Spring in Amsterdam: A Complete Guide to Tulip Season

While living in Germany, I was fortunate enough to get to visit Amsterdam each Spring, during tulip season. It was just a train ride away and the perfect place to travel with friends. The tulip industry has grown substantially over the past twenty years. Are tulips in season? When are tulips in season in Amsterdam? Is tulips season in Holland the same as in Amsterdam? Read below for a complete guide to tulip season in Amsterdam to make the most of your time. 

A Complete Guide to Tulip Season

The tulip flower didn’t originate from the Dutch, even though they are famously associated with them today. The flower was actually a wild flower grown in the area of Turkey, cultivated as early as 1,000 BCE. The tulip really took off in the 1600’s and in demand around the world. Botanist Carolus Clusius brought the tulip to the Dutch for the first time in 1563 and by the mid-1600’s Tulip Mania was in full bloom! Dutch merchants made their wealth on trade through the Dutch East India Company and the Tulip Craze reached its peak in the 14-months before February 1637 when the crash caused the first economic bubble to burst. 

Northern Europe is a Mecca for Spring flowers! From lavender fields in Provence, poppies in Tuscany and cherry blossoms in Bonn, the weather might still be chilly and rainy, but the flowers are blooming! Keukenhof Garden is referred to as the Garden of Europe and ground zero for the tulip craze. Holland is split into two regions, North and South Holland. South Holland is where you’ll find the town of Lisse, the home of Keukenhof Garden. This is where the great flowers of Spring get to strut their stuff.    

River cruises are another great option to see many different cities and countries in Northern Europe in one trip. River cruise lines such as AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways and the infamous Viking Cruise lines… “For the thinking person,” aka seniors. There are many popular cruise itineraries that embark from Amsterdam and include stops in Dutch locations such as Utrecht and Kinderdijk and some cities in Belgium known for their flowers like Antwerp and Ghent. A cruise is an efficient way to see flowers from the region that supplies 70% of the world’s flowers.

Getting to Amsterdam in the Spring

Spring Break is a great time for a trip to Amsterdam, being that it is typically the end of March or April during tulip season! Even though this time is popular in Amsterdam, it is still a bit early for most of Europe and can often find flight deals for less, especially in March. Don’t count out flying for cheap into cities like Paris, London or Brussels which are all a quick train ride from Amsterdam. This would also be a great way to see two or more cities on one trip, but Amsterdam really does need a minimum of 3 days to do it justice. Less than that and it’s just a Dutch teaser and you’ll have to come back. You could return each year, numerous times like Hubby and I do! 

Great airliner options are the Dutch Royal Airline KLM or Icelandair (official airline) and Play airline (budget carrier) of Iceland. KLM has the best redemptions of credit card miles through the Flying Blue program. They often have the least expensive and discounted fares for children. The business class seats can be found at reasonable rates with points and come with a model canal house. I have not yet reached that status with KLM, but let’s hope I do soon!

Iceland airlines have been flying from more and more US cities including my hometown of Denver. We can fly from Denver to Reykjavik, have a very short layover in Iceland and then be in Amsterdam 3.5 hours later. Icelandair is now flying out of the following airport locations. 

• NYC airports
• Boston
• Washington DC
• Seattle
• Minneapolis
• Baltimore
• Orlando
• Chicago
• Raleigh
• Nashville

Clearing up the Myths of Tulip Season

You may be able to see the beautiful tulip and flower fields when arriving by air, but don’t expect to see tulip fields in Amsterdam. It is a city, although you’ll see lots of flower arrangements decorating the door stoops and streets celebrating tulip season. There are flower fields right outside of Amsterdam, being that it is found in the middle of the flower regions of Holland. Keukenhof Garden is located right outside of Amsterdam in the town in Lisse. About 20-30 minutes from the busy streets of Amsterdam, but a whole new world.

Another myth is that Amsterdam is only known for tulips. Not just tulips, but crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths are all grown and on display in Spring. Cherry blossoms aren’t only popular in Japan and Washington DC, but in the Netherlands too. The best parks to see the Cherry blossoms during their peak bloom are Westerpark and Bloesempark on the outskirts of Amsterdam. In the summer months popular flowers in Amsterdam transition to Dahlias and Gladioli flowers. 

Tulip Culture all year round

Even in the dead cold of winter, when the Duchies are slipping on ice and biking through snow there are always flower displays. Even if you don’t arrive during Tulip season there are always great tulip things to do and see in Amsterdam. 

Tulip Museum, Amsterdam

The Amsterdam Tulip Museum is located in the Jordaan neighborhood and has all the information you could ever need about tulips. Who knew there were 15 typical categories of tulips and 3,000 individual varieties? Some of my favorites have always been the Fringed and the Rembrant styles. But maybe this year I will have some new favorites, since we will be traveling late in the season when different varieties are blooming. Historically, we have gone over early Spring Break and my birthday in mid-March so we have seen the early crop. There is a Tulip Museum in the Jordaan neighborhood, so stop by for an hour. The museum is small in size, but has all the information you could ever want to learn about the tulip. 

National Tulip Day

For the past 12- years, Amsterdam officially kicks off the tulip season early. Very early, in January, before any of the flowers bloom the Dutch kick National Tulip Day off with free flowers for everyone. Dutch growers present 200,000 bulbs in a temporary garden on Dam Square. Visitors are encouraged to pick some tulips to take home and enjoy. I’ve heard comments about this not being the right time of year to grow, but my mom was able to get a bulb going I’d brought her from this celebration. Since I have a brown thumb, ans travel so much, I doubt that I’d ever get anything to grow… even if the sun, water and soil are all aligned perfectly! 

Parade Week

Parade Week will be from April 9-13 with the Flower Parade starting on Wednesday, followed by the Haarlem Flower Parade taking place on Saturday April 12th. All of the Netherlands takes their flowers seriously, but especially in the cities in Holland like Amsterdam, Haarlem, Lisse and Lieden. The parade takes place in the flower region and is officially named Bloemencorso Bollenstreek and not the “Keukenhof Flower Parade” like many tourists call it. This year’s celebration marks the 78th year of the Flower Parade. The parade can be watched for free from the roadside or tickets can be purchased for grandstand seats. Grandstand tickets offer parking, restrooms and catering for a full service experience.  

Bollenstreek

Bollenstreek is called the bulb region and is found between Leiden and Haarlem. It is the closest area to Amsterdam to be able to ride bikes, scooters or take public transport to see the flowers. The area is actually larger than many think, including 8 Dutch cities, the famous flower fields and the beach and dune areas on the coast. There are lots of biking and hiking paths throughout the region. Sailing and water sport opportunities are at the sea and the polders. This area has the most windmills and small farms too. 

Tulip Experience in Amsterdam

Tulip time in Holland is by far the most popular time of year to visit Amsterdam and runs from the start of Spring through the first half of May. This year’s Tulip Festival in Amsterdam will take place from March 20th-May 11th. Many ask if Amsterdam and Holland are the same, but Amsterdam is the city, and North Holland is the region it’s found. North and South Holland are the regions of the Netherlands where the tulips are farmed and celebrated. Visitors enjoy taking a European River cruise during this season. The boats often leave from Amsterdam or Rotterdam and sail through the Dutch and Belgium cities that are filled with flowers.  

Amsterdam transforms into a flower haven in March with flower arrangements, displays and flower shops all over the city. You will see them in Dam Square, throughout the canals in the Jordaan neighborhood, Museumplein and parks such as Westerpark, Vondelpark and Bloesempark. Home owners dress their door stoops and windows with flowers. Some of the most amazing arrangements you will see will be decorating the streets and neighborhoods. The tulip certainly gets all the love and attention, but there are more than just tulips in Holland each spring. Cherry Blossoms have a specific time when they are in bloom and the Bloesempark, just south of the city is the perfect location to find the. Dahlia’s are popular flowers in Holland, but don’t bloom until Summer. So catch them if you are visiting after the Spring bloom! 

Centrum

When arriving in Amsterdam by train, you will exit the train at Central Station and walk out to an amazing view of the city and canals. This area, down to the canal ring, is considered Centrum. This is a busy and touristy area, with lots of shops and snacks to enjoy. Dam Square is the next big open area, where the new church, Royal Palace and de Bijenkorf (largest, upscale department store).

Dam Square is always decorated with beautiful flowers in the Spring! This is the area that is turned into a mini-tulip garden on Tulip Day in January. Rembrandtplein is another area (South and East of Dam Square) where many tulip arrangements will be located. This location is just a block away from the Stins Flowermarket, also known as the floating flower market. This flower market is really talked up, but it’s nothing worth going out of your way to see. It is mainly a bulb and tourist market, so visitors are often disappointed when they finally arrive. I find that visiting a local market, such as the Waterlooplein or Albert Cuyp market, has a better variety of flowers and souvenirs at much better prices. 

The Jordaan

The Jordaan is the neighborhood in Amsterdam, just west of Centrum. This is the quintessential neighborhood that is a must visit on any trip to Amsterdam. The canals, bridges and streets are lined with shops, restaurants and canal houses. In the southern part of the neighborhood, the Nine Streets refers to 4 canal streets and 5 roads that make an area popular for boutique shopping.

Flower arrangements will be all over the streets and found decorating bridges. My favorite part of the Jordaan is in the northern section around Brouwersgracht. This canal runs perpendicular to the three main canals, the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and the Prinsengracht. There are always bikes, decorated with flowers that make perfect photo opportunities in this area, but Spring time takes it to a whole new level. Flower arrangements are found on display on the bridges and squares. The northwestern corner of the Jordaan neighborhood is Westerpark, which is filled with cherry blossoms for 2-3 weeks each spring. Westerpark is a great place to bring children or picnic on a warm spring day.     

Vondelpark

The Rijksmuseum is one of the most popular places for tourists to visit to see the Dutch masters. The Van Gogh museum, Moco Museum and Stedelijk museums are also in this same area called Museumplein. The whole area is transformed with arrangements of flowers around the square. Vondelpark is just next door with large grassy areas to picnic, ponds and playgrounds. Tulips and crocuses bloom in the flowerbeds and additional arrangements will be found throughout the walkways and popular gathering areas. Besides being popular for picnics  and strolls, many locals use the park for exercise. Cycling through the park, runners and groups meet for classes in the huge green space that is an urban oasis. 

The Tulips are in Lisse

If you are coming to the Netherlands for the tulips and have seen Amsterdam or want to visit after a few days in the fields, head straight to Lisse. There is a direct train from Schiphol airport to Lisse, where Keukenhof Garden is located. There is more to do in the area of Lisse, besides just the Keukenhof Gardens. The second most famous tulip Museum is in the town of Lisse called the Museum de Zwarte Tulp (Dutch spelling of tulip). This area also has a picking gardens, so you can bring home a tulip souvenir. There are a few tulip photography fields that have been created to allow visitors to get in the fields for that perfect tulip photo opportunity, without ruining a farmer’s crop. When driving the tulip route, remember not to go in the fields! 

If choosing to stay over a night of two in Lisse, give one of these bed & breakfast or apartment rental options: 

• B&B Blossom
• Bed & Breakfast de Vier Seizoenen
• Boutique Suites Lisse- Keukenhof
• Appartement Juf
• Appartement Casa del Lago 
• Hotel Restaurant de Engel

And try a few of these restaurants while you are exploring the area and its beautiful tulips. For dinner: 

• Restaurant de Vier Seizoenen- tulip cocktail available
• Restaurant Keukenhof- Dutch/International 
• De Heerekamer- Seafood/Dutch 
• Restaurant Hofboerderij- Dutch/ European 
• Funky Moose- French/Dutch 
• Ristorante II Mulino- Italian
• Trattoria Panini- Italian & pizza 

Keukenhof Gardens during Tulip Season

If you are spending more time in Amsterdam than just a day, I highly suggest spending a full day in Lisse. Visitors can get to Keukenhof Gardens by public transportation, tour bus, uber, rental car or (the Dutch way) by bike. Bus 50, runs from Haarlem to Lieden with the Hillegom & Bethlehemlaan stops in the heart of Lisse. A train can be taken from Central Station to Harlem, then the 50 bus picked up from there. Renting a bike, scooter or electric vehicle can be done right at the station. 

Rentals can also be picked up right from Keukenhof too, if you purchased a ticket with transportation from Amsterdam. For those short on time, booking a prearranged tour like Flower Park Ticket and Transfer or a Day Trip to Keukenhof Gardens (be sure the time for the tour is short, around 5 hours and not a full day of 8-10 hours). I rarely suggest a tour to visit Keukenhof, because I find most people want more flexibility. But for someone who is only visiting Amsterdam for a few hours at Keukenhof, it is the most efficient use of time.

This is where the famous Keukenhof Garden is found and where visitors can interact with tulips without destroying farmers’ fields. Photographic tulip fields and picking gardens are located in this area to enhance visitors’ experiences. Keukenhof, is the main attraction of Dutch flowers each Spring. Keukenhof Gardens have the annual tulip displays as well as English and Japanese landscape gardens, a historic garden, a garden maze and several inspiration gardens that change annually. A boat ride is offered to get closer to the tulip fields near Keukenhof Garden. Although most people are disappointed in how low the boat is compared to the height of the flowers, making photos difficult at best.  

Getting the Best Pictures of the Tulips

Tulip fans will claim that there has always been a huge popularity for tulips, especially in Spring. But tulipmania is nothing compared to the swarms of instagram influencers and travel photographers trying to get the perfect shots of tulips. However, trampled tulips and ruined crops for farmers have irrevocably changed the landscape, for better and worse. A few touristy places have popped up to allow visitors (and influencers) to take all the pictures they want of the tulips, without having to set foot in a field.  

Some places are farms specifically created to keep the tourists out of the fields and experiencing the tulips in a pure way. Other locations are created to be tulip picking gardens so visitors can take some beautiful tulips home with them to enjoy. Many locations include a restaurant or drinks to enjoy and even some children’s activities so they can enjoy the season of tulips too.

The Tulip Barn

Over 1.5 million tulip bulbs are planted each year and start blooming in Spring. The barn opens at the end of March, depending on when enough tulips have opened. Peak bloom happens during the last 3 weeks of April, but is also the most crowded time to visit too. The owners have created a walking path through the production fields for a unique perspective. The garden has over 200 varieties of tulip and is open from 9:30 am-7:00 pm for the short tulip season. The gardens are redesigned each year, so you will never see the same thing from year to year. The Tulip Barn mixes early, mid and late blooming varieties of tulips so that visitors get the best experience possible, whenever they visit. They are open until the tulips stop blooming, then the family farm closes and starts the year-long preparations for next season. 

Tulip Experience Amsterdam

Tulip Experience Amsterdam opened in 2019 as a solution to growing tourism damaging the bulb fields. In addition to providing places to appropriately photo and video tulips and tulip fields, they also educate visitors about the Flower Bulb Region and tulips growing. Additional educational opportunities for children through the Tulip Experience Amsterdam scavenger hunt and school field trips can also be booked. The tulip museum explains the history and cultivation processes through an audio tour. Tulips from around the world are on display. There is even an indoor picking garden so that you can take home some tulips, included in the entrance ticket. Step into the cinema to watch a short film to learn even more about the tulip. Enjoy shopping at the Farmers Market or Art Exhibits with a coffee in hand from the cafe. 

De Tuliperij

This flower bulb company starts spring early with daffodils, then transitions to tulips in peak season and Dahlias in the summer. The show garden can be visited without a ticket, to admire the flowers strolling the gardens. Go to the picking garden to choose your favorite colors and varieties and pay per stem. Purchase a ticket to spend some time in the flower fields and use them as the perfect background for your flower photoshoot. The’re are family activities with scavenger hunts and lessons on pollination and biodiversity for the kids. 

Annemieke’s Picking Garden

Annemieke’s Picking Garden is located in Lisse and can complete your tulip experience in the Netherlands. Walk among the flower beds, pick your own tulips and enjoy the spring weather. This family owned farm started as a hobby nursery, but was doing so well by 2009 they added a picking garden. Annemaieke’s Picking Garden is an organic certified nursery and sells many of their flowers in the organic Noordermarket in Amsterdam and organic markets in Haarlem. Since the pandemic, they have not reopened to full capacity, choose rather to bring flowers to the people in the city.

Tulip Routes during Tulip Season

Drive or ride the Holland tulip route by bike, electric scooter or a small electric Renault Twizy vehicle. The Twizy vehicle is only for 1-2 max and has a self-guided tour included. If you are planning to drive or ride on your own, download the Holland Digital Guides to your phone. Be sure not to ride your bike with your phone in hand, it’s the law in the Netherlands! There are two tulip guides that will narrate your path through Keukenhof Gardens as well as the tulip routes and attractions in Lisse. For cyclists, there are cycling paths of all lengths through beautiful tulip fields you can find on the same Flower Tour site

Drive to the province northeast of Amsterdam to a less visited area, known for their nature. This route is 120 km of tulip fields without the crows of popular Holland. It is only open from mid April to early May, It takes about 45 minutes to drive from Amsterdam and more time to explore and enjoy. Stay up to date on the Visit Flevoland site, because the route can close early due to early bloom or flooding conditions. The province of Flevoland is the newest region, uncovered by the sea and still lying 5 meters under sea level. In Spring, there are tulip fields and picking gardens, in autumn the produce turns to apples and pears and all year-round there are farmers markets with fresh produce, eggs and of course the famous Dutch dairy.    

For an even more remote experience in the tulip fields, go farther North in the Provence of North Holland. Their Tulip season is a bit later than South Holland with peak bloom being from mid to late April. Try visiting one of these areas in North Holland: 

• Schermerhorn 
• Avenhorn 
• Obdam
• Berkhout
• Edmond 
• Schoorl

A Complete Guide to Tulip Season, Next Up

Is it all about flowers in the Springtime? In Northern Europe, yes, it actually is all about the flowers! Spring offers even more than just flower displays everywhere you look, the city is coming alive again. On random sunny spring days or afternoons the sun starts to peek through the clouds and you’ll see residents and visitors all head to the parks. Meals move from home and indoor restaurants to picnics by the canals or in the green spaces of the city. The famous canal cruise boats start to open their windows and remove the roof covers, so the beauty of Amsterdam can be enjoyed to its fullest. 

Next week, come back for a 3-day itinerary of Amsterdam. This blog will suggest itinerary options to pack a short 3-day visit to Amsterdam. I am surprised how many people only spend a day or two of their European vacation in Amsterdam. Visitors really need at least three full days to see and experience Amsterdam. Even though it is a very walkable city and the public transportation is great, there is a lot to see in and around Amsterdam. It is easy to fill up a week in Amsterdam, and still feel like you need to return to see even more. 

What is Wanderlust in Amsterdam?

Check out my website at LauraMarieMyers.com/wanderlust to read additional Amsterdam blogs, see all my best Amsterdam recommendations and download my free Amsterdam Bucket List. Newsletters are coming soon to get inspiration for your own travels and adventures. Join my email list so you never miss a blog. As an Amsterdam travel consultant, let me help you make the most of your time and budget in Amsterdam, no matter how much time you have to spend!