Every spring, the strip of sandy land between Haarlem and Leiden known as the Bollenstreek (bulb region) turns into stripes of red, yellow, pink and purple as millions of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths bloom in the fields. At its heart, in the village of Lisse, Keukenhof is the world’s most famous spring garden, with about 7 million bulbs planted by hand in 32 hectares of woodland, lawns and ponds. It opens for only about eight weeks a year. You come to walk among flowerbeds and flower shows at Keukenhof, then cycle or drive through the surrounding bulb fields at their peak, ideally in mid-to-late April. It is about 30–45 minutes from Amsterdam, Schiphol, Haarlem and Leiden. Book your timed Keukenhof ticket well ahead and treat the fields with respect: they are farmers’ crops, not a park.
Right now in Keukenhof (Lisse)
- Thu13–15°C55–59°F4 mm rain
- Fri12–17°C54–62°F19 mm rain
- Sat13–15°C56–58°F4 mm rain
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Keukenhof at a glance
- Best for: spring flowers, photography, garden lovers, families, and cycling through the tulip fields.
- 2027 season: Keukenhof is open from Thursday 18 March to Sunday 9 May 2027, daily 8:00–19:00 (last entry 18:15). It is closed the rest of the year.
- Tickets: on sale from mid-October 2026, for a fixed date and arrival time; from €21 online for adults (€27 at the gate) and from €11 for children aged 4–17.
- Peak bloom: tulips usually peak from mid-April to early May, depending on the weather.
- Getting in: special seasonal buses from Leiden, Haarlem and the Amsterdam area, by bike from Leiden or Haarlem, or by car with a pre-booked parking ticket.
- Before you go: entry rules, money and general safety are in our Netherlands travel guide.
Keukenhof gardens
Keukenhof means “kitchen garden”: in the 15th century the estate supplied herbs and game to the kitchen of Countess Jacoba of Bavaria’s castle. Its park was laid out in the 19th century, and in 1949 local bulb growers turned it into a spring showcase for their flowers. Each autumn, gardeners plant around 7 million bulbs of hundreds of varieties in layers, so that crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, tulips and other flowers bloom one after another through the season.
Inside, you follow winding paths past flowerbeds, ponds and fountains, sculptures and a historic windmill with views over the fields. Pavilions hold indoor flower shows, from tulips and orchids to lilies and roses, changing every week or two. Each year has a theme, worked into a large flower mosaic. There are cafés, playgrounds, a petting farm and a maze for children. Allow at least three or four hours; many visitors stay most of the day.
Keukenhof 2027: dates and tickets
Dates. Keukenhof is open from Thursday 18 March to Sunday 9 May 2027, every day including Sundays and holidays, from 8:00 to 19:00; entry closes at 18:15. It is a spring-only garden and closed outside this period.
Tickets. According to Keukenhof, tickets for 2027 go on sale from 15 October 2026 and are valid for a fixed date and arrival time. Prices vary by day; the published 2027 starting prices are:
| Ticket | Online from | At the gate |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | €21 | €27 |
| Child aged 4–17 | €11 | €15 |
| Child aged 0–3 | free | free |
| Groups of more than 20 (per person) | €20.50 | €26.50 |
| Car parking | €10 | €15 |
Combination tickets with public transport were still to be announced in October 2026. Bicycles and motorbikes park free. Buy only on keukenhof.nl: Keukenhof warns that fake websites sell tickets for its gardens, so check the address before you pay. The busiest days are weekends, Easter (28 and 29 March 2027) and King’s Day (27 April); weekday mornings are calmest.
Monuments
- Huys te Warmont
- Keukenhofmolen
- Noordwijk Lighthouse
Palaces
- Castle Keukenhof
Museums
- Black Tulip Museum (Museum de Zwarte Tulp)
- Space Expo
Theme parks
- Linnaeushof
The bulb fields of the Bollenstreek
Outside Keukenhof, the real bulb fields stretch for kilometres around Lisse, Hillegom, Sassenheim, Noordwijkerhout and De Zilk, and north of Haarlem towards Alkmaar. Growers raise the flowers for their bulbs, not for cut flowers, so many fields are “topped” (the flower heads cut off) soon after blooming to send the plant’s energy into the bulb. That means the colours come and go quickly, field by field.
- Late March to mid-April: crocuses, then daffodils and fragrant hyacinths.
- Mid-April to early May: tulips, the main show, usually peaking around the second half of April in a normal spring.
- A warm or cold spring can move the peak by one or two weeks, so keep your plans flexible and check bloom reports.
The best way to see the fields is by bike: rental shops near Keukenhof’s entrance and in Lisse, Leiden and Haarlem offer marked routes of 5 to 25 km along quiet roads and canals. On one Saturday in April, the Bloemencorso Bollenstreek, a parade of floats covered in flowers, travels from Noordwijk to Haarlem; check the date for the year you travel. See our cycling guide.
Tulip field etiquette
The fields are private farmland, and the Netherlands’ official tourism board says growers lose hundreds of thousands of euros every year from visitors walking into their crops. Please:
- Never walk into a field, even if there is no fence or sign. Take photos from the road, the verge or the path at the edge.
- Do not pick flowers or dig bulbs. Damaged plants and bulbs cannot be sold, and footsteps can spread plant diseases from field to field.
- Respect fences, ropes and signs, and private driveways and farmyards.
- Park legally, not on verges or in farm entrances, and keep cycle paths clear.
- Leave the drone at home unless you have checked the rules: the bulb region lies close to Schiphol airport, where flying drones is heavily restricted.
Trespassing can lead to a hefty fine. If you want a photo surrounded by flowers, visit one of the tulip “picking gardens” or show fields set up for visitors, where walking among the flowers is allowed, or the flowerbeds inside Keukenhof.
More things to do in the bulb region
The Keukenhof Castle estate, next to the gardens, has a landscaped park and spring events. In Lisse, the small Black Tulip Museum (Museum De Zwarte Tulp) tells the history of bulb growing, from the tulip mania of the 1630s, when single bulbs sold for the price of a house. Leiden, with its canals, the botanical garden where the first Dutch tulips were grown, and its museums, is 15 minutes away. The North Sea beaches of Noordwijk lie just west of the fields. See our beaches guide.
Activities and best months
- CyclingMarAprMayBikes can be rented at Keukenhof's main-entrance car park while the park is open (18 March - 9 May 2027), for 3 hours or a day, with a map of four routes through the flower fields; the free Tulip Bike Tour (10 or 25 km) and the 35 km Flower Route along the dunes and beach start nearby. Tulips are usually in full bloom from mid-April to early May.
Getting to Keukenhof
By bus. During the season, special Keukenhof buses run from Leiden Centraal, Haarlem station, Hoofddorp and Amsterdam, with combination tickets for the bus and entry. In 2026 they ran from Amsterdam RAI, Hoofddorp, Leiden and Haarlem, and there was no direct bus from Schiphol airport; routes and prices for 2027 are announced by Keukenhof and the bus operator before the season. Buses are very busy at peak times, so arrive early.
By train and bike. Take the train to Leiden or Haarlem (both well connected to Amsterdam and Schiphol), rent a bike and ride through the fields to Keukenhof, about 15–20 km. It is the most beautiful way to arrive.
By car. Keukenhof is at Stationsweg 166a, Lisse, about 35 minutes from Amsterdam and 25 minutes from The Hague. Buy your parking ticket online (€10, or €15 at the gate) and arrive early on weekends, when traffic queues build up around the gardens.
Tours. Many coach tours from Amsterdam combine Keukenhof with the fields, windmills or other sights. They are easy but rigid; check whether the entry ticket and arrival time are included.
When to go
Spring weather in the bulb region is changeable: sunny, breezy days alternate with showers, and mornings can be chilly. The table uses the WMO 1991–2020 normals for Voorschoten, about 13 km south of Lisse, for temperatures and sunshine, and for Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, about 15 km north-east, for rainy days.
| Month | Average high / low | Rainy days | Sunshine hours | In bloom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 10 °C / 3 °C | about 10 | about 150 | Crocuses, early daffodils; Keukenhof opens |
| April | 14 °C / 5 °C | about 9 | about 205 | Daffodils, hyacinths, then tulips; the peak month |
| Early May | 17 °C / 8 °C | about 9 | about 240 (whole month) | Late tulips, then the season ends on 9 May 2027 |
April is the driest month of the year at Schiphol and one of the sunniest, which helps. Go on a weekday, arrive at 8:00 or after 16:00 to avoid the crowds, and take a warm layer.
A perfect tulip day
Take an early train to Leiden, rent a bike and ride through the fields to reach Keukenhof at opening time. Spend the morning in the gardens and pavilions, have lunch there, then cycle a loop through the fields around Lisse and Noordwijkerhout before returning to Leiden for dinner by the canals.
Weather month by month
Where to stay
- Leiden: a charming canal city with good trains, 15 minutes from the fields.
- Haarlem: a lively historic town between the fields and Amsterdam.
- Lisse, Noordwijk and the villages: B&Bs and beach hotels closest to the flowers.
- Amsterdam: easy as a base for a day trip, though the journey adds time.
Rooms in the region and in Amsterdam fill up in April, especially around Easter and King’s Day; book early.
Practical tips for Keukenhof
- Book early: busy days sell out, and online tickets are cheaper than at the gate.
- Arrive on time: your ticket is for a set date and arrival time.
- Stay out of the fields: photograph from the edge only.
- Check bloom reports: Keukenhof publishes a bloom calendar, and the fields change week by week.
- Pay by card: cards and phones are accepted at Keukenhof and most bike rental shops.
What to pack for Keukenhof
Comfortable walking shoes, a light waterproof jacket and warm layers for chilly mornings and breezy bike rides, sunglasses and sun cream for bright days, and a charged phone or camera; you will take more photos than you expect.
What to pack
- Rain jacketsA packable shell covers showers and wind on coastal routes outside summer.
- Water bottles and hydration packsRiding in the Algarve and Alentejo heat needs more water than you expect.
Keukenhof travel FAQ
When is Keukenhof open in 2027?
From Thursday 18 March to Sunday 9 May 2027, every day from 8:00 to 19:00, with last entry at 18:15. It is closed the rest of the year.
How much are Keukenhof tickets?
For 2027, adult tickets start at €21 online and €27 at the gate, and children aged 4–17 start at €11 online and €15 at the gate; under-4s are free. Prices vary by day, and tickets are for a fixed date and arrival time.
When do Keukenhof 2027 tickets go on sale?
From mid-October 2026 (Keukenhof gives 15 October), only on the official website keukenhof.nl. Beware of fake ticket sites.
When is the best time to see the tulips?
Usually from mid-April to early May, with the fields at their best in the second half of April. Daffodils and hyacinths come earlier, from late March. Weather can shift the peak by a week or two.
Can I walk into the tulip fields?
No. The fields are private farmland, and walking in them damages the crop and can spread disease; you risk a fine. Take photos from the roadside, or visit a picking garden where walking among the flowers is allowed.
How do I get to Keukenhof from Amsterdam?
By the seasonal Keukenhof bus from the Amsterdam area, by train to Leiden or Haarlem and then a bus or bike, or by car in about 35 minutes with a pre-booked parking ticket.
How long do you need at Keukenhof?
At least three or four hours for the gardens and flower shows; a full day if you also cycle through the bulb fields.
Nearby destinations
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🇳🇱 Useful Dutch phrases for Keukenhof
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Traveler centers in Keukenhof
Tourist information offices, visitor centers and travel agencies in Keukenhof, from OpenStreetMap.
- Travel agency
Reisbureau De Haan
- Tourist information office
VVV Noordwijkerhout
- Travel agency
D-reizen
- Tourist information office
VVV Noordwijk zh
- Tourist information office
Keukenhof
- Travel agency
Pelikaan reizen Hillegom
Sources · last reviewed 4 October 2026
Researched and last reviewed on 4 October 2026. Keukenhof 2027 dates, opening hours, ticket prices, parking and ticket-safety advice: Keukenhof’s official website; tulip field etiquette: Holland.com, the official site of the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions; 2026 bus routes: travel coverage of the KeukenhofBuzz service; climate: WMO 1991–2020 climate normals for Voorschoten and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Prices, timetables and rules change, so check the official links before you go. For entry rules and King’s Day, see our Netherlands travel guide.
Also: bollenstreek.nl · KNMI normals 1991–2020, Amsterdam Schiphol (airport) (climate)
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Air quality: OpenAQ · Rates: ECB · Costs: World Bank ICP and price levels · Wikidata (CC0)