About Keukenhof Gardens | Amsterdam Tulip Festival, Events, & More (2024)

Quick information

RECOMMENDED DURATION

3 hours

VISITORS PER YEAR

1500000

NUMBER OF ENTRANCES

2

EXPECTED WAIT TIME - STANDARD

30-60 mins (Peak), 0-30 mins (Off Peak)

EXPECTED WAIT TIME - SKIP THE LINE

0-30 mins (Peak), 0-30 mins (Off Peak)

Plan your visit

Did you know?

The word ‘Keukenhof’ can be translated to ‘kitchen garden’ in Dutch, in reference to the herbs that used to be gathered in the area for the castle kitchen.

The park is home to an English landscape garden, a Japanese landscape garden, a spring meadow, a natural garden, a historic garden, a garden maze, and several inspiration gardens that are uniquely planted each year.

Keukenhof was established in 1949 by a consortium of bulb growers and flower exporters to showcase their products.

Things to See and Do at Keukenhof Gardens

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Tulip Gardens

The Tulip Gardens are the most famous attraction at Keukenhof. They are open during the Tulip Festival in the spring. Over 7 million flower bulbs are planted by hand each year in the autumn, and in the spring, over 800 different tulips come into bloom. There are also flower shows, surprising inspirational gardens, unique artwork, and other events.

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Indoor Flower Shows

Once you've walked around the tulip fields, step into the indoor pavilions brimming with flowering bulbs, cut flowers, and pot plants. Inside these pavilions, over 500 growers present their prized blooms to the leading flower arrangers to use in their unique shows. These include hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations, and irises.

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Keukenhof Castle

It is also possible to explore Keukenhof Castle. Built in the 1600s and expanded over the years, this castle is full of interesting rooms and historical tales. Also called Kasteel Keukenhof, the entrance to the Castle estate is free (except during special events). You can also opt for a guided tour, which costs around €10.

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Keukenhof Castle Gardens

Apart from the tulip gardens, Keukenhof has several other lush gardens. These include an English landscape garden with winding paths, a walled garden with historical plants, and a Japanese Country Garden. Additionally, four more pavilions feature displays and flower exhibits.

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Whisper Boat

The landscaped gardens, pavilions, and exhibits are the main attractions of Keukenhof Gardens in Amsterdam. You can also go on a 45-minute boat trip through the canals that cut across the endless tulip fields surrounding the park. It's sure to be spectacular!

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Keukenhof Rental Bike

Another way to explore the flower fields is to rent a bike and ride alongside them. A bicycle costs about €15 for 3 hours or €20 a day. You can book your bike online and get a FlowerCard, which comes with a digital magazine about the surroundings of Keukenhof and information on the best hotspots.

About Keukenhof Gardens | Amsterdam Tulip Festival, Events, & More (2024)

FAQs

What is special about Keukenhof? ›

The park's focus is on the 7 million spring-flowering bulbs, which allow the 100 participating companies to show their living catalog. 500 flower growers present an enormous variety of cut flowers and pot plants at the over 20 flower shows.

What happens to tulips in Keukenhof? ›

Keukenhof Gardens has more than 100 suppliers of flower bulbs and based on the designs Keukenhof receives the flower bulbs. As soon as the Keukenhof gates are closed and the tulip season comes to an end, the flowers including bulbs are removed from the gardens.

What is the significance of the Tulip Festival? ›

The Canadian Tulip Festival was established to celebrate the historic Royal gift of tulips from the Dutch to Canadians immediately following the Second World War as a symbol of international friendship.

How long does it take to walk through Keukenhof Gardens? ›

How much time takes a visit to the Keukenhof Gardens? Of course you can enjoy all the beauty for a whole day, but on average, a visit to the flower gardens takes about 2 to 4 hours.

What is the best month to see Keukenhof? ›

If you really want to see all the tulips fully in blossom outside in the park, then the best time to go is end of April or begin of May. At those 2 or 3 weeks the tulips are fresh and there are a lot of fields to admire.

Is Keukenhof worth a visit? ›

This is the perfect place to visit if you have a green thumb but even if you don't (like me), you will love seeing the flowers. We loved it so much after our first visit, we decided to visit the Keukenhof again a few years later! After visiting twice, we have figured out what the keys are to maximizing your experience.

What is the story of the Keukenhof? ›

The history of Keukenhof comes down to twenty Dutch bulb growers (led by the then Mayor of Lisse) coming together in 1949, with a plan to use Keukenhof as an exhibition ground for the Netherlands' spring bulbs.

Can I buy tulip bulbs in Keukenhof? ›

Every year, we deliver thousands of tulip bulbs to the famous flower park. These tulip bulbs are planted in our own garden at Keukenhof. You can also buy tulip bulbs in our shop at Keukenhof, alongside a wide variety of flower bulbs.

Can you bring tulip bulbs back from Amsterdam to the USA? ›

Should you find yourself purchasing bulbs in the Netherlands to take back to the United States, be sure that they are certified and approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

What is the message of tulips? ›

The most known meaning of tulips is perfect and deep love. As tulips are a classic flower that has been loved by many for centuries they have been attached with the meaning of love. They're ideal to give to someone who you have a deep, unconditional love for, whether it's your partner, children, parents or siblings.

What is the main idea of tulips? ›

Sickness and Death. The speaker of "Tulips" is a hospital patient contemplating some get-well flowers she's received. Though she never reveals why she was hospitalized, she seems to be slowly recovering, almost in spite of herself.

What to wear in Keukenhof? ›

Go for something simple and muted; the flowers are so colorful as it is that they'll brighten up your pictures. As for footwear, wear something comfortable, because you'll be getting a lot of steps in while you walk around Keukenhof.

Can you visit Keukenhof for free? ›

To enjoy the Keukenhof Gardens, you need an admission ticket.

What city is closest to Keukenhof Gardens? ›

Haarlem

Why is the tulip garden famous? ›

Earlier called Model Floriculture Centre, it was opened for public in 2007 to boost tourism and floriculture in the Kashmir Valley. More than 60 varieties of tulips numbering over a few lakh can be seen, along with many other species of daffodils, hyacinths and ranunculus.

Why are tulips important to the Netherlands? ›

These brightly-colored tulips, hailing from the lily family, symbolize both economic revenue and a colorful history for the country. The Netherlands is the world's number one exporter of cut flowers, with more than 2 billion shipped out each year.

Where is the biggest flower garden in the world? ›

But where is the largest flower garden in the world? Perhaps unsurprisingly, the answer is in Keukenhof, in the Netherlands. Dutch for “kitchen garden”, Keukenhof is also sometimes known as the “Garden of Europe”. Covering 32 hectares, officials estimate that they plant around seven million new bulbs every year.

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