The Keukenhof, Holland

I’m sorry for going quiet these past few days. There are ebbs and flows in blogging, and this past week has definitely been a photo-taking, e-mail-answering, event-attending week. So I neglected the blog space slightly, for which I am sorry! To make it up to you, I would like to share the most colorful post of all time :) One of the reasons I’ve been preoccupied lately is because I’ve had a slew of guests visiting over the past few weeks. First my two best friends, Katie and Amie, came to town. Then my Mom. And then two good friends from college. So now springtime is coming to a close, and I truly feel like the past month has flown by in a blur. I took two weeks off from work, and there have been numerous long holiday weekends this month as well. As you can imagine, with so many guests, I’ve been constantly on the go, super social, and doing tons of cool things in and around Amsterdam! One sunny day while my Mom was here, we headed over to the stunning Keukenhof to admire the endless flower gardens (I’ve mentioned the Keukenhof before here, in my Amsterdam city guide!)
I really have no words that could compare to the beauty of the Keukenhof . . . So I will tell you where to go, how to get there, what to bring, and then I will let your eyes feast on the floral glory!

The Keukenhof (which translates to ‘kitchen garden’) is one of the world’s largest flower gardens. There were over 7 million bulbs in bloom this spring, with a total of 800 varieties of tulips! Whenever I have a guest who wants to visit Holland for the first time, I suggest a trip over in April or early May, as the tulips are in full bloom, and are collectively one of the most beautiful sights in the Netherlands.

The Keukenhof is located in the small town of Lisse, just southwest of Amsterdam. You can easily take a bus or train from Amsterdam to Schiphol, where a second bus will take you directly to the gardens. You can purchase a return bus and entrance ticket on the Keukenhof website. This time around, as I made the trip to the gardens with my mom, a friend, and her mother (who coincidentally was in town at the same time) we took an Uber, which was about €50. I’m not opposed to public transport, but there are often long lines for the bus, and between the four of us, taking a cab was worth the extra €10 (as a one way ticket would have been €10 each!)

Keukenhof is open annually from mid-March to mid-May, but April is the ‘money’ month!! Stunning tulips spring in every direction in April, and I can tell you first-hand (as I’ve now been in March, April, and May) going in the last week or two of April tends to be the best :) Adult entrance to the park is a mere €16, and tickets can be bought at the park, or in advance online.

Bring your camera. Bring a picnic (the food there is OK but not really comparable to homemade chicken salad sandwiches, olives, fresh fruit, and thin slices of prosciutto and cheese!) And bring your walking shoes. I’d also recommend and umbrella and your sunnies, just incase!

Now, I think I’ve done enough chatting for one night! Enjoy the photos, and consider visiting Holland in April – you won’t be sorry! ;)