Tulip Blossom in the Netherlands 2023: Keukenhof – the “Garden of Europe”

Our Day in the “Garden of Europe”, the Dutch flower paradise in Lisse. Winter in Amsterdam is over, and Spring has finally arrived in The Netherlands and most parts of Western Europe. Birds start singing early in the morning, the days are getting longer, and the early flowering plants and trees start blossoming.  Our home country, the Netherlands, is also known as the world’s largest exporter of flowers. Spring means it is time to visit the Garden of Europe Keukenhof to see the beauty of nature with tulips, crocuses, hyacinths, and all the other colorful flowers. Enjoy our photo story of a beautiful spring day in the Netherlands and see the Keukenhof in South Holland through a couple of men‘s eyes.

This Mid-April weekend, it was finally time for us gay couple travelers, to visit Keukenhof Tulip Blossom Holland, just one hour by car away from Amsterdam. The Keukenhof, a former kitchen-garden from the 15th century, is one of the most magical places in the Netherlands. LGBTQ+ travelers can discover a big part of the Dutch cultural heritage, including a historical windmill, vast and colorful tulip fields, several flower exhibitions in different pavilions throughout the area, and a boat trip around the flower fields. 

Spring in Holland: Tulips & early flowering plants

Bikes, cheese, canals and, of course, tulips. Introduced to the north-western part of Europe in the early 16th century, tulips are strongly connected to The Netherlands, reportedly since the Dutch Golden Age (17th century). Back then, they became an important part of the Dutch culture, including famous paintings now exhibited in the Rijksmuseum. The tulip bulbs rapidly become valuable, up to worth a whole house, until a massive crash during the so-called Tulip Mania in February 1637. Since then, the professional cultivation of tulips made the Netherlands known as the world’s largest exporter of flowers. Today, the Dutch people and travelers from all over the world enjoy the tulip season that lasts, as a guide, from the end of March to mid-May, depending on weather conditions, of course. But even if you miss the peak season period of the tulips, the crocus season at the end of March followed by hyacinths in mid-April is not less colorful. 

Plan your day: Tips for the Garden of Europe in 2023

Now it is time to start planning your own Keukenhof adventure:

1. Opening hours Keukenhof: Open from 23rd March to 14th May 2023, from 8 am to 7:30 pm. The ticket office is open from 8 am to 7:30 pm.
2. How to get to Keukenhof: From Schiphol Airport (Keukenhof Express (Buses 858 or 854) | Haarlem Bus 50 | Katwijk Bus 90 Plan your journey >
3. Tickets & Parking: Adults €19 online, Children 0–3 years old free, Children 4–17 years old €9, Car parking €6 Book tickets here >
4. Practical Tips: Boat tours through tulip fields & rental bikes bookable on-site | Food, Drinks & Toilets open all day long | Free maps available on-site

Most famous Tulip regions in The Netherlands

There are even more regions where gay, lesbian, trans and queer travelers can enjoy the Dutch tulips regions and experience the early flowering plants and trees. The Keukenhof, for example, is part of the so-called Dune and Bulb Region (Dutch: “Duin- en Bollenstreek”) along the west coast of The Netherlands just in the southwest of Amsterdam. This area is charming with its combination of windmills, traditional villages, and comprehensive and colorful flower fields, especially in spring. One of the highlights during this period is the annual flower parade called Bloemencorso Bollenstreek (check the website for updates). This Dutch event turns the streets of Dutch towns and villages into floating, colorful flower carpets. The Bloemencorso Bollenstreek typically starts on Saturday in Noordwijk and ends in Haarlem the day after, covering a total distance of ca. 40 km.

If you are looking for an additional adventure, we suggest exploring the Tulip Festival and Tulip Route in Noordoostpolder in Flevoland. The route consists of approximately 100 km of roads with signage and nearly 2500 acres of flowering tulip fields, ideal for a road trip through the Netherlands in spring. The tulip route in Noordoostpolder is considered as the longest and most colorful route in the Netherlands. Last but not least, we would like to mention the north of the Netherlands, the so-called Kop van Noord-Holland. The region north of Amsterdam is known for being a traditional Dutch region, including the biggest single flower bulb field in the world and the Dutch city Den Helder. A great area of North Holland to take a bicycle ride or hiking tour.

How to experience Tulip Blossom in Holland the best way

The National Tulip Day marks the beginning of the annual flower season. Therefore, the city of Amsterdam brings over 200,000 tulips from North-holland to Amsterdam’s most famous square, the Dam Square, annually on the third Saturday in January. Until 1 pm, you can embrace the first floral colors of the year, attractively ensembled in gigantic flower boxes. From 1 o’clock on, the audience is able to pick their very own 13 tulips to take home for free. Our tip: Be on time. You are not the only flower lover! The next National Tulip Day is on January 20th in 2024.

Additional to the Bloemencorso Bollenstreek and the Tulip Festival Noordoostpolder we mentioned earlier in this article, the Flower Days Anna Paulowna (Bloemendagen) will take place in Hollands Kroon showcasing the plentiful harvest in colorful mosaics along the route. Last but not least, you should take the chance to discover the Tulip Route Dronten biking, hiking, or driving through the beautiful countryside of Dronten, Lelystad, and Zeewolde. The tulips and flowers are waiting for you!

Keukenhof Tulip Blossom Holland – the Dutch Tulip Paradise

Keukenhof Tulip Blossom Holland – After a long, grey, dark winter time, the best option to start the warm and sunny period of the year is to bring the first flower bouquets in the house. An even better solution is to go outside and actually see the wide flower fields of blossoming tulips, narcissus, and hyacinths. The Netherlands, the world’s largest flower exporter provides locals and travelers perfect opportunities for that. Now it is time for you to book your stay in North Holland or South Holland or in Amsterdam and enjoy the colorful spring months in Holland!

Wanna know more? Stay tuned.. on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. See you in the country of flowers in The Netherlands and in Amsterdam!

Karl & Daan