Tulips are one of the most popular attractions for people visiting Holland. I am very often asked where they can go to see some flower fields. That’s why I write this article to give you a clear answer and easy to follow guide on a tulip touring in the Netherlands. So where to see tulips in Amsterdam?
There are no tulip fields in Amsterdam, but they are close to Amsterdam. 30 minutes away you can find tulips. Most popular spots are Keukenhof, Hillegom, Sassenheim, Noordwijkerhout, and Lisse. In Amsterdam, you can see tulips on the Floating Flower Market or in Amsterdam Tulip Museum.
In this article, I will give you short and easy guidance about Tulips in Amsterdam, and close to Amsterdam. You’ll learn where to find tulip fields and how to get there. I will also describe the most popular tulip related activities, provide you with crucial information and I will share with you my tips and tricks.
Where to See Tulips in Amsterdam?
Unfortunately, there are no tulip fields in Amsterdam itself but there are many other opportunities to see tulips in the Dutch capital. During the blossom period, Amsterdam is full of tulips. You can find them on each and every corner. You can buy them from street vendors and you can see many decorations around the city. If you did some research then you’ve probably ]seen some photos from Museumplein fountain filled with Tulips.
Floating Flower Market
One of the ways to admire tulips is Amsterdam is to visit a floating flower market. This is the one and only floating flower market in the world. It’s built on boats. They are there from centuries because, in the past, the vendors used to bring flowers to the city on their boats and sell them directly from boats. The one and only flower market is close to the city center and next to the Rembrandtplein.
The flower market is situated in the canal ring, which is part of the UNESCO heritage. It’s an astonishing place, definitely worth visiting.
Amsterdam Tulip Museum
In the tulip museum, you won’t really admire tulips, because it’s dedicated to the history of these beautiful flowers. In the tulip museum, you can learn a very interesting story about “tulip mania” from the 17th century when prices of tulips skyrocket. You can also get there some souvenirs and gifts.
National Tulip Day
National Tulip Day takes place in the city center of Amsterdam, on a Dam square and it’s held in January. The first edition was in the 2012 year and since then they organize it annually. During the Dutch Tulip Day, 200 000 flowers cover the Dam Square, and I have great news for you. During this day you can take some tulips home. Here you can find some more info about the National Tulip Day. But keep in mind that there are more people who want to pick flowers, so you should be there early.
Where are Tulips Fields Close to Amsterdam?
There are multiple spots in Holland where you can find colorful tulip fields but most of them are in Hillegom, Sassenheim, Noordwijkerhout, Lisse. And it’s the closest place to Amsterdam. If you go more to the north you find tulips in Hoorn, Medemblik, and Enkhuizen, but to be honest the best place for you to see tulips is Keukenhof.
Keukenhof
If you visit Holland in the period of time when Keukenhof is open, I tell you, Go! It’s an amazing place and I have never seen anything like this before. It’s a huge park full of flowers. You can spend there the whole day, relaxing around tulips, admiring Keukenhof exhibitions, cycling through flower fields or going on a boat trip. Keukenhof is the biggest flower market in the world and, indeed, it’s one of a kind. Yearly there are planted almost 8 million bulbs. In Keukenhof, you can admire roses, carnations, irises, lilies, tulips(of course), hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, and many others.
Keukenhof is 40 km from Amsterdam. It takes 35 minutes to get there by car. You can also get there by bus. As you can see on the image above you can get there from multiple locations. For example from Amsterdam City center, you can take bus number 852. From other locations in Amsterdam, you can get to Station Hoofddorp and then take bus number 859. There is also a connection from Schiphol Airport directly to Keukenhof with bus 858. This year there were some extra connections available, so when this flower park is open again you should also check their website for updated info. Link to Keukenhof website – here
Where To Stay When Visiting Keukenhof?
Keukenhof is not far away from Amsterdam, so you can stay anywhere close to the flower gardens. You can easily stay in Haarlem or in Amsterdam, but if you want to be close to the Keukenhof I recommend you to stay in Lisse, Noordwijk or Noordwijkerhout.
The Largest Flower Auction in The World
FloraHolland is an auction house located in Alsmeer, a half hour away from Amsterdam city center(by car). You can also get there by public transport and it takes 1 hour, but it’s definitely worth it. There are more auction locations in the Netherlands. Among them, there are Naaldwijk, Rijnsburg, Venlo, Bleiswijk and Eelde. All of these locations are owned by FloraHolland and together they are the biggest flower auction in the world. It’s amazing that more than 20 million flowers are sold daily by FloraHolland. For visitors, there are two locations open: Aalsmeer and Eelde. The interesting fact is that FloraHolland manages 90% of the flower trade in the Netherlands and thanks to this company 250.000 people worldwide have a job.
Dutch Flower Parade
Dutch Flower Parade is held annually in April. The best spot to see Flower Parade is Keukenhof but you can also admire this exhibition on wheels in Lisse, Haarlem, and Noordwijk. During this colorful day, cars full of flowers ride as much as 42 km. The beginning of the parade is early in the morning and it last until the evening. Imagine that last time I took a part in this parade I was seeing it in Haarlem when it was already dark.
Where are Tulip Fields in the Netherlands?
Below you can find a Flower Map! It will give you a general overview where you go.
When To see Tulips in Amsterdam?
Tulip season starts at the end of March and it lasts till the beginning of May. The best time to see tulips is in the middle of April. If you would like to see fields full of colorful flowers this is the best time to visit Holland. Unfortunately, tulip season is a little bit short, but it’s definitely worth seeing. There are flower fields everywhere around you. They look just like a sea of flowers. However, the blooming period is based on weather conditions, so it all depends on the temperatures and humidity. But if you come in the middle of April you can be sure that you’ll see tulips.
When Can You See First Flowers in Holland??
The first flowers which bloom in the Netherlands are Daffodils. We can admire them from the middle of March and they look great when they cover fields with their yellow colour.
When Do The Hyacinths Bloom in The Netherlands?
April is the month of Hyacinths. They bloom from the beginning until the end of this month. These flowers have many colours, but the most popular are white, blue, purple and pink. I used to work in the flower company in the past and I must admit that their bulbs smell terrible and they make your skin itchy. But they are beautiful. You can see a lot of these flowers during the annual Flower Parade.
Tulip Bike Tour
Here you can rent a bike in Noordwijkerhout or Keukenhof – Link Here
How to Find Tulip Fields? There is a map above where you can see spots with tulip fields because I want to give you a general overview where you are going to cycle. When you ask about tulip fields in a bike rental company they’ll give you some directions. They will also provide you with a bike road map. In general, don’t worry. Everything is organized. You don’t have to ride very far to find fields. If you follow canals and ride along them you also find flower fields.
Keep in mind that these flower fields are private and you are not allowed to pick flowers. But there are some fields where you can pay for picking flowers.
When you go on a bike tour you can choose one of a few routes which length varies from 10 km to 45 km. Don’t be afraid of this long distance. Even 45 km isn’t that scary in the Netherlands because the terrain is pancake flat.
Flower Fields Etiquette
Everyone wants to see a beautiful sea of tulips when coming to the Netherlands. Unfortunately, many people damage flowers during their visit. You must remember that flower fields are private and it’s not allowed to enter them without any permission. I must write about this because walking in someone’s flower field is highly inappropriate. When you harm flowers, they can’t be sold anymore, and if hundreds of people damage flowers that’s a big loss for a farmer and for other visitors who wants to enjoy a view of beautiful tulips.
When you enter a field without permission you can get a fine.
You should always ask for permission and there are some farmers who allow you to enter the field and even pick some flowers. So once again, don’t enter a flower field, especially when there is a fence or a sign.
Interesting Facts About Tulips in Amsterdam
- Holland is so much into tulips that you may think that they have always been here, but this is not true. Tulips country of origin in Turkey.
- Probably you’ve seen only tulips with one flower per stem, but there are also tulips with 4 flowers per stem.
- There are 150 different kinds of tulip bulbs and 3000 varieties.
- Lilies and tulips are the same flower family.
- Tulips are on the third position of the most popular flower in the world.
- It may be unbelievable, but during Tulip Mania in the 17th century, one tulip was worth as much as a canal house in Amsterdam
- Have you ever seen a blue Tulip? They put paint in the bulb so they can get this color. So there is no variety of blue tulip.
- After tulips are cut they continue to grow and bloom up to 7 days
Tips and Tricks
- When you are not sure about the weather you should have raincoat or umbrella with you, because the Dutch weather may change very quickly.
- Rent a bike at Keukenhof and cycle around tulip fields.
- Visit the Black Tulip Museum.
- If you have a tight budget you can just rent a bike and ride through the tulip fields.
