Exploring Keukenhof and Cycling The Bollenstreek Flower Routes

Perhaps the most notable things to do in Europe each spring season, is visiting South Holland when the region comes alive in colourful bloom from mid-March to early May. From the lively acres of world-famous Keukenhof, a.k.a. the garden of Europe, to the peaceful cycling routes of the beautiful Bollenstreek, these highlight attractions of the Netherlands at this time of the year are easy to fall in love with. 

Beginning with the various hues of crocus, followed by daffodils and hyacinths, and ending with the most desirable display of gorgeous tulips – the vast floral paradise here offers one the best Dutch adventures for nature lovers.

Everything You Need To Know About Visiting Keukenhof  

The Netherlands transforms into a floral paradise for a few months each year, and the tulips of Lisse and the Keukenhof Gardens near the country’s capital, Amsterdam, are the best place to marvel at this natural wonder. 

Keukenhof, in particular, is 32 acres of pure blooming bliss where you come across over 800 different varieties of flora – including a rainbow collection of tulips. Truthfully, no pictures do it justice, and nothing can prepare you for how awestruck you’ll be as you walk through the tall gates and into such a magical world. It’s the Disneyland of nature parks. 

When Is The Best Time To Visit Keukenhof?

Besides their incredible beauty, the popularity of the gardens comes from the fact they are only open for a few months each year. Exact opening and closing dates vary depending on the season and how well the flowers are blossoming, but typically, you can gain entrance from mid-March to mid-May, with the best time to visit Keukenhof being the last two weeks of April when the tulips are in their peak bloom.

However, remember that everything you see depends on nature, so expectation vs reality plays a huge role here. That being said, I’ve never heard of anyone making the visit and coming back disappointed. 

Keukenhof opening times: 8am to 7:30pm daily
Keukenhof tickets: €9.00 – €19.00

Things To Do In Keukenhof 

Enjoy a couple hours wandering this lush setting, grab a drink at one of the many cafes around and hop on a boat to tour the gardens from the waterways for a unique, eye-level perspective. There is also plenty of opportunity to shop fun and cute memorabilia, so you’ll never forget your special day. 

With the gardens being incredibly tourist-oriented, Keukenhof is also filled with all sorts of ‘typical Dutch’ details, including clogs, a windmill, wheels of cheese, and even a giant cow that add to its charm.

At the end of the day, Keukenhof is a park, so the main thing to do here is walk around and fill your gallery with stunning pictures. So, if you are searching for something a little more active and exciting, make sure to partake in the cycling adventures beyond the park, as discussed later in this post. 

How To Get To Keukenhof And The Lisse Tulip Fields

Perfectly located less than an hour from Amsterdam and 30 minutes from Schiphol Airport, it’s easy to visit Keukenhof. There are several ways to get there, including:

• Shuttlebus service that can be bought as part of your entrance ticket.
• Taking a Bolt/Uber from nearby towns
• Driving yourself – although this is not recommended due to limited parking.
• Using any form of public transport 

If you travel to Keukenhof directly from Schiphol Airport, you can ride the 858 bus (Keukenhof Express), which departs from exit 4 of the arrivals hall and takes about 30 minutes. 

• Bus + Keukenhof admission ticket: €29.50
• Bus-only ticket – €11.50 return

My personal recommendation is to book a hotel near Keukenhof or the airport and then take an Uber/Bolt ride to the attraction. 

Where To Stay When Exploring The Tulips In South Holland

As expected, most people who visit Keukenhof and the Bollenstreek region stay in Amsterdam and then day trip to the tulip region. While this makes a lot of sense, especially if you want to explore the capital during the same trip, I cannot recommend staying outside of Amsterdam enough. 

Booking accommodation as close to the tulip fields as possible allows you to book early entrance to the gardens, which in turn, helps you avoid the crowds, and this is vital if you’re making the trip over a weekend or bank holiday. 

Besides Lisse, other great destinations to use for accommodation purposes include Leiden, Haarlem and Hillegom. For more budget-friendly options, look to book any of Schiphol’s airport hotels which are no more than a 15-minute drive to Keukenhof. 

Here are a few hotel options that are close to the gardens and fields:

• Courtyard by Marriot Amsterdam Airport
• Hotel de Duif Lisse – Schiphol
• NH Noordwijk Conference Centre Leeuwenhorst
• Boutique Suites Lisse – Schiphol

Cycling The Flower Routes Of The Bollenstreek

When you search ‘tulip fields in Holland’, the vivid pictures that pop up are mostly of the gorgeous Duin-en-Bollenstreek. The Bollenstreek is a region of coastal dunes and colourful flower bulbs situated at the heart of historical South Holland, between The Hague and Haarlem, and is the heart and soul of the blooming Dutch flower industry. Even more so than Keukenhof, cycling 35km of the Bollenstreek is the perfect way to admire the flowery area in its true and natural glory. 

Make your way through winding roads and rural paths to take in the endless collection of flower fields and farms that stretch for miles in a range of vibrant colours. The surreal feeling of being surrounded by this astounding beauty, literally at your feet, is an experience like no other, and it is also a wonderful way to explore the various cities that form the Bollenstreek – namely, Lisse, Hillegom, Katwijk, Noordwijk, Noordwijkerhout, and Teylingen.

How Long Is The Dutch Flower Route?

The Flower Route is about 35 kilometres long and can be cycled in just over 3 hours – but make sure to also plan time for photography! There are so many stunning spots to stop along your way to have a short photoshoot. 

Of course, you do not have to cycle the entire route, and there are options to cut your adventure into 5km, 10km, 15km and 25km routes as well. I chose the 25km route due to unfavourable weather conditions but still felt that I saw everything I wanted to. 

What Will You See Along The Bollenstreek?

The cycle route takes you past hundreds of flower fields and farms featuring rows of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths that provide the most natural landscape to fall in love with the European spring season. 

Besides the flower fields, there are also many museums and monuments you can visit, including:

• Museum de Zwarte Tulp in Lisse 
• Keukenhof
• Tulip Experience Amsterdam in Noordwijkerhout (learn all about tulip culture in the region)
• The Tulip Barn in Hillegom

Tulip Barn is a particular highlight because this stunning commercial garden displaying over 500,000 tulips is filled with incredible props – everything from tractors to pianos – that help create amazing pictures.

When Is The Best Time To Cycle The Flower Route Of The Bollenstreek?

The Flower Route aims to provide cyclists with a real and natural experience. The best time to plan your visit is between the end of March and early May, but if you want to enjoy the tulips, daffodils and hyacinths in their peak bloom, make your way to the Netherlands in the last two weeks of April. 

While most people visit the Bollenstreek in spring to tie in their visit with Keukenhof, it is worth mentioning that you can cycle the route in the summer for the Dahlia show that blooms from around mid-August to mid-October each year.

How Much Does It Cost To Cycle The Dutch Flower Route?

In a sense, cycling the flower route is completely free. However, most travellers would need to rent a bike (starting from €9 for 3 hours) and then buy tickets for the attractions:

• Keukenhof – €19
• Tulip Barn – €7 
• Museum de Zwarte Tulp – €10 

So, the average cost to cycle the Bollenstreek and visit its various attractions for the day is €45 per person. 

Where To Begin Cycling The Bollenstreek 

Because the cycle route is a circle, you can begin your adventure from anywhere between Lisse (Keukenhof) and Haarlem. I recommend starting from Keukenhof because the park offers bikes to hire for people of all heights and ages. 

Below are the various junctions along the Bollenstreek from where you can begin your cycle:

Other Ways To Explore The Tulips Fields In The Netherlands

Fly In A Helicopter: besides the iconic Bollenstreek bike route, another way to fall in love with the flower fields is by an exciting helicopter flight. The flights depart from around Keukenhof and offer 15 minutes of floating over the bright fields. 

Take A Walk: if you prefer to have your feet firmly planted on the ground – no helicopters and cycles in sight – you can also walk along the roads of the tulip fields. Walking from Keukenhof to Tulip Barn takes about 45 minutes and brings you to a great selection of open fields to admire. 

Fabulous Dutch Festivals That Celebrate the Tulip Season

The tulip season is almost like an extra holiday season in the middle of the year and features amazing festivals and parades that bring the country to life. The three most unmissable events include:

Tulip Festival Amsterdam, which ushers in spring with millions of blossoming tulips decorating the capital’s shopping streets and city squares.

Bloemencorso Bollenstreek, which is a gorgeous, one-day flower parade decked out with cheerful floats and blossoms as participants travel from Noordwijk to Haarlem. It really is quite a spectacle.

Aalsmeer Flower Festival and Auction, which hosts the largest trading platform for plants and flowers in the world. Combining the festival and auction, 19 million flowers and 2 million plants are sold every day.