Travel Planning Made Simple. Create Your Own Itinerary.
Written by Asher on April 3, 2019 Share on

An Insider’s Guide to Visiting the Amsterdam Tulip Festival

Every spring Holland is the place to admire colourful flower fields and to welcome the new season. People from all over the world come to see the beautiful Keukenhof tulip garden and marvel at the flower fields just 30 minutes outside the centre of Amsterdam. The centre of Amsterdam is also in bloom in April. Of course not with flower fields but with beautiful flowering tulips at more than 85 locations in the city.

During the Tulip Festival in April, you will see blooming tulips at 85 locations: in the public areas of Amsterdam, in the gardens of the city’s museums and hotels, and by notable buildings in the city centre as well as in various districts of Amsterdam. All displays in public areas are free to enjoy, for some museum gardens normal ticket prices apply. During Tulip Festival you will experience the beautiful Tulip flowers everywhere in Amsterdam. It’s a great way of welcoming Spring in your life. So these are some ways I would suggest on how to perfect the Tulip festival in Amsterdam.

What to expect in the Amsterdam Tulip Festival?

Pick your own on National Tulip Day

In the spring, the Netherlands’ famous flower fields become a blanket of tulips — but the season actually starts much earlier than that. The Dutch tulip season in Amsterdam kicks into gear in the heart of January on National Tulip Day, when Dutch growers present 200,000 tulips in a temporary garden on Dam Square. These beautiful blooms are not just for viewing, either — all visitors can pick a tulip from the garden to bring home free of charge.

See Amsterdam in technicolour at the citywide Tulip Festival

The annual Tulip Festival in Amsterdam, held throughout the entire month of April, brightens up the streets of the city with colourful tulips adorning gardens at various locations in Amsterdam. The goal of the festival is to eventually have one tulip for every Amsterdammer — amounting to 800,000 tulips in the city alone. All that visitors need do to experience the festival is go tulip-spotting around the streets and attractions of Amsterdam: participating locations include the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Vondelpark, Rembrandtplein and EYE Filmmuseum.

Visit the world’s largest flower garden at Keukenhof

Also known as the Garden of Europe, Keukenhof is one of the most famous tulips and flower gardens in Europe and, in fact, the world. The garden, established in 1949 in Lisse (easily accessible by railway and car from Amsterdam) is only open for a few weeks from March to May to display its blooms.

Tulips as far as the eye can see at the world-famous Flower Strip

Take a trip through the Netherlands to view the Flower Strip or Bollenstreek, a spectacular 20-kilometre display of blossoming crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths and the famous tulips. Fields stretching from Haarlem to Leiden come alive with colour beginning in late March, coming to a vibrant peak in mid-April. The trip can be taken by car, but perhaps the best — and most Dutch — way to visit the Flower Strip is on the bike route. I would personally prefer a bike route.

Catch ‘tulipomania’ at the Museum de Zwarte Tulp

View this post on Instagram

Vanaf 14 oktober 2018 t/m 13 januari 2019 kunnen de prachtige werken van kunstenaar/fotograaf @carlavandeputtelaar bewonderd worden in #museumdezwartetulp In de Ophelia-serie combineert Carla liefde, leven en dood op een theatrale manier. Ophelia was de tragische geliefde uit Shakespeares Hamlet die verdronk nadat ze uit een wilg in een beek was gevallen. Ze werd drijvend tussen de bloemen gevonden. Carla is vooral bekend geworden door haar vrije werk over het vrouwelijk lichaam. Dit kenmerkt zich door een vervreemdende sensualiteit. Ze vindt haar inspiratie in de Nederlandse schilderkunst van de Gouden Eeuw, in oude portretfotografie en in de Japanse prentkunst van bijvoorbeeld Utamaro. Meer weten? Kijk op de site van #museumdezwartetulp

A post shared by Museum De Zwarte Tulp (@museumdezwartetulp) on

Since the tulip came into prominence in the Netherlands in the 16th century, Dutch artists and collectors have sought to capture tulip’s beauty and fame in art. At Museum de Zwarte Tulp (Museum of the Black Tulip) in Lisse — perfectly combined with a visit to Keukenhof — visitors can view tulip artwork, botanical illustrations and flower bulb glasses, as well as learn about the history of tulipomania and current science about flower bulb cultivation.

Soak up some local flavour at Amsterdam’s flower markets

View this post on Instagram

? BLOOM FOR ME ? If there was a flower for every thought about my Presets this would be my garden ? What’s your favorite flower ladies? Mine would be the peonie and the tulip (surprisingly ?) Also a lotus is so beautiful ??? Comment TWO things you like in particular about this picture ?? and why. Would love to get to know you girls better ? Feels like I haven’t talked to you in ages! .. :: I think I finally landed after having my head up in the sky in NY ? I’m so grateful so many of you like my breakfast series, I have a lot of fun creating these edits, but have no problem with turning back to reality too. In my Stories today you’ll see an example of an all natural edit especially made for those who want to keep things as they are ?? But of course I’m thinking of my next edit too ?.. :: More content is coming up ? as I’m struggling between finishing up my webshop and creating new content for you ladies. Let me tell you it is a battle of titans, and luckily I could sneak out of the house to make this shot ? Would love to know your thoughts as always and I can’t wait to show you when everything is finished ? Stay tuned and I hope you all have a productive week so far ?❤️

A post shared by ANNE BRITT ✯ Style & Travel (@thestylevisitor) on

The Dutch have a clear affinity for plants and flowers, as evidenced by the many markets in Amsterdam bursting with flowers in the spring. The floating flower market on Singel, Bloemenmarkt, is one of Amsterdam’s main attractions for tourists and residents alike, boasting bulbs for tulips and other flowers in the stalls floating on the canal. But the Bloemenmarkt isn’t the only market in town for flowers: you will find flowers in almost every market in Amsterdam, especially in the spring.

Create your own bouquet at a picking garden

If simply seeing and buying tulips isn’t enough, visit a picking garden to create your own handpicked bouquet. At Annemieke’s Picking Garden in Hillegom, just a short ride from Amsterdam, visitors can pop into the greenhouse to pick fresh tulips from mid-February to mid-May. Outside Lisse is De Bollenburcht, where visitors can explore a restored 1930s bulb shed and, in April and May, pick tulips from the garden’s 100 different varieties.

Trace the history of the tulip at Amsterdam Tulip Museum

Tulips are beautiful, but there is more to them than meets the eye. Immerse yourself in the history of tulipomania at the Amsterdam Tulip Museum, located in the Jordaan district of Amsterdam. Six connected rooms detail the tulip’s journey from its native Central Asia to the Ottoman Empire, finally landing in Dutch markets in the 16th and 17th century. For those that love the unusual, the museum’s Cabinet of Curiosities displays some of the strangest tulip items at which to marvel.

Witness the buzz of the world’s largest flower auction

Once you’ve soaked in all the tulip knowledge available in Amsterdam, hop on the train to Aalsmeer, a 15-minute ride from Schiphol, to become a real tulip trader. The international trading platform for plants and flowers is truly a sight to behold, though it’s easy to miss — trading at the FloraHolland flower auction starts at 07:00 and continues at breakneck speed. Guests are welcome to watch the auction from a special gallery, where they’ll see modern tulipomania in real time!

Book your Amsterdam tour package at Pickyourtrail to catch the blooming Tulips live!

Related Itineraries

Note: The images that are being published here are the author's choice, and the organisation takes no responsibility for their usability.