Tulip Festival in Amsterdam

Have you ever had the honor of witnessing a festival of color where the very air you breathe is painted with the aroma of countless hues ablaze? Where the vibrancy of every shade, tangoing in the spring sunlight, lifts the corners of your mouth into an unstoppable smile? If you have not, I consider it my humble duty to invite you to Amsterdam’s annual spring Tulip Festival.

The wondrous stems were first brought to Amsterdam in the 16^th Century from the  Ottoman Empire and were highly valued due to their beauty and rarity. The festival  celebrating the Dutch love for the flower began in the 19^th Century and  has been held annually during the spring months of March to mid-May, although the flowers are in full bloom in April.

Tulips symbolize a perfect and deep passionate love in the language of flowers,  which flawlessly describes their status in the Netherlands and all over the world as people arrive to enjoy the scenic beauty created by their existence in various locations across Amsterdam. The Tulip festival has become deeply rooted in Dutch heritage, becoming a national symbol for which The Netherlands has come  to be recognized. 

The town of Lisse, a half-hour drive from Amsterdam, holds an important place in the festival as there are many tulip fields that one can visit here, including the famous Keukenhof tulip garden, where there are more than 7 million flower bulbs. The entrance fee for the gardens costs around 19 Euros for an adult. However, tickets that include transportation from Amsterdam to Lisse are also available for 50 Euros.

Flower Parades are also held to celebrate the coming of spring, and you can easily visit museums and experience centers due to the well connected transport system. The festival caters to all ages and proves to be an art lover’s paradise with the large variety of shades inspiring the creative flow. Several cultural and traditional festivities that honor the Dutch traditions surround the Tulip festival.

The main airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, is a half-hour drive from the city center; however, regular trains from the airport to central Amsterdam station can whisk you away. Train tickets to Lisse are available from around $12, although there is a bus change from the Lisse station to the Keukenhof Tulip Garden. It would be easier but a little pricier to travel via rental car from Amsterdam. 

Try Central Amsterdam, but anywhere you stay promises to bring a flower show. The average Airbnb rates for the period of the tulip festival are around $200 per night.