Now London is blessed not only with Kew Gardens and the many wonderful parks, but there is a very special park experience which most of us don’t know about, and it is only a short trip away in Holland. This place is Keukenhof, which in Dutch means Kitchen garden. It is one of the world’s largest flower gardens, covering 32 hectares in which approximately 7 million tulip bulbs are planted annually, along with hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations and irises.
And it is incredibly popular among the Dutch – where it is a famous national institution – even if undeservedly less well known elsewhere. To put it in context, in 2019, 1.5 million people visited Keukenhof, equivalent to 26,000 visitors per day. By comparison, the Rijksmuseum receives an average of 8,000 visitors per day, the Efteling, the local theme park, receives 14,000.
I had never heard of it until my mother-in-law suggested a visit when we took a family short break to Amsterdam. Keukenhof is an easy day trip from the city, being located south of Haarlem and southwest of Amsterdam in an area called the “Dune and Bulb Region”.
Essentially is is an annual event which celebrates that most Dutch of flowers – the tulip; and now is the perfect time to go as it is only open for a few months a year. The rest of the time being spent re-imagining the displays, which are different every year, with the bulb growers then spending the autumn and winter replanting and curating the gardens to meet each new annual design.
This year, Keukenhof has been open from Thursday, 21st March with the last day for visitors being Sunday, 12th May. Opening hours each day are from from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with the same opening hours applying on Sundays and bank holidays. The best time to visit is generally assumed to be late April, but of course it does depend on the vagaries of the growing season. I suggest not worrying too much and just making sure you get there.
As these photographs show, it is terribly beautiful. We spent a wonderful sunny, chilly spring morning wandering the huge site, with variations from small intricate gardens to huge vistas of colour, such as rivers of blue tulips snaking though the woods. There are several iconic features, such as the lake and the windmill, which frame views and make the whole place terribly Instagram friendly. This year there are also art installations scattered through the grounds with the map of the site helpfully guiding you to them.
There are also indoor flower halls showcasing the best new varietals and medal winning flowers, and where we ended up placing a gargantuan order for bulbs for home, as well as several excellent cafes and restaurants. Even my young daughter thought it an excellent day visiting Keukenhof. The Dutch have got it right – this beautiful place is good for the soul. We loved it.
On practical matters it is easy to access – there are very regular buses from Haarlem and Leiden train stations as well as Schiphol Airport. We got a bus to and from Schipol and only had to wait a few minutes at either end. Tickets are also not expensive: theycan be pre-booked at www.keukenhof.nl and are valid on a fixed date in a predetermined time slot. Entrance ticket for an adult cost adult: € 19,50 in advance or € 23.00 at the gate. Children from to 4-17 years pay € 9,00 and those under 3 years can enter for free.
A visit is easily combined with a weekend stay in Haarlem, Leiden, Rotterdam, Amsterdam or Antwerp, all of which are fascinating to visit, so for something different this Spring why not try consider a trip to the Tulip fields of Keukenhof?
David travelled independently
Keukenhof, Stationsweg 166A, 2161 AM Lisse
+31 252 465 555
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