Keukenhof Tulip Garden Photo Tour (Lisse, The Netherlands)
Keukenhof, the most beautiful spring garden in the world, is open this year from March 23 to May 21. I was lucky enough to visit on April 20th, when the flowers were in peak bloom. Situated in the small town of Lisse, Holland, the garden is easy to get to via the special bus (Keukenhof Express) at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. My plane landed early that Thursday, and at 8 am, there was still a 10-15 minute wait for the buses. The garden was packed, but the wide-open spaces allowed plenty of room for everybody.
This year's theme is "Dutch Design." Dutch artists and designers are innovators in everything from fashion to architecture, and the flower shows in Orange Nassau Pavilion are entirely in the style of Dutch design. The popular flower mosaic beside the building depicts a Mondriaan painting, and the famous Mondriaan pattern is incorporated throughout the show.
Thanks to Keukenhof Holland for providing me with a press pass. All opinions are my own.
You can easily spend half the day here. A 45-minute boat trip can also take you through the bulb fields surrounding Keukenhof. If you want to explore Lisse and visit the tulip fields outside of Keukenhof, bikes can be rented at the Main entrance parking.
What started as a trade show in the '50s quickly grew into one of the largest flower gardens in the world for the general public. With 7 million bulbs and 800 varieties of tulips, this place is flower crazy:
Grab a pocket map at Information by the main entrance. Aside from the outdoor gardens, the Oranje Nassau Pavilion will give you different cut flower shows every week, the Beatrix Pavilion features orchids and anthuriums, while the big Willem-Alexander Pavilion has tulips, lilies, different flowers and plants.
There's also a cute Miffy house for the kids—or big kids—and a Mill. Climb to the top of the mill for a view of the gorgeous surrounding tulip fields. The Netherlands is famous for its tulips, so you'll definitely have your fill at Keukenhof.