Keukenhof is a royal park of flowers (mainly lily and generally bulbous) in the Netherlands, between Leiden and Haarlem, in the small town of Lisse, about 5 km from the North Sea
About two centuries ago, the famous landscape architect Jan David Zocher, the same one who designed the Vondelpark in Amsterdam, was invited to create the design of the garden around the castle. Today, the modern Keukenhof is based on the concept of a 19th century park created by Zocher.
The park covers an area of 32 hectares, where there are about 7 million bulbs (hyacinths, crocuses, daffodils, hazel grouses, muscari) – of which about 4.5 million tulips of 100 different varieties. The territory has a large number of lakes, ponds, waterfalls, streams, canals. Most of them are boat accessible. More than 40 bridges connect the shores of lakes and canals.
The main flowering time depends on the respective weather conditions. It is usually in the middle of April. According to the Keukenhof, around 1.4 million people visit the Keukenhof during the eight weeks it is open each year, around 80% of whom come from abroad.
Access : Coordinates:52.271256, 4.546365 / From Amsterdam and Rotterdam, you can get there by car along the A4 motorway in the direction of The Hague to the Exit 4 and then follow the sign “No. 207-Lisse”. You can also get to Keukenhof from The Hague by taking the A44 motorway to Exit 3 Noordwijkerhout / Lisse, and then taking the “208” to Lisse.
/ there is a paid parking, which includes 2 parking zones. Car parking will cost you 6 EUR./ At the car park, you will notice a place where you can rent a bike / There are stations in the towns of Haarlem and Leiden that have tourist buses to get there.
Highlights :
- There is a windmill in the park. It was built in 1892 in the Dutch city of Groningen. The original goal was to use the mill to pump water out of the polder. In 1957, Holland American Line bought the mill and donated it to Keukenhof.
- The paths : The total length of all footpaths is about 15 km. Along the paths there are sculptures by Dutch and foreign masters: Koning, Kervel, Vermeer, Bruning, Alexander Taratynov. About 90 types of trees.
- Keukenhof often called the “Tulip Park” : tulips in Keukenhof occupy an honorable first place in the number of planted units – 4.5 million tulips of a hundred different species, secondly, Keukenhof is located in the so-called tulip region, and thirdly, a tulip, like -No, is a symbol of Holland.
- Along the park alleys, there are sculptures, by the way, among them you can see sculptures by the Russian master Alexander Taratynsky. Walking along the Walk of Fame from the Oranje Nassau pavilion, you will reach the largest Willem-Alexander pavilion, to which, incidentally, all other paths in the central part of Keukenhof.
- indoor greenhouses: Willem-Alexander Pavilion – Amaryllis, hyacinths, hydrangeas, lilies, potted plants and bulbous flowers in pots. – Nassau-Orange Pavilion (Oranje Nassau) – freesias, gerberas, roses, tulips, irises, alstroemeria, daffodils, chrysanthemums, calla lilies and carnations. / a pavilion of royal hats, an English tea pavilion / The “Royal” Pavilion : The third pavilion, Beatrix, is the private pavilion of the Queen of the Netherlands, featuring orchids, and exhibitions are held every year under the guidance of the ruler herself.
- It is worth noting that various bazaars, festivals, parades are constantly held in Keukenhof , Bloemen Corso Flower Parade on the twentieth of April, or, as it is also called, the “Face of Spring” Flower Cortege, At the end of April, the Bloemencorso Bollenstreek flower parade takes place – a procession of various flower arrangements.
- According to statistics from Kodak, Keukenhof is the most photographed place on the planet.
The park is open to visitors every year from about the 20th of March to the 20th of May./ the ticket office is open until 6:00 pm, and the Keukenhof park itself is open from 8:00 am to 7:30 pm. / ticket offices of the park, it will cost 17 EUR for adults, 9 EUR for children 4-11 years old. Admission is free for children under 4 years old.
Activities : sightseeing / photo opportunities / trekking / Activities for children include scavenger hunts, a petting zoo, a maze and a playground / admire the magnificent tulip fields of the Keukenhof.
Go next : The town of Lisse / Haarlem , a city and community in the west of the Netherlands, the capital of the province of North Holland / Leiden , a city and community in the Dutch province of South Holland on the Old Rhine River.
