One of the main tourist destinations when traveling to the Netherlands is visiting its famous flower gardens. Keukenhof, located in the small town of Lisse, is actually the largest flower garden in the world. Getting to Keukenhof is easy; you can simply take a bus from Schiphol International Airport.
As winter transitions into spring, vibrant daffodil blooms start to appear across the expansive flower fields in the Netherlands. This stunning golden carpet marks the beginning of the flower season, with colorful tulips following closely behind. By the end of March, the gates of Keukenhof open for another season, welcoming over a million visitors.
In this article, we will discuss the history of these extraordinary gardens, highlight some interesting spots you shouldn’t miss, and offer practical tips for anyone wishing to visit the world-renowned Keukenhof Garden. Our insights come from our experience organizing high-quality private tours that take guests from Amsterdam to the gardens.
Tulips have long been recognized as a symbol of the Netherlands, largely due to the presence of Keukenhof. Approximately 7 million flowers are planted in this 32-hectare garden, which features not only tulips but also various other flowers such as daffodils, hyacinths, and cherry blossoms.
This beautiful spring flower garden is located in southern Netherlands, specifically in the small town of Lisse, southwest of Amsterdam. Getting to Keukenhof is straightforward; you can use public transportation from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, or The Hague. If you’re coming from Schiphol International Airport, you can go directly to Keukenhof.
Outside Schiphol Airport, there are minivans that sell tickets to Keukenhof. Tickets are priced at 24 euros (around 380,000 IDR), which includes round-trip transportation from Schiphol to Keukenhof and entrance fees. The journey takes about 1.5 hours.
I visited Keukenhof last spring, specifically in May. I arrived at Keukenhof around 1 PM. Since I came from the airport with my luggage, I had to store it in a locker by the entrance. The lockers can be rented for 1 euro (about 15,900 IDR).
As soon as you enter Keukenhof, you are greeted by a stunning carpet of colorful tulips within the vast garden. These vibrant tulips bloom beneath the lush trees, growing alongside small rivers that flow throughout the park. In addition to tulips, Keukenhof features several pavilions showcasing various plants. Flowers are planted in different themed gardens, such as the Historical Garden, Water Garden, and Japanese Garden, which is designed to resemble Japanese flower gardens complete with blooming cherry blossoms. Wow!
Visitors can also enjoy the beauty of the garden by taking a speedboat ride through the canals. Meanwhile, at the back of the garden, there are vast fields of tulips that resemble rice paddies. Guests can observe these tulip fields from the top of a windmill, which are traditional electricity-generating structures found easily in the Dutch countryside, including the fields. Tourists can enter the windmill for free.
Keukenhof is not just a beautiful spring flower garden; it is actually a flower exhibition where plant seed entrepreneurs from the Netherlands and other European countries can showcase their creations and meet potential buyers and importers. The Netherlands is now known as the largest flower exporter in the world. Since tulips only bloom for two months—from mid-March to mid-May—Keukenhof is only open during this time.
In 2018, Keukenhof will be open from March 22 to May 13. Don’t miss the flower parade on April 21, 2018. If you want to visit Keukenhof, you can purchase tickets online or at Schiphol International Airport, as I did. However, be prepared to queue since this flower festival is highly popular among tourists. I myself had to wait nearly an hour to get my ticket.