Why go

Keukenhof is the most famous flower garden in the world and one of the great sights of the Dutch spring. For about eight weeks a year, around seven million bulbs flower across 32 hectares of parkland near Lisse, between Amsterdam and Leiden, in sweeping beds of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and crocuses laid out beneath old trees and beside ponds and streams.

The garden was created in 1949 by flower-bulb growers as a showcase for their industry, and it remains a showpiece of Dutch horticulture, with around a hundred growers supplying bulbs. Each year the beds are replanted with a new design, so even regular visitors find something new. The surrounding bulb fields, which turn into stripes of colour in April, are part of the experience.

Keukenhof is very popular, attracting visitors from all over the world in a short season, so planning ahead makes a big difference. Weekday mornings are calmer than weekends, and the park is large enough to find quiet corners away from the main paths.

Because the flowers bloom in waves, the park looks different at the start, middle and end of the season. Late March brings crocuses and daffodils, early April the hyacinths, and mid to late April the tulips at their best, with the bulb fields outside the park in full colour at the same time. Indoor pavilions mean there is plenty to see even on a rainy day, and there are cafés, restaurants and picnic spots throughout the park.

What to see

  • The tulip beds. Hundreds of varieties planted in flowing rivers and patterns of colour.
  • The pavilions. Indoor flower shows, including tulips, orchids and other spring blooms.
  • The windmill. A historic mill with views over the surrounding bulb fields.
  • The themed gardens. Smaller gardens showing ideas for planting at home.
  • The bulb fields. The colourful striped fields around the park, best seen from the windmill or by bike.

Plan your visit

In 2027 Keukenhof opens from Thursday 18 March to Sunday 9 May, every day from 8am to 7pm, including Sundays and public holidays. Entry closes at 6.15pm. Tulips are usually at their peak from mid-April, depending on the weather, while early-season visits are dominated by crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths.

Adult tickets cost from €21 online or €27 at the ticket office, children aged 4 to 17 pay from €11 online, and under 4s go free. Combi tickets with bus transport are sold from mid-January. If you drive, parking must be bought in advance online for €10, or €15 at the window. Book ahead for weekends and the busy late-April period.

From Amsterdam, the usual route is the train to Schiphol and then a Keukenhof bus. Many organised day tours also combine the park with the bulb fields. Allow three to four hours in the garden, plus travel.

Nearby

Haarlem and Leiden, both historic cities with canals and museums, are within easy reach and make good stops on the way back. The bulb fields can be explored by bike, with rentals available near the park.