Best Way To Explore Tulip Fields in the Netherlands
You have probably seen those dreamy photos with a person standing at the middle of a huge tulip field. You want to see them with your own eyes and smell the fresh tulip flowers yourself. And you are probably researching about where it is and how to get there. This is your best guide to explore flower fields in the Netherlands.
WHY?
What makes tulips in the Netherlands special?
First thing to ask is, why do you have to travel all the way down to the Netherlands for tulips? It is not even originated from this country. What makes tulips in this country special?
Tulips were introduced to Europe from Kazakhstan in the 16th century, and the Ottoman Empire, impressed with its beauty, planted them in their gardens. Sultan Suleyman gave some of these magical flowers to Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, the Viennese ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. De Busbecq then passed them on to his friend Carolus Clusius who managed the Emperor of Austria’s gardens. Clusius later became a professor at Leiden University and upon arriving there, he proceeded to plant tulips in the botanical garden that had just recently been established in 1593. The tulips were so scarce though, Clusius refused to sell or even share his knowledge of them—which ultimately left him vulnerable as some of his beautiful collection was stolen.
In 1634-1637, tulip mania swept across Europe and the Netherlands experienced a phenomenon known as "Tulip Mania" . During this period, tulip bulbs became extremely valuable commodities, and their prices soared to exorbitant levels. The tulip market bubble eventually burst, leading to an economic downturn, but the flower remained a symbol of beauty and prosperity.
The favorable Dutch climate and soil conditions proved ideal for tulip cultivation. Dutch horticulturists played a crucial role in refining tulip varieties, creating new colors, shapes, and patterns. This innovation contributed to the Netherlands' status as a leading tulip producer globally.
Tulips have become deeply ingrained in Dutch culture and symbolism. They are associated with concepts like beauty, abundance, and the arrival of spring. Tulips are commonly featured in Dutch art, literature, and celebrations, further reinforcing their cultural significance.
Where to find the tulips?
Keukenhof and Lisse are the most popular destinations of what you are looking for. Keukenhof is the name of the flower theme park. Lisse is the name of the town and mainly where the fields are. They are different!
Visiting both the park and the flower fields there on two separate days if you are a flower lover or if you plan to take a lot of photos. If not, one day for both activities should be a feasible plan.
A less popular destinations for you to see the tulip fields that are less advertised by the media would be Noordwijkerhout, and Hillegom. These locations are more adventurous as you have to explore where the fields are.
When is the best time to visit?
The best time visiting Lisse for the blooming flowers is from late March to early May ✨
Keukenhof opens from late March to late May every year.
Do I need to book a ticket?
You certainly need a ticket for the Keukenhof. It gets very crowded as they only open for 2 months every year. But for the flower fields, it depends. There are flower fields that are open to public such as the Tulip Experience Amsterdam with advance booking with a small entrance fee (you can book it here) but some fields are not open. They usually do not have signs indicating that so please respect the owners if their fields are not open. And please also take great care of the flowers when you enter the field.
How to visit to Keukenhof and Lisse?
From Amsterdam
You can get there by getting the Amsterdam and Region Travel ticket (HIGHLY recommended, good value) if you are travelling from Amsterdam and take the bus from the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Keukenhof (Bus 361 or Bus 858). The departure point is at the exit of arrivals hall 1. It takes approx. 30 minutes to reach Keukenhof.
There is another bus (Bus 852) depart from Europaplein(at RAI) to Keukenhof. It takes approximately 35 mins.
How to visit to Noordwijkerhout and Hillegom?
For Hillegom, it is easily accessed by train from Amsterdam, so it will be a nice alternative if you are not keen to go to Keukenhof.
Noordwijkerhout is less busy because it is not as easily accessible as Lisse if you are not driving.
What is the best way to explore the fields?
Exploring the fields by bike is certainly the most environmentally-friendly and local way to explore the area.
You can 1️⃣ book a bike tour with a local guide online before your trip or 2️⃣ you can look for a bike rental near the car park of Keukenhof with Rent-a-bike van Dam. They offer adults and children bikes with different accessories. The staff will help you find the best bike suitable for you and they are very friendly. You can download their app to explore different designated routes to explore the area.
From my experience, it could get really crowded. I rented the last few bikes on my first visit. On the second time, since I visited when there were less international tourists, it was not as busy as the first time. There were many bicycles waiting for tourists to hire. So it really depends!
Holly’s expert tip:
Lockers are provided at the entrance of Keukenhof. Do not worry if you have some bulkier belongings with you. You can store it there. However, beware of their closing hours.
What to expect from the flower fields?
Not only tulips will be found there. You can see daffodils and hyacinths as well. I visited the town twice and I found that they are not planting the same flowers on the same field each year. You could ask the staffs from bike rental to know which route has more blooming flowers at the time you visit🥰!
