Amsterdam Tulip Season: Best Time to Visit, Keukenhof & Complete Guide

If you’re planning to visit Amsterdam in spring, this article is for you. Millions of colorful tulips, beautiful gardens, I have learned so much during my trip, and I want to share with you the best way to see all the tulips.

Best time to see tulips in Amsterdam

Mid-April to early May is perfect, the tulips are at their prettiest. By late May, some tulips are still there, but many farmers have already cut them to save energy for the flower bulbs that grow underground.

If you can only visit once, plan to go in late April. That’s when you’ll see the best show.

Here’s something interesting about how tulips grow. Most tulips in the Netherlands aren’t grown just to look pretty. Farmers grow them for the bulbs underneath, which is why most tulip fields only stay colorful for about two or three weeks before farmers cut them back. But don’t worry too much because famous places like Keukenhof Gardens and the Tulip Experience don’t cut their flowers back early. There, you can enjoy beautiful blooming tulips until mid-May.

What to see in Amsterdam during tulip season

Keukenhof Gardens is the biggest flower garden in the world. Inside Keukenhof, you’ll see over seven million tulips and other spring flowers. You can spend a whole day there just walking around and taking photos. There’s a Japanese garden, a tulip pavilion, and gardens that tell you the history of the tulip. When you visit Keukenhof with the Tulip Festival Card, which I’ll tell you about in a moment, you get a digital guide that helps you find 18 special spots inside the gardens and learn interesting facts about each place.

Another great place to visit is Tulip Experience Amsterdam. It’s a museum where you can pick your own tulips and bring them home. Many people love this because it’s more hands-on than just watching flowers grow in fields.

While you’re in Amsterdam for the tulips, don’t forget about the canals either. You can see the Anne Frank House, the Skinny Bridge, and so much history all in one afternoon.

Tulip Festival Card

I found this Tulip Festival Card that honestly saves you a lot of money if you want to see everything. The card is a combo that gives you three experiences.

First, you get entry to Keukenhof or Tulip Experience. One option is Keukenhof plus bus transportation from Amsterdam A’dam Tower, which means no driving and easy access from the city. The other option is Keukenhof and Tulip Experience together with transportation included and free coffee or tea. This is great if you want to pick your own flowers too. Either way, the card includes a smartphone digital guide with photos and descriptions of 18 locations inside Keukenhof. You can download it on your phone and use it offline, so you don’t need to buy a paper guide or hire an expensive tour guide.

Second, after you see the flowers, you get a one-hour boat ride through Amsterdam’s canals. You can pick a closed boat if it’s cool or rainy, or a luxury open boat with an onboard bar if it’s sunny. Both boats start from Amsterdam Central Station, which is really easy to get to from anywhere in the city.

Third, you get a bonus personal discount code that you can use on five more bookings in Amsterdam. This saves you money on places like Moco Museum, Lisse Windmill Cruises, THIS IS HOLLAND, Pancake Boat, The Tulip Barn, and many more. The code works for a month after you buy the card, so you have plenty of time to use it.

If you bought all these things separately, it would cost you much more. Everything is easy to book online, and you get digital tickets on your phone with no printing needed.

How to book your Tulip Festival Card

It’s super easy and takes just five minutes. You pick your dates on the widget in the sidebar or click on the button Get Skip-The-Line Ticket button if you’re on mobile from this site, choose when you want to visit, keeping in mind that mid-April is best. Then you customize your package by picking either Keukenhof alone or Keukenhof plus Tulip Experience, and you pick whether you want a closed boat or a luxury boat for your canal cruise.

You get instant digital tickets in your email right away, and then you just show your phone ticket when you arrive at each place. You can book it right on Tiqets.com, which is a trusted ticket company that people use all over the world.

Tips

I learned these tips during my trip, and they made everything so much better. Wear really comfortable walking shoes because Keukenhof is huge – it’s 32 hectares, which is about 79 acres. You’ll walk a lot, and trust me, your feet will hurt if you don’t wear good shoes.

Spring in Holland is unpredictable, so bring weather protection. Bring sunscreen because the sun is stronger than you think, a light jacket because mornings are cool, and a small umbrella because rain comes fast but doesn’t last long.

Go to Keukenhof early in the day if you can. If you go at 10 AM, there are many fewer people. If you go at 2 PM, it’s crowded everywhere. Early is definitely better.

Plan at least five hours for Keukenhof. The garden is big, and you will need time to explore it. There are restaurants and cafes inside Keukenhof, and the food is decent, so you don’t need to leave and come back. Use the digital guide that comes with the Tulip Festival Card because it’s really helpful and tells you about flower types and history.

If you can, book your canal cruise for the evening when the sun is lower and the light is beautiful for photos. And while you’re there, try Dutch spring food like fresh asparagus and new potatoes – they’re seasonal and delicious. Yes, try proper Dutch cheese too.

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