At the height of spring, the best tulip fields in the Netherlands are nothing short of transcendent.
Tulips have been highly prized in the Netherlands since the 1600s, when “Tulip Mania” gripped the nation and a single bulb could cost more than a canal house.
To this day, the country is the top exporter of tulips in the world, and these flowers remain deeply entrenched in the local psyche. Dutch winters are long and dark, which is part of the reason why the spring feels so euphoric. When the countryside erupts in tulips, absolutely everyone comes out to celebrate.
Here are some of the best places to see tulips in the Netherlands.
Keukenhof
Keukenhof
Calling Keukenhof a flower garden is a bit like calling the Palace of Versailles a nice house—it’s technically accurate, but fails to capture the scope of it all. Sometimes called the Garden of Europe, this is one of the largest floral botanical gardens on the planet. It’s impressive both for its sheer size—it covers 79 acres—as well as the diversity of blooms on display. Lilies, roses, irises, hyacinths, and other flowers all thrive here, although, of course, the Netherlands is best known for its tulips.
There are more than seven million bulbs planted here each fall by dozens of gardeners. Each spring, the Keukenhof is fully open for just eight weeks. For virtually that entire time, visitors can see millions of flowers decked out in a rainbow of petals. The reason for that is that the gardeners here cleverly plant bulbs in stages at various depths. As a result, the flowers bloom in waves, ensuring a continuous series of blossoms.
The roots of the Keukenhof extend all the way back to the 1600s, which is often referred to here as the Dutch Golden Age. In that time, this area was home to a fabulous estate belonging to a captain and governor of the Dutch East India Company. In the mid-1800s, a baron and baroness upgraded the already opulent gardens in the English style, which was then in fashion. In 1949, a consortium of flower exporters and growers transformed the gardens into a public space.
Keukenhof
Part of what makes the Keukenhof so special is that it’s equally celebrated by locals and international visitors. For many Dutch families, the annual pilgrimage to these stunning gardens marks the onset of spring. In spring, the Keukenhof receives more daily visitors than the Rijksmuseum or virtually any other cultural attraction in the Netherlands.
Note that because the Keukenhof is so popular, advance reservations are strongly recommended. It’s easily accessible by public transportation or car from Amsterdam. And because it features both indoor and outdoor gardens, it’s a great activity even when the inevitable Dutch spring showers hit.
Read: Best Places to Visit in The Netherlands
Lisse
Lisse
Located just southwest of Amsterdam, Lisse is not only home to the fabled Keukenhof, but also some of the most iconic tulip fields in the nation. Although you’d most likely visit Lisse to see Keukenhof, the flowers of the famous gardens do not bloom in isolation. It’s possible to look out beyond the geographic edge of the park and still see bands of color stretching to the horizon.
The best ways to reach the tulip fields of Lisse are either by car or—as so many Dutch families do—by bicycle. The fields are roughly 16 miles out of Amsterdam, making this an easy afternoon trip.
Note that since these are commercial growing operations, visitors are not allowed to traipse through the flowers for photos. Even if you’re careful not to squash any flowers, your shoes may carry harmful bacteria and pests that can damage the tulips.
De Tulperij
Tulperij
Although it’s perfectly possible to appreciate the beauty of the Dutch tulip fields from afar, it’s still well worth springing for a more immersive experience at one of the visitor-friendly flower farms. De Tulperij is a third-generation, family-run farm in Voorhout, not far from Lisse. The owners, Daan and Anja Jansze, are gracious and enthusiastic hosts. They’re also the proud parents of three children, which is part of why this place is perfectly geared towards visitors of all ages.
Kids in particular will enjoy being able to pick their own tulip bouquets from the fields here or roam around the Show Garden. While most tulip farms do not allow visitors to pose for pictures in the fields, De Tulperij is a notable exception. For a relatively modest fee, the whole family can wander right into the brilliant bands of color for a photo op.
Even if you’re not looking to take a bouquet on your travels, this is a great spot to pick up a longer-lasting floral souvenir. The gift shop stocks everything from Delft blue pottery with tulip motifs to a special Dutch beer brewed with tulips. You can also pick up tubers or bulbs, depending on the time of year, here. Once planted and properly cared for in a garden, these perennial plants will produce flowers for years to come.
The Tulip Barn
Tulips
Conveniently located a half-hour drive outside of Amsterdam in Hillegom, the Tulip Barn is another spot ideal for anyone looking to capture a photo tiptoeing through the tulips. Travelers here will find more than 750,000 tulips in a wide array of colors. Unlike most commercial tulip farms, visitors are welcome to stroll into the fields and strike a pose here.
Because the Tulip Barn caters specifically to amateur photographers and anyone doing it for the ‘gram, they intentionally plant narrow bands with a mix of hues. There’s even a “selfie garden” with more than 20 carefully curated opportunities to pose for the perfect shot, making this one of the best tulip fields in the Netherlands for social media fans.
Annemieke’s Pluktuin
Tulips
Also located in Hillegom in the heart of the Bollenstreek, this garden is an idyllic place to pick your own tulips. It’s run by a friendly husband-and-wife duo who take great pride in cultivating their multi-colored gardens each year.
Especially if you’re traveling with kids, it’s worth the quick 30-minute drive from Amsterdam to gather your own bouquet. But as with any tulip garden, check the website before you depart; exactly when tulips come into bloom depends on the Dutch weather. All tulip farms and gardens keep up-to-date information on their websites about the blooming stage of their flowers.
Bollenstreek
Bollenstreek
De Bollenstreek refers not to a single tulip field, but rather to the most famous region for flowers in the Netherlands. Although it’s hardly the only place in the country to see tulips, its proximity to Amsterdam makes it particularly popular. From mid-March to early May, the whole area appears to erupt into glorious color.
While the area is renowned for its tulips, that’s far from the only attraction here. Along the coastal areas, you’ll find sandy beaches framed by windswept dunes. Many of these shorelines along the North Sea are under special protection and are home to a diverse array of wildlife. Travelers to the area may also want to stop by Leiden, a small city with a walkable, well-preserved historic center.
Tulip Experience Amsterdam
Tulip Experience Amsterdam
True to its name, many would say that this third-generation family farm offers the ultimate tulip experience. These fields are home to more than four million tulips representing hundreds of different varieties. Unlike a commercial farm, visitors are welcome to wander into designated areas for photos.
Children and their parents will appreciate the number of interactive activities here. There’s a small movie theater showing a short film about the history of tulips. There’s also a scavenger hunt to help keep children learning and engaged. You can even pick your own tulip bouquets at an indoor garden.
Zeeuws-Vlaanderen
Zeeuws-Vlaanderen
For a particularly scenic detour, consider taking an afternoon trip to Zeeland, the least populous province in the Netherlands. Quite literally named “Sea Land,” this area is known for its evocative landscapes. This region near the Belgian border still has its own distinctive culture and dialect—Zeelandic. It feels a bit like entering another world, even though it’s an easy, scenic coastal drive from Rotterdam.
Aside from gorgeous coastal stretches, the southern region is also home to a number of tulip fields. Compared to Lisse and the other fields within easy reach of Amsterdam, few travelers flock to this area. That’s a real boon for anyone hoping to have those vistas to themselves.
Go check out the bulb fields around Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. After you’ve seen the flowers, stop for steamed mussels with fries—a local specialty loved on both sides of the Belgian-Dutch border.
Goeree-Overflakkee
Goeree-Overflakkee
As magnificent as the tulip fields of the Bollenstreek near Amsterdam are, they have a tendency to get crowded during peak season. For a lesser-known, but still spectacular, flower viewing experience, head to Goeree-Overflakkee. Located less than an hour’s drive from Rotterdam, these flower fields offer all of the stunning colors with far fewer crowds.
If you’re looking to cycle around the tulips, but don’t want to bike all the way from Rotterdam, one of the best options is to rent bikes in Middelharnis. With its charming 17th-century architecture, the small town makes for a lovely jumping-off point.
Tulpenroute
Tulpenroute
Easily one of the loveliest ways to spend a spring afternoon in the Netherlands is to take a cycling trip along the tulip fields. The Tulpenroute, or “Tulip Route,” is a designated route through Flevoland, an area known for having the largest unbroken expanses of tulips. Picture vast swathes of color punctuated by occasional clusters of Dutch windmills.
Officially, there are several tulip routes announced each year. There’s a modest fee to drive or bike through the various routes. The exact directions depend on which fields are blooming and which spaces are accessible at varying times. Part of the fun is that each route ticket comes with its own custom audio guide. These multilingual guides include a mix of fun facts about tulips and curated playlists for your viewing experience.
Flevoland is roughly 45 minutes by car from Amsterdam or a little over an hour and a half by train. Ambitious cyclists can get there from the capital in around two and a half hours. For a slightly less strenuous cycling option, haul the bikes via car or public transportation. Then hop on once you reach the fields.
Drenthe
Drenthe
Although it’s far less famous for its tulips than Flevoland or other regions of the Netherlands, Drenthe has a number of absolutely beautiful tulip fields. These have the added bonus of being far off the beaten tourist trail. They’re also in a picturesque part of the country known for its national parks and protected nature reserves.
Much like the Tulpenroute in the Bollenstreek, a local organization releases routes along the best fields each year. Whether you drive, walk, or cycle, farmers have laid out a path for you to see some truly incredible flowers.
Hortus Bulborum
Tulips
It may not be the largest tulip field in the Netherlands, but Hortus Bulborum offers a different kind of allure. Located a 30-minute drive from Amsterdam, this unique garden specializes in historical varieties of tulips seldom seen these days. Visitors will find more than 4,500 varieties of bulbous flowers here, including 2,600 tulip cultivars, as well as hyacinths, crocuses, and more.
The reason this truly remarkable space exists at all is that it was the passion project of a schoolteacher and horticulturist more than a century ago. When Pieter Boschman realized that certain varieties of tulips were in danger of dying out, he made a concerted effort to save them.
Today, his legacy is the botanical equivalent of a living museum, complete with rare flowers that changed the world. The Zomerschoon, for instance, once cost a fortune during the zenith of Tulip Mania. The Duc van Tol Red and Yellow tulip dates all the way back to 1595.
Amsterdam
Seeing the Dutch tulip fields in full bloom is something that belongs on every traveler’s bucket list. Browse Celebrity’s river cruises and plan your spring getaway.
