Kaukenhof Tulip Garden, Lisse, Holland - The Garden of Holland

The Kaukenhof's Tulips

Tulips from Holland are world famous. If you want to see the Dutch tulip fields in bloom, you should visit Holland in April and May. This is the same period in which the biggest flower park in the world, Keukenhof, opens its doors.

The flowers, just look like a river.

Keukenhof is a park where more than 7 million flower bulbs are planted every year. Gardens and four pavilions show a fantastic collection of: tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids, roses, carnations, irises, lilies and many other flowers. You will be overwhelmed by a spectacle of colors and perfumes.

The fantastic and amazing garden

Keukenhof includes many gardens and four grand pavilions that show the most magnificent flowers you can imagine. Every year, Keukenhof creates a complete new look according to a central theme. Everywhere you look are tulips and other flowers. Though the park is only opened 8 weeks a year it attracts around 800.000 visitors each year. It is without a doubt the best place to see tulips in Holland.

The Kaukenhof Castle

Keukenhof is situated on 15th century hunting grounds. The history is it was once a source of herbs for Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut's castle, which is the source of the name Keukenhof (it served to provide herbs for the castle's kitchen). Rich merchants took over the grounds after the Countess's death. VOC captain and governor Adriaen Maertensz Block lived there in his retirement years in the 17th century in the country house (now known as Castle Keukenhof) which he had let built in 1641. In the 19th century, the Baron and Baroness Van Pallandt assigned the landscape architect Jan David Zocher and his son Louis Paul Zocher, who had also worked on the Vondelpark, to design the grounds around the castle. The garden was established in 1949 by the then-mayor of Lisse. The idea was to present a flower exhibit where growers from all over the Netherlands and Europe could show off their hybrids – and help the Dutch export industry (the Netherlands is the world's largest exporter of flowers).

The beautiful flowers along the pathway

Keukenhof is unique in the world and an unforgettable experiences for people of all ages. Unfortunately, the park is only open 8 weeks a year. You can reach Keukenhof within half an hour from The Hague, Haarlem, Leiden, Delft and Amsterdam. However, traffic is problematic around Keukenhof during the opening weeks. A great alternative is to stay in Zandvoort, Noordwijk or Leiden and reach Keukenhof by bike. You will cycle along the tulip fields and enjoy the unique Dutch landscape.