Keukenhof Gardens

Overview

The world-famous Keukenhof Spring Gardens are open only 8 weeks per year between mid-March and mid-May. During this short period the garden receives well over one million visitors who come from all over the globe to witness this unique presentation of flowers. This is picture-perfect-postcard Holland at its very best. It is so special that you simply cannot afford to miss it. This spring, the Expat Club will travel from Brussels to the Keukenhof several times this spring. We’d love to have you join us — and bring your friends and family! Don’t forget your camera because you will be shooting hundreds of breathtaking pictures!

Trip in pictures

Welcome to the Keukenhof, the world's most beautiful spring gardens | © Keukenhof

Explore this huge park with an amazing variety of flowers

The park is meticulously designed with a lot of variety | © Keukenhof

© Keukenhof

The Keukenhof is one of Holland's top attractions, with over 1 million of visitors from all around the world | © Keukenhof

At several spots inside and outside the park you can buy fresh tulips and other flowers, as well as a wide selection of bulbs | © Keukenhof

Of course you can buy some delicious cheeses too in the souvenir shops | © Keukenhof

Flowers are not only exhibited in flower beds, but also in all kinds of art creations and objects | © Keukenhof

Rain or shine, you can always enjoy the millions of flowers in one of the several pavilions | © Keukenhof

Every pavilion has a different topic or a specific flower show on display | © Keukenhof

Everyone comes for the tulips but remembers the incredible fragrance of the hyacinths | © Keukenhof

The variation in colours is as impressive as tulip | © Keukenhof

The hyacinth flower beds are as impressive as the tulip ones | © Keukenhof

Just spectacular to look at | © Keukenhof

A third famous flower you can see throughout the season in all shapes and sizes are the daffodils | © Keukenhof

In the fall a team of professional gardeners are planting millions of bulbs, a process that repeats itself year after year.

Every single bulb is first put in the right spot on the field, after which they are carefully dug into the ground in various layers. This allows for different flowers to be seen in the same location at different times. Just ingenious Dutch thinking 🙂 | © Keukenhof

The windmill actually comes from the North of the Netherlands, but it is now the main eye catcher in the park | © Keukenhof

The lake inside the park is a temporary home to some swans. Our guide will tell us about them. | © Keukenhof

Keukenhof

Keukenhof, the best day out among the flowers! Over 7 million bulbs will bloom this spring, with a total of 800 varieties of tulips. A unique, unforgettable experience! Besides the spacious 32 hectares of flowers (i.e. larger than the full Cinquantenaire park) you can enjoy the spectacular flower shows, surprising inspirational gardens, unique art and wonderful events. Check out the map here. Do not miss the Tulip mania exhibition at the Juliana Pavilion. The Keukenhof is also fun for the children. They will have a blast with the treasure hunt, petting farm, maze and the playground. There are various restaurants and many snack stands throughout the park. Oh, and don’t forget the delicious Dutch delicacies, the stroopwafel and poffertjes. It’s a great day out for the whole family.

Program

Expat Club has been organising many Keukenhof trips since 2013. In fact, our very first trip was to the Keukenhof (on 1 May). We have gained a lot of experience already in the first years, and therefore we know that the below schedule is the most optimal way of visiting this amazing flower park. We avoid the heaviest traffic in the morning hours, do a guided tour immediately upon arrival (so you can have lunch directly afterwards), and plan the boat tour in the later afternoon, with a little bit of time afterwards so you can still enjoy some of the Dutch delicacies or do some souvenir shopping.

08h45 – Meeting time at Place Schuman
09h00 – Latest departure to Keukenhof
11h45 – Arrival at Keukenhof
12h15 – Start guided tour
13h15 – End guided tour & free time
18h00 – Departure
20h30 – Return to Brussels

Formulas

The trip includes bus transportation from Brussels to the Keukenhof, a 1-day entry ticket to the park and a 1-hour professionally guided tour. The guided tour is given by an official park guide who will show us around the best areas in the Keukenhof while telling us about its history, the way the park is organised, the €5 billion Dutch flower industry, and of course the star of the day: the famous Dutch tulip.

Transportation

We will be travelling with a comfortable 4* luxury coach from Lauwers Reizen. The seats are configured in Princess Class, which means you will have extra leg space and can recline your seat. This way you can get some extra rest. All seats have foot rests as well. There is a (small) toilet on-board and a DVD system with three flat screens.

Comments

• Please be respectful and don’t enter the flower fields outside of the park, unless the farmer is there and allows you to do so. The biggest problem is that you could spread viruses that can threaten the entire crop. You are also simply trespassing, which is not allowed. Inside the park, do not enter the flower fields either and stay on the main walking paths.
• It goes without saying that the blooming status of the flowers depends to a large extent on the weather conditions, during the day and in the weeks/months before our visit. We are definitely travelling in the tulip season, and with the “layered planting” (at 3 different depths) of a variety of tulips more or less guarantees you will always see amazing tulip fields.
• If you join the cycling tour, be aware that it is self-guided and that you are fully responsible for loss of or damage to the bike, your own safety and getting back on time. You will get a map and there are clear signs along the bicycle paths though.