Keukenhof, translated into kitchen garden in Dutch, encapsulates spring and hope and is literally everything you could want in a garden and more. Located near the town of Lisse in the province of South Holland in the Western Netherlands, the garden is most famous for its breathtaking tulip displays, although the park is also home to beautiful hyacinths, daffodils and irises.

Keukenhof is truly what I think of when I think of the Netherlands and is the most picture perfect place. It’s very idyllic and relaxing, it almost doesn’t feel like it’s a place on Earth. It has a long history, with Keukenhof Castle being built in 1641. The castle gardens were remodeled in 1857. In 1949, prominent flower bulb growers and exporters decided to use this region to display flower bulbs, marking Keukenhof’s beginnings as a flower park. It was opened to the public in 1950 and 236,000 guests visited that year (Now, nearly one million people visit the park yearly).

Since 1950, Keukenhof has become a major tourist attraction in the country. It is known as the Garden of Europe and is not only one of the world’s largest flower gardens, it’s also one of the most stunning gardens you’ll ever seen. It is open to the public for a jaw-dropping two-month tulip display from mid-March to mid-May. Tickets are purchased the year before.

The best thing about this park is that’s what it exactly is – a park. All the gorgeous flowers are displayed beautifully and it’s an incredible place to walk at your own leisure and soak in the views. Another great thing is that it’s not far from Amsterdam – I highly recommend visiting Amsterdam in the spring because you can take this day trip to Keukenhof and after all, what’s a trip to the Netherlands without seeing the tulips? It’s easy to access Keukenhof from Amsterdam, with all transportation options thought out. There is a Keukenhof public transport bus that departs from various locations, including Amsterdam city centre (shuttle bus), RAI station (852), Amsterdam airport Schiphol (858), Haarlem station (850) and Leiden station (854). You can even incorporate another day trip from Keukenhof and keep the fun going – buses onsite at the tulip garden run to Haarlem, a charming city right outside of Amsterdam.

I should reiterate that tickets are purchased in advance several months before. And while we went on the second day after its opening, it goes without saying that weekends and peak blossom draw major crowds. But it is SO worth it. It’s so pretty here and feels like an oasis. You can easily spend several hours here.

Keukenhof has several pavilions on-site with tulips already bloomed and orchids. Keukenhof even has its own windmill, it’s one of the most photographed windmills in the country! It was built in 1892 and was relocated to the flower park in 1957. You can even climb it for some amazing views.

Cafes and restrooms are spread out through the park, I had a cappuccino and a muffin. There are also multiple gift shops where you can purchase unique souvenirs like Dutch clogs, Delft bracelets (Delft are Dutch ceramics known for their blue and white colors), and even the Dutch bonnet that’s part of their traditional dress. I think Keukenhof does a good job with this, ensuring that no one is left hungry and can choose a souvenir to commemorate their trip to the park.

I can’t recommend Keukenhof enough! It feels almost necessary to add Keukenhof to any Netherlands trip, it’s like oxygen. Definitely consider traveling to Amsterdam in the spring so that you can incorporate this fantastic day trip into your itinerary, Keukenhof and Amsterdam go together like peanut butter and jelly. For more information, visit the Keukenhof site.