Flowery itinerary of Amsterdam and surroundings
When we think of Amsterdam and Holland, in addition to all the attractions that this country has to offer, we immediately imagine immense colored tulips and bicycles with which to travel every corner of the country.
The spring season can be the best one to admire both the infinite tulip fields in the bulb region but also to enjoy Amsterdam full of colorful flowers, thus having the opportunity to organize a trip with a double meaning: the floral and the cultural one.
Our itinerary
Suppose you arrive at Schiphol, the main airport in Amsterdam and all over the Netherlands. From here you can take the train to Amsterdam and go to your hotel / hostel / B&B.
One of the most visited floral attractions in Amsterdam is certainly the bloemenmarkt, the floating flower market, which we talked about in this article.
While you are on Sigel, one of the many canals in Amsterdam, you can take the opportunity to incorporate a visit to one of the museums of the day into the day: a good option could be that of the Rijkmuseum, to which you can perhaps attach a litte cruise on the canals to admire the many flowers exposed balconies style along the way.
Continuing along the canal, beer lovers cannot miss the Heineken Experience at the homonymous beer factory.
From here it would be a good idea to go to the Van Gogh Museum, another unmissable “monument” in the city dedicated to the Dutch painter famous all over the world, to then reach our flowery destination: the Vondelpark.
In the high season you might find this park a little “crowded”, but given the Dutch style, the flower beds and flowers in spring should not lack color or charm.
Itinerary from Bloemenmarkt to Vondelpark
Up to now we have traveled about 5 km by bicycle (if the weather is nice in Holland it may be the best way to move), but from now on the distances increase a bit so see if you can organize yourself with the same means or opt for other.
The flower market of Aalsmeer is without a doubt the largest, well-stocked and organized flower market in the world, the protagonist of the shipment and distribution of flowers all over the planet. Consider that, for logistical reasons, the market is located near Schiphol airport, therefore outside the city.
The next stop is a must among Dutch floral cities. Haarlem, in fact, a cute town located between the Dutch coast and Amsterdam, is also the final stop of the famous bloemencorso, the floral parade that passes through the region of flower bulbs in late April. Here, in Grote Mark, the town square, all flower floats stop, waiting to be “judged” and rewarded at the end of the parade.
In any case, always between March and May, Haarlem is undoubtedly one of the best cities to stop to organize a visit to Keukenhof, the flowery park that you can not miss for any reason in the world.
A tip: book everything well in advance if possible because here hotels, flights and excursions end quickly.
The bloemencorso already has the dates scheduled for the next 2 or 3 years and, considering that the streets will be blocked for several hours, fans in general on the days of the parade, tend to stop in the neighboring cities in order not to risk being stuck in traffic.
Keukenhof park is a unique attraction that all flower and non-flower lovers should visit at least once in their lifetime. It is no coincidence that millions of visitors from every corner of the earth come here every year to admire the work of Dutch gardeners between March and May.
Tulips, daffodils, orchids, roses, hyacinths, muscari and incredible mixes created to inspire the visitor color the park nestled among thousands of hectares of blooming tulip fields.
If you have the time and the opportunity, you can take advantage of the numerous excursions among the colored fields that give the opportunity to admire this spectacle of nature up close and take home or share social images unique in the world.
It starts from the bike or walking tours along the tulip fields, which give the opportunity to cross the fields with strategic points and an audio guide describing the route, up to a tour of the tulips tour with an electric scooter or even if you want to stay small groups and want to admire the tulip fields without losing the comfort of the car, you can opt for a flowerfield experience with small elecritc vehicle with GPS and audioguide.
Now, the name of Lisse is generally associated with the Keukenhof park, but if you try to set the navigator on this village, the greatest risk you run is to get lost among infinite and colorful cultivations of tulips.
There is however a museum dedicated to the tulip which can be a pleasant attraction for fans.
Here we are in the heart of the flower bulb region, better known as the Bollenstreek. a vast area ranging from the coast made of dune beaches to the plains cultivated with bulb flowers where you will find enchanting Dutch-style villages and many colorful windmills.
A sensational idea to admire the show from a different perspective would be to book a helicopter flight over the tulip fields and enrich your personal photo library to share with friends on social networks. The view of the fields from above is something unique and extraordinary that has no equal in the world!
From this point the advice is to rent the bike for a day at least and maybe organize a stop at the sea in the dunes of Noordwijk am zee.
We state that the Bloemencorso in April makes a first night tour through the streets of Noordwjikerhout and then the morning of the real parade from Noordwjik starts, therefore the idea of being in the area gives the opportunity to attend a unique event both at night that during the day,
But not only that, because from Noordwjik am zee a real cycling route starts that takes you to Keukenhof through colored fields. The itinerary , of ca. 12.5 km, provides for the departure from the lighthouse and the arrival at the Keukenhof park, but even more beautiful, you can check the state of the flowering of the fields with this floral radar and vary the itinerary as you like by following your favorite colors and blooms.
At this point, full of colors, flowers and maybe some typical local cheese, you can go back to Amsterdam or go directly to Schiphol where you can fly home with many good memories, fantastic photos and maybe some rare bulbs to plant on the balcony or in the garden once back.
