The Netherlands Tulip Tours – Best Time to Visit Keukenhof Tulip Gardens in Holland

(Last Updated On: 04/08/2020)

A visit to the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens in The Netherlands is the perfect spring break. Exploring the beautiful tulip gardens gives the prime opportunity to be at one with nature and have a Spring getaway, away from the busy cities. In this post, I’ll be sharing my own Netherlands Tulip Tour and insight on the best time to visit Keukenhof Tulip Gardens in Holland.

Follow my day at Keukenhof in this post and read about my stay at the Amrath Grand Hotel Frans Hals in Haarlem, located within easy distance of the Dutch tulip gardens & Amsterdam.

When is the Best Time to Visit Keukenhof Tulip Gardens in Holland

Before I begin sharing my own tulip tour in The Netherlands, I bet you’re wondering when do the tulips bloom in Holland and when is the best time to visit Keukenhof Tulip Gardens in Holland. I visited at the end of March during an Easter trip to The Netherlands with my Mum. Despite the rain, we loved seeing the tulips at Keukenhof. Though, in hindsight, visiting a few weeks later in mid-April to May is when the tulips bloom in Holland and is most likely the best time to visit Keukenhof tulip gardens to see the tulips in full bloom glory! The weather in The Netherlands is also likely to be much drier in May, than when I visited Keukenhof in March.

Tulip – National Symbol of The Netherlands

The tulip has long been considered a symbol of The Netherlands. Not only is a visit to the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens an ideal spring break, it gives visitors to Holland an opportunity to learn all about the varieties of tulips, which are so iconic and representative of The Netherlands.

I’d treated my Mum to the flights for Christmas, though a trip to Keukenhof Tulip Gardens would also be a lovely surprise for Mother’s Day.

After lots of snow, we were both looking forward to seeing the new blooms of Spring.

How to get to Keukenhof from Schipol Airport

We took the short flight to Schiphol Airport and found the Keukenhof desk located inside the airport. We quickly located the bus and were soon on our way directly to Keukenhof. It couldn’t be easier to visit Keukenhof from Schipol Airport, with this bus readily available from the airport.

How to get to Keukenhof from Amsterdam City Centre

If you’re already in Amsterdam and are wondering how to get to Keukenhof from Amsterdam City Centre, there are plenty of Keukenhof buses in Amsterdam City Centre to take you there. Find out how to get to Keukenhof here.

As this was only a 24-hour stopover, we took our luggage with us to the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, where there are free luggage lockers to lock away your suitcases whilst you browse the gardens.

Despite a little rain (those beautiful blooms have got to be hydrated somehow), we had a relaxing day exploring the many gardens on Easter Monday.

 

This year’s theme at Keukenhof is ‘Romance in the Flowers,’ with the theme of love evident in the beautifully landscaped gardens.

You really cannot fathom how many colours and varieties of tulips there are until you’ve explored Keukenhof tulip gardens.

Seeing The Netherlands tulip fields is truly mesmerising.

Tulips Fields Holland

I was surprised to learn that the Dutch tulips originate from Turkey. The Sultan gave some tulip bulbs to an Austrian Ambassador, who passed them on to the Dutchman Carolus Clusius, who later planted the first tulip bulbs in Holland in 1593. The name tulip derives from the Persian word ‘tulipan’, meaning turban and refers to the shape of the bulb.

I’m not an avid gardener myself and you really don’t have to be to appreciate what a beautiful place this is to visit outside of the busy cities.

The love theme continues inside the buildings on the grounds, where they are plenty of opportunities to get those candid holiday memento photos!

Mum even saw her first Dutch windmill and, of course, we had to pose for photos in the clogs!

Having left my bunnies, Buzz & Woody at home, I was pleased to see the bunnies at Keukenhof. There was one bunny in particular, ‘Pluisje’, named by visitors of Keukenhof, who was causing lots of mischief!

Amusing to the visitors of the tulip gardens but not so amusing for the keepers, Pluisje the bunny kept trying to escape!

There are plenty of things for families to do during their time in Keukenhof, with an on-site farm, play areas as well as various photo opportunities in the themed gardens with, of course, gnomes!

A bus from Keukenhof to Haarlem where we were staying took around 35 minutes and only cost in the region of 5 euros each. It’s not a trip to Holland without seeing the tulips!

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If you’re looking for other fun things to do in The Netherlands, check out Efteling Theme Park.

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Haarlem – Where to stay to visit the tulip gardens

 

Haarlem is within easy reach of both the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, meaning it’s the perfect area to stay for a short break visiting the tulip gardens.

 

We stayed at the Amrath Grand Hotel Frans Hotel, a beautiful hotel located in the centre of Haarlem and aptly named after Frans Hals, an influential artist of the Dutch Golden Age, who himself lived in Haarlem.

Various paintings are located around the hotel, which are nice touches, along with the winding staircase and beautiful stain-glass ceiling; which I couldn’t help but take numerous photos of!

Our twin room was a good size and had the usual features such as a coffee maker and toiletries, as-well-as a great view of the gothic church, Grote Kerk from the balcony window.

After our day exploring the tulip gardens, we browsed the vast choice of restaurants on the street of our hotel and grabbed a late dinner at La Plume.

Our beef carpaccio and large glasses of red wine were the perfect way to end our day.

Thoroughly relaxed after a full night’s sleep, we spent our second day exploring Haarlem before we headed back to the airport. 

Haarlem has plenty to offer itself: various cultural activities, museums, branded shops, smaller boutiques with lots of little cafes and lunch spots lining its cobbled streets.

We stopped for lunch at Dessert Bar, an Instagram worthy cafe, with exposed brick walls adorned with fairy lights. Naturally, I took about a gazillion pictures before we tucked into our club sandwich.

If we had a bit more time we would have walked to the windmill along the canal but it was time to depart back to Milton Keynes.

The Keukenhof Tulip Gardens is perfect for a spring break and, it’s no wonder it’s known as the garden of Europe.

The Amrath Grand Hotel Frans Hals has a package stay to combine your hotel break with a visit to the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens – click here to find out more.

Keukenhof Open Dates

Open 21st March – 13th May, the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens are only open for a short time. Get your Keukenhof tickets here!

I hope you have the best time visiting Keukenhof Tulip Gardens like my Mum and I did!

Discover more of Holland at www.holland.com

Or check out my other Holland posts below:

Best Things to do in The Hague – Holland’s Royal City by the Sea

Fashion Finds Shopping in The Hague

The Best Things to do in 24 hours in Rotterdam

Rotterdam Old Town Values in a City of Skyscrapers

Innovative Restaurants and Shopping in Eindhoven

Festive Shopping in Den Bosch

Den Bosch at Night

Jaz

Xoxo

 

Not ready to book a trip to the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens just yet…Pin this post to your Pinterest board (a great gift for Mum for a later date)

 

 

Check out my other posts from The Netherlands by clicking here.

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