Keukenhof Gardens Tickets with Shuttle Bus from Amsterdam

Keukenhof, the Garden of Europe

Keukenhof lies in Lisse, in the heart of the Dutch bulb region between Amsterdam and Leiden. The estate was once the kitchen garden of Countess Jacoba of Bavaria in the 15th century, which is where the name, meaning kitchen garden, comes from. In 1949 local bulb growers turned it into a showcase park, and it opened to visitors in 1950.

Each autumn gardeners plant around seven million bulbs by hand across 32 hectares, so that from late March to mid-May the park bursts into colour with tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. Is Keukenhof worth visiting? For anyone in the Netherlands in spring, it is one of the great flower shows of the world.

Inside the gardens: pavilions, the windmill and the best spots

Plan at least three to four hours inside. Winding paths lead past lakes, fountains and themed gardens, while indoor pavilions host flower shows that change through the season, including a spectacular orchid display and hundreds of tulip varieties side by side.

Climb the historic windmill in the park for a view over the surrounding bulb fields, and follow the canals where whisper boats glide between the flowers, at extra cost. The best time to visit Keukenhof is from mid-April, when most tulips are open, and early in the day before the midday crowds.

Windmill cruise and tulip farm

With our most complete option, the day goes beyond the park. A scenic boat cruise takes you past historic windmills through the flat polder landscape, where land reclaimed from water is kept dry by pumps and dykes, just as windmills did for centuries.

You also visit a working tulip farm, where growers explain how bulbs are planted, how flowers are cut to strengthen the bulb, and how the Netherlands became the world's leading bulb exporter. Tulips first arrived in the country from the Ottoman Empire in the late 16th century, and during the famous tulip mania of 1637 a single bulb could sell for the price of a house.

Getting to Keukenhof from Amsterdam

Keukenhof has no train station, so most visitors ask how to get to Keukenhof easily. Our departures leave in the morning from a departure point in Amsterdam-Noord with a waiting room and toilets, a short free ferry ride from behind Amsterdam Central Station. The drive takes around forty minutes to an hour, depending on traffic.

With the shuttle options you choose your own return time, as coaches go back regularly through the day. Keukenhof tickets sell out on weekends and Easter holidays, so booking early is wise. The gardens close in mid-May and reopen the following spring.