A Spring day trip to the tulips

A tulip field on the bike ride to Lisse. Love those cherry blossoms in the background!

The Netherlands is in bloom. Yellow and white daffodils, cherry blossoms, and brilliant and radiant tulips of every colour are patched together in the fields to make one giant, colourful quilt. The colour, combined with warmer temperatures and the promise of summer, has moods lifted. People are shedding their winter coats, sitting outside in parks and cafes and enjoying the sun - even if that means shivering in 14 degree temperatures.

So much blossom
Coming from the temperate climate of Auckland where the changes in the seasons are subtle, it’s wonderful to see Haarlem transform from winter to spring. When even a sniff of sun pokes through the clouds, a festive atmosphere develops, with people queuing for gelatos and playing in the park. Blue sky is something to be cherished and celebrated here, not taken for granted, especially when coming out of a grey and gloomy winter.   
My boyfriend and I took advantage of one of these blue sky days by biking to the tulip fields in Lisse. It took us over an hour to bike there from Haarlem, but it was a pleasant ride through small towns and flower fields helped by the Netherlands flat topography.


Our destination was Keukenhof, a manicured 32 hectare garden with more than 7 million tulips, daffiodils and hyacinths. Arriving we felt like we were at an amusement park - the parking lot was packed with tour buses and the entrance was crowded. Granted it is the largest spring garden in the world, but we were still surprised that flowers could draw this much of a crowd. It was beautiful but the sheer volume of people made getting around the park tedious.

Keukenhof - the largest spring gardens in the world - draws quite the crowd!

It was the tulip fields surrounding Keukenhof that made our trip, and travelling by bike, we had the freedom to explore. If you are here in Spring, this is a day trip from Haarlem or Amsterdam that shouldn’t be missed.
Flower fields surrounding Keukenhof

TIPS FOR A DAY TRIP TO LISSE:

  • Travel by bike - it’s flat, it’s exercise, there’s separate bike lanes, and you see so much more
  • Go to Keukenhof on a weekday to avoid the crowds - 16 euro entry fee (It’s the largest spring gardens in the world, and only open from mid March to mid May)
  • Cycle around the fields surrounding Keukenhof
  • Mid April is the best time to see the tulip fields - only a few were in bloom when we were there in late March
  • Have lunch in Lisse to avoid paying top dollar at the cafes in Keukenhof
Location: Lisse, Netherlands

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