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Life Well Wandered

Life Well Wandered

8 October 2016 · 12 Comments

Keukenhof: A Guide

Destinations· The Netherlands

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If you want to see the prettiest flowers in the world, Keukenhof is the place to go. Open each spring, Keukenhof showcases more than 7 million bulbs and 800 varieties of tulips over 32 hectares of land. Use this guide to learn more about the gardens and how to get there!

keukenhof

History

Keukenhof means “kitchen garden”. Its history goes back to the 1400s when fruit and vegetables were gathered for the kitchen of Teylingen Castle. Keukenhof Castle was built in 1641 and, in 1857, the castle gardens were redesigned in the English landscape style that forms the basis of Keukenhof’s design today.

keukenhof path

In 1949, 20 flower bulb experts came up with the idea of the Keukenhof we see today, and the park opened to the public for the first time in the spring of 1950. The park welcomes about 800,000 visitors in the eight weeks it is open each year.

When to visit

keukenhof tulip fields

Keukenhof is only in the spring, from late March to late May. I visited in the middle of April and it was almost in full bloom, but not quite. I would recommend visiting in late April to early may in order to see all the flowers and tulip fields in full bloom.

How to get there

By car

Keukenhof is located in Lisse, which is in between Amsterdam and The Hague. Parking is €6.

By bus

Traveling by bus is the easiest way to get to Keukenhof. However, arrive at the stop early as there will most certainly be queues.

From Amsterdam: There is no bus from Amsterdam to Keukenhof. You must travel by bus or train to Schipol in order to catch the bus to Keukenhof.

From Schipol: The Keukenhof Express (bus 858) leaves every 15 minutes from the bus station in front of Schipol.

From Leiden: There is a Keukenhof Express from the Leiden bus station in front of the Leiden train station.

keukenhof gardens

Tickets

Tickets are sold online (prices TBC). You can also buy bus/park combo tickets. Tickets can also be purchased at the park.

Where to stay

keukenhof flower

While you can get to Keukenhof easily from Amsterdam and any other city that has access to Schipol, I recommend staying in Leiden. It’s a great little city with lots of restaurants and canals for wandering. It’s also cheaper than Amsterdam!

See also  Vatican City AKA the Artwork of my Dreams

What to do

keukenhof fountain

Well, look at flowers. Keukenhof is huge. You’ll spend hours meandering along all the pathways and marveling at the floral diversity. Each year they also have different special exhibitions. When I went, they had a whole indoor space full of roses with a Van Gogh theme. They also had a lovely orchid exhibition. It is also possible to take a canal tour to experience the tulip fields up close! Unfortunately, the fields weren’t fully in bloom when we went, so we passed on that opportunity.

Food and refreshments

keukenhof flowers

They do a great job of keeping you well fueled at Keukenhof. There are several food halls with a variety of food. You’ll also find stalls selling drinks, strawberries, and ice cream. Yum!

I hope this post makes you want to visit Keukenhof. It is one of my favourite places, as I love flowers. If you just want a day full of beauty in nature, I highly recommend a visit!

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keukenhof

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Neni says

    9 October 2016 at 02:57

    Aww I absolutely love this place. All the flowers and colours.

    Reply
    • almathews says

      9 October 2016 at 09:11

      Yeah it’s a magical place! Thanks for your comment :)

      Reply
  2. Juliette | Snorkels to Snow says

    9 October 2016 at 19:45

    These flowers look beautiful! Definitely sounds like April is a good time to visit when everything is in full bloom! How gorgeous. What a pleasant place to visit & explore!

    Reply
    • almathews says

      9 October 2016 at 21:01

      Yeah, they were absolutely stunning. It’s amazing how they arrange the flowers like works of art to make them even more fun and interesting to look at! I definitely recommend a visit. Thanks for your comment :)

      Reply
  3. Marissa says

    10 October 2016 at 10:09

    How beautiful! I’d love to visit there one day.

    Reply
    • almathews says

      18 October 2016 at 17:10

      I hope you’re able to! Thanks for your comment :)

      Reply
  4. Emily says

    10 October 2016 at 10:27

    I want to visit Holland when the tulips are blooming! They’re so beautiful and iconic for the country. Lovely shots!

    Reply
    • almathews says

      18 October 2016 at 17:09

      They’re absolutely stunning! I hope you get to visit in the springtime! Thanks for your comment :)

      Reply
  5. Kathi says

    10 October 2016 at 15:28

    Next time I go to the Netherlands I shall finally leave Amsterdam and visit Keukenhof! Tulips are by far my favourite flowers, so I will probably never leave again :) I pinned this to my bucket list board!

    Reply
  6. Brittany says

    10 October 2016 at 16:23

    Oh my goodness those flowers! Absolutely gorgeous!!

    Reply
  7. carlinn says

    11 October 2016 at 01:38

    OMW I would love to go there! Breathtaking :)

    Reply
  8. Ray says

    16 October 2016 at 18:28

    Stunning photos of these beautiful tulips! Such great colour and diversity.

    Reply

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Welcome to my corner of the internet! Life Well Wandered is a travel blog where you'll find a little bit of everything. I love sharing itineraries from past trips, secret spots I've discovered on my travels, histories of places I find fascinating, and stories about my mental health.

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