Spring Tulip Gardens of Holland & Belgium
Published Monday, November 2nd 2020 - Updated Wednesday, April 10th 2024Tulips, Windmills, and So Much More!
The Keukenhof Gardens, near Amsterdam, is a world-famous flower park that is only open in the Spring, from mid-March to early-May. They have an annual flower show dedicated to a different theme each year. The Dutch bulb growing industry stages its annual petal spectacular with fields upon fields of color. The gardeners plant over 7 million individual bulbs with 800 different tulips varieties, as well as hyacinths, narcissi, crocuses, and daffodils, that all bloom during the show. The park has 10 miles of walking trails with spectacular views of the inspiration gardens. The park also has pavilions and restaurants, making it easy to spend an entire Spring day here.
Belgium also has a spring flower exhibition each year called Floralia Brussels. Complete with a moat and a draw bridge, the Groot-Bijgaarden Castle offers an unforgettable flower experience. The castle gardeners plant over one million bulbs throughout the park and greenhouses, with almost 400 tulip varieties, as well as hyacinths and daffodils. This flower festival runs for about a month from early April to early May each year.
One of the best ways to see both Keukenhof Gardens and Floralia Brussels is by taking a river cruise that features Tulip Time. The river cruise itineraries can include both festivals and much more. A Spring river cruise is a wonderful way to see the flower without staying in crowded Amsterdam or Brussels during one of the busiest seasons of the year.
In addition to beautiful flowers, the Spring river cruises also feature whimsical windmills. Bike through the small village of Kinderdijk renowned for having The Netherlands’ greatest concentration of windmills.
Even if you are not into the flowers, there are many things to see and experience in The Netherlands and Belgium during the Spring. Experience Amsterdam’s colorful canals and discover the timeless traditions of Delft porcelain. History lovers will revel in the medieval architectural treasures of Middelburg, Bruges, and Ghent. Art lovers can visit Rubens House, home of the famous Baroque painter. Foodies will find plenty of culinary delights too. Throughout your river cruise, indulge in decadent chocolates, delicious cheeses, warm waffles, and Belgian beer – all while savoring the storybook region.
Because the flowers only bloom for so long, the Tulip Time river cruises have a limited time to run. So this means that sailings typically sell out far in advance. If you are thinking of a Spring vacation, booking two years ahead is a wise move.
I specialize in river cruise experiences, and I am delighted to help plan a Tulip Time Vacation.
When you are ready to plan for a Spring vacation, reach out to me for help.
