When does the tulip season start in Amsterdam? Officially the season in the Netherlands starts every year on the 3rd Saturday in January – on 20 January in 2024 – on the National tulip day. But in fact you can see tulips in bloom from the end of March in the Keukenhof gardens, and from mid-April in the tulip fields.
Blooming season in the Netherlands
As we’ve just mentioned above, the tulip blooming season in Amsterdam and the area starts in the middle of April. But if you arrive in the Netherlands a bit earlier, no worries! In spring in the Netherlands you can see not only tulips, but also hyacinths and daffodil fields. The flower season starts with the daffodils, followed by the hyacinths and then come the tulips.
Exact blooming times always depend on the weather. But usual times for the flower fields blooming are:
- daffodil fields – from mid-March till mid-April
- hyacinth fields – from the beginning of April till end of the month
- tulip fields – from mid-April till early May
What are the best things to do in Amsterdam and the area during the tulip season? Here is our top 5 list.
1. Visit the Keukenhof tulip gardens
The highlight of the tulip season in the Netherlands are the Keukenhof gardens. Keukenhof is considered to be the world’s most beautiful spring flower garden. It’s open only for two months a year, around the tulip season.
Open gardens and pavilions demonstrate a collection of tulips, irises, lilies, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids and other flowers. It’s a must-see place in the Netherlands, a real Tulip Festival!
Keukenhof tulip gardens are open from 21 March to 12 May 2024, including the Easter weekend, King’s Day (27 April) and Liberation Day (5 May).
- Entrance tickets to Keukenhof for 2024 are available online >>
- Keukenhof combi-tickets (entrance + bus) for 2024 are available online >>
2. Explore the tulip fields
Are there tulip fields in Amsterdam? No, not in the city itself. But the best place to see the tulip fields not far from Amsterdam is the Bollenstreek area (the Flower Bulb Region). It includes beautiful places like Lisse, Noordwijkerhout, Noordwijk, and Hillegom.
The Bollenstreek is also the area where the Keukenhof gardens are located. It’s a good idea to combine your trip to the tulip fields with a visit to Keukenhof (opening dates in 2024 are March 21 – May 12).
What is the best time to see the tulip fields near Amsterdam? Usually the blooming season in the tulip fields lasts from the middle of April till early May. Most tulips in the Netherlands grow not for the flowers but for the bulbs, and are being cut early.
You can enjoy flower experiences in the area:
| Experience | Price | Tickets |
|---|---|---|
| Tulip Fields Helicopter Flight |
from € 159 | Book online >> |
| Land Rover Tulip Tour |
€ 65 | Book online >> |
| Drive-it-yourself tour by Renault Twizy | € 85 for two |
Book online >> |
| Tulip highlights bike tour |
€ 45 | Book online >> |
3. Experience the Dutch Flower parade
Bloemencorso Bollenstreek flower parade is one of the biggest flower parades in the Netherlands and one of the largest in the world. The Flower Parade during the next tulip season will take place on 20 – 21 April 2024.
It will start in Noordwijk. Then the beautiful cars decorated with flowers will process along the road, also near the Keukenhof main entrance, and arrive in Haarlem. You can see the parade in Noordwijk – Voorhout – Sassenheim – Lisse – Hillegom – Bennebroek – Haarlem.
Tip! If you want to save time and see the most in one day, book a VIP arrangement which includes a visit to Keukenhof, a tulip farm visit, lunch, transfer from/to Amsterdam and VIP seats during the Bollenstreek Flower Parade on 20 April 2024.
4. Visit a photo zone in a tulip farm
If you’re preparing for your trip to the Netherlands in the tulip season, you’ve probably seen lots of attractive photos of people in the tulip fields. But did you know that in fact it’s not allowed to enter the flower fields? They are privately owned.
The good news is that there are special tulip farms where you can take nice photos without breaking the law. Here are two of the biggest ones:
- The Tulip Barn (address: 130 3e Loosterweg, 2182 CX, Hillegom)
- Tulip Experience Amsterdam (at Delfweg 37, 2211VK, Noordwijkerhout).
Another good news is that even when the tulip season in the fields is over and flowers are being cut (usually in the beginning of May), you can still see the tulips in bloom at these farms!
5. Take a helicopter tour over the tulip fields
One of the most special things to do during the tulip season in Amsterdam is a Tulip Field Helicopter Flight. Take a helicopter flight over stunning Dutch tulip fields and see Dutch homes, villages, flower farms, windmills, dunes, the coastline, and the flowering Keukenhof.
Helicopter tours above the tulip fields are organized only for a few days during the tulip season. Usually the tickets are sold out even before the season starts.
A helicopter tour includes a 10 or 15 minutes flight in EC 120 helicopter (depending on selection).
Prior reservation of this tour is required. A departure location and exact time will be communicated at least 3 days in advance. This location is within ± 4 kilometers distance from the Keukenhof tulip gardens.
Enjoy your visit to Amsterdam during the tulip season!