’s important to know that the entrance ticket for Keukenhof does not cover official access to the adjoining fields, there are plenty of the striped hyacinth and tulip fields that you’ve probably seen images of previously nearby in the fields surrounding Lisse.
In contrast to the Volendam/Marken, Zaanse Schans & Keukenhof with Canal Cruise tour, which focuses on the bulb region and several Dutch fishing villages, the Keukenhof, Zaanse Schans & A’dam Lookout Combo Day Tour offers the chance to enjoy a guided tour of the Keukenhof Gardens, visit a clog maker and a cheese farm, see the windmills of Zaanse Schans, and enjoy the view of Amsterdam from the A
#7 Bloemencorso Bollenstreek (Bulb flower Parade)
Every year, a flower procession is held to honor the tulips for one day in April. Highlights of this annual one-day celebration include flower-filled floats that go from Noordwijk to Lisse.
The floats can be seen for free in any of the villages along the road between the two towns, even though you can watch the parade from inside the Keukenhof gardens. You may get more information about the tulip parade here.
#8 Follow the Dutch Tulip Route & Free Tulip Fields in the Netherlands as a day trip from Amsterdam
The Netherlands has a number of significant tulip growing regions, many of which are simple day trips from Amsterdam;
Duin en Bollenstreek (Keukenhof & Lisse) tulip mania
South Holland’s Duin en Bollenstreek region is the most well-known tulip growing region (which is where Keukenhof is located). The name of the region, which refers to spectacular dunes like those in Scheveningen and impressive tulip fields like those that surround Lisse, is literally translated as “dune and bulb.”
In addition to Lisse, the Bulb Region also has the adorable-cute villages of Bennebroek, Heemstede, and Noordwijk, so I’ve been told. Additionally, the annual Flower Parade takes place in the Bulb region in April. The Dutch coastline is best enjoyed when visiting the nearby coastal communities of Katwijk and Noordwijk.
West Friesland tulips
Although there are many possibilities to see tulip fields close to Keukenhof or around Lisse, taking the train to Schagen, which is about an hour north of Amsterdam in the Northern Holland province of West Friesland, is one of the simplest ways to enjoy free tulips in Holland.
You may simply cycle or walk from Schagen to many of the lovely blooms and take in the Dutch tulips without the throngs and visitors of some of the more well-known locations. The town of Breezand, which is situated in this province, hosts an annual flower festival in March.
Flevoland tulips
Alternately, some of the largest tulip fields in the Netherlands can be found along the Tulip Route in the Flevoland province, more specifically in Noordoostpolder, which is the final and twelfth province of the Netherlands. A new Tulip Route is developed each year; further information about it can be obtained on this page. The provinces of Zeeland and Drenthe each have tulip routes.
Flower Strip Tulip Route
Cycling the flower strip, which is the name given to the 35 km road between Haarlem and Leiden, is the final of the greatest tulip mania day adventures from Amsterdam. On the iAmsterdam website, you can find out more information about how to take advantage of the best Dutch tulip blossoms along this path.
#9 Bloemenmarkt (Flower Market on the Singel)
When visiting Amsterdam’s famous flower market for the first time, many tourists become perplexed. They believe they are in the wrong location or that they might not have fully comprehended the floral market.
No, you’re in the proper location… Just that the majority of the flower market’s offerings are bulbs rather than real flowers! Although it no longer resembles how it once did, the largest floating flower market in the world has existed since 1862.
Many of the flower stores have been replaced by souvenir and tourist traps, making the flower market today a little more touristic than some people would like. Although there aren’t many stands left that sell fresh flowers, you can get a bunch of 50 tulips for as little as 10!
#10 See the world’s largest flower auction
Of course, viewing the tulip fields outside is not the only way to take in Amsterdam’s floral displays. Instead, take a train to nearby Aalsmeer, where FloraHolland flower auction, the biggest flower auction in the world, is often held. Aalsmeer is just fifteen minutes from Schipol airport. You can watch actual tulipomania here from a viewing gallery, which is open every day except on public holidays and is free to enter.
#11 Stay in Tulip-themed accommodation in Amsterdam
Of course, if you truly want to take advantage of Amsterdam’s best tulip experiences throughout your trip, you can think about reserving a room in a hotel with a floral theme. For instance, this B&B has flowers in each room and has outstanding reviews on numerous booking websites.
Last but not least, one of the most well-liked seasons to travel to Amsterdam is during the tulip season. As a result, you should reserve your stay far in advance if you want to obtain the best value for your money.