Looking to spend 4 days on Amsterdam. We really want to see the tulips in bloom. Is the end of March very beginning of April a good time to go or is it too early for the tulips?
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32798 posts
that is usually a decent time, Keukenhof will be open (we hope) but mid April to the third week of April is really peak time, usually.
Posted by
11164 posts
We saw full blooms around April 24 but it varies according to the weather and temperatures.
Posted by
Fairfax, VA
763 posts
Check their website for everything Keukenhof. https://keukenhof.nl/en/ We bought the combo ticket for entrance + public transport, which was easy. Otherwise you'll need a car to get there.
The homepage says ..."Flowering at Keukenhof parallels that in nature. That is why we cannot say in advance which time is best to visit Keukenhof. "
That said, it will be flowering from day one to the end of the season. Early on, there will be crocuses, hyacinths and daffodils, as well as early tulips. We were there on the very last day of the season. It was pretty much all tulips and everything was still gorgeous. Save a little time for the pavilions as well. The orchids were beautiful.
Posted by
The Netherlands
1326 posts
When it comes to when the tulips are in bloom, there is a difference between the Keukenhof and the famous flower fields in the area around the Keukenhof.
The timing of the blooming of the tulips in the flower fields is solely determined by Mother Nature. They usually bloom in the second half of April and the first week of May. If we have an early spring, they can bloom a bit earlier but we’re talking days not weeks. The best week to aim for would be the 3rd week of April. I checked my photos of the tulip fields taken in the last years, and they were all taken between April 14 and April 23.
The Keukenhof is a completely different story. Their gardeners use all kinds of techniques and tricks to try to make sure that there are always flowers in bloom during the 7 weeks that the park is open. From greenhouses to heated flower beds and planting the bulbs at various depths (lasagna style).
So if you are happy enough to only see tulips in the Keukenhof then I guess the end of March/ early April could work. But if you want to see the tulips in bloom in the flower fields, you should aim to be there during the 3rd week of April.
On another note; the flower fields are private property of the tulip farmers. They’re there for the growing of tulip bulbs, not for tourists to take selfies in. When you visit the area, please do not enter the fields. You can spread plant diseases and damage the tulips. If you want to get up close to the flowers, go to the Keukenhof or to one of the special Pick-your-own flower gardens. I’m not saying this because I think you wanted to enter the fields and trample the plants in order to score a selfie, but unfortunately many other tourists do this and it’s becoming a huge and costly problem for the tulip farmers.
Posted by
11164 posts
We arrived on 4/23 and tulips were at their peak. It varies by temperatures.