Tulip Time River Cruise
Published Monday, August 3rd 2020 - Updated Wednesday, April 10th 2024The most overlooked European river cruises are springtime cruises that kickoff the river cruise season.
Perfect Timing
Timing is critical if you are going to see the vibrant colored tulip blooms at their most spectacular. Tulip time river cruises are only offered in a brief window each year. The Spring river cruises sail between mid-March and the end of May, which coincides with the tulip season in the Netherlands.
Visiting too early, fields of leafy stems and closed bulbs may greet you. Delaying your trip too late in the season means the tulips droop with warmer temperatures. It all depends on the weather.
A warm winter that ends sooner will lead to early tulip blooms. A long, cold winter can delay the start of the tulip season. Aiming for the middle of Spring in April gives you the best chance for optimal tulip viewing.
Flowers Flowers Flowers
Celebrate Spring on a river cruise through the Netherlands and Belgium when the beautiful tulips, narcissi, crocuses, daffodils, and hyacinths come alive.
Keukenhof Gardens, known as the “Garden of Europe,” is easily the most impressive flower garden in the world. People come from all over the world to visit Keukenhof. Located in the small town of Lisse just outside of Amsterdam, Keukenhof Gardens is over 70 acres of park filled with lakes, sculpture gardens, and greenhouses.
Garden enthusiasts are wowed at the sheer depth of flowers on display. The garden boasts planting 800 different tulip varieties and over 7 million individual bulbs bursting with color. Each year the flower garden is dedicated to a different theme. The flower shows, events, horticulture art, and inspiration gardens revolve around the theme of the year.
The tulip time river cruises don’t just pass by fields of flowers. From visits to FloraHolland Flower Auction to shopping for your own tulip bulbs at Amsterdam’s floating flower market, many excursions take advantage of the short but beautiful tulip season in the Netherlands.
If you are a true lover of flowers or just looking for an exclusive experience, don’t miss Floriade. It is an International Horticulture Expo held only once a decade in Almere, Netherlands. The next chance for this remarkable event will be in 2022.
Windmills
Venture to Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to find the windmills that make the Low Countries famous. This lovely village is renowned for having the countries highest concentration of windmills, which all date back to the 18th century. Learn why they were first built, see how they help control flooding, and tour a working windmill.
Other River Cruise Highlights
Not into flowers or windmills? While the blooming flowers are the main feature in a tulip time river cruise, not everything is all flowers. There are plenty more experiences along the way.
Amsterdam offers an abundance of classic architecture and famous canals. Discover the timeless traditions of Royal Delft Porcelain. Tulip Time River Cruises also journey to Belgium, revealing the medieval architecture of Bruges and Ghent. In Antwerp, indulge in Belgian chocolates, warm waffles, and delicious cheeses while savoring the region's storybook atmosphere.
Contact me for your complimentary consultation to discuss a Tulip Time River Cruise.
