Holland’s Famous Tulips in Photos
Holland is known for many things: windmills, wooden shoes, and tulips just to name a few. When we first started planning our trip to the Netherlands, we thought we’d be too late to see the tulips, but because of an unusually long and cold winter, tulip season started a little late this year. We were in luck, and the tulips were in full bloom when we arrived. As soon as we got to Amsterdam, we bought tickets to Keukenhof, one of Holland’s biggest and most well known tulip gardens.
The Keukenhof Gardens weren’t quite what we were expecting. I think we were imagining rows and rows of tulips in fields. We did see a little of that, but mostly it was more of a display of tulips set up specifically for visitors. Different types and colors were arranged in sections in artful ways, and there were inside areas with other types of flowers as well as more tulips.
They also had a windmill near a cluster of food stands. You could go inside of it and climb up to the top, which gave a good view of a few fields of tulips, although since it’s the end of the season, there weren’t too many sections left. And of course, the gift shops were selling all sorts of items relating to tulips, windmills and wooden shoes.
I took over 300 photos, so it was hard to narrow it down to just a handful to share. But here is a sample of what I saw during our visit to Keukenhof.
Getting to Keukenhof
We bought our Keukenhof tickets and transportation from the tourism office in front of the train station in Amsterdam. They were 27.50 euros per person, which included the entrance ticket and round trip public transport. Take bus 197 from Leidseplein in the center of the city. Get off at the airport at the plaza stop, which is where you’ll see lots of other buses and hotel shuttles. From there walk past the hotel shuttles to the side of the building and get on the Keukenhof bus.
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May 20, 2013 @ 7:07 PM
I loooove tulips! Oddly enough, we have a huge Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival near Portland, but I’ve never been.
May 21, 2013 @ 9:46 AM
I guess that part of the US has similar conditions to Holland for growing tulips. I have friends in Seattle who have gone to see tulips near them too.
May 20, 2013 @ 7:50 PM
I love the colors in your photos. Gorgeous. I missed the tulips this year…bummer, maybe next.
May 21, 2013 @ 9:47 AM
Thanks Corinne! I hope you do get to see them next year, they’re really pretty.
May 20, 2013 @ 8:35 PM
Hey Ali, I was actually thinking of doing Keukenhof next year. Would you say it’s worth the visit?
May 21, 2013 @ 9:48 AM
I thought it was really pretty, but I wouldn’t go all the way out there JUST to go to Keukenhof unless you’re REALLY into flowers. I think it’s a great side trip if you’re already going to Amsterdam though.
May 21, 2013 @ 11:43 AM
I love Tulips as well. I liked the pictures of the pink and yellow tulips the best. Compared to what it would cost me for a day out here in Australia (around $50 + when you factor in public transport and food – and that’s with a concession train ticket too!), what you paid in euros to see the tulips was quite good value.
May 21, 2013 @ 6:20 PM
Thanks Matthew! Nice to know how it compares with Australia!
May 21, 2013 @ 7:00 PM
Sublime for my eyes on a grey day – Thanks Ali 😀
May 22, 2013 @ 9:49 PM
Thanks Maria, glad to help!
May 22, 2013 @ 7:37 AM
Wow. Great photos! This is definitely on my bucket list. I’m so glad you got to see them.
May 22, 2013 @ 9:50 PM
Thanks Christy! Definitely check the time of year before you go to make sure the tulips are in bloom.
May 22, 2013 @ 3:36 PM
gorgeous! The pictures are so vivid, it’s like i can smell the flowers
May 22, 2013 @ 9:51 PM
Thanks! They did smell nice!
May 22, 2013 @ 4:30 PM
Wow! Your pictures are so amazing! Colors are so vibrant, its like I’m looking at the real flowers on my desk here. Thanks for sharing!
May 22, 2013 @ 9:52 PM
Thanks James!
May 23, 2013 @ 5:42 AM
One of my fav flowers!
May 23, 2013 @ 11:05 AM
Thanks Andrea!
May 26, 2013 @ 6:09 AM
So many gorgeous pictures!!
May 26, 2013 @ 11:22 AM
Thanks Erik!
May 29, 2013 @ 4:04 PM
I missed the gardens by just a few days, though I always had in my mind that you would be seeing fields of tulips. I am surprised to find out the tulips are brought here to make a display.
May 31, 2013 @ 12:03 PM
They were still really pretty, but yeah we thought we were going to see large fields of tulips.