| Keukenhof | ||
 | ||
| location | ||
| ||
| Brief info | ||
| Tourist Info | www.keukenhof.nl | |
|---|---|---|
The Keukenhof is a park on the edge of the south dutch Locality Lisse. It is only open to visitors for a few weeks in spring, but then it is one of the main tourist attractions in the country.
background
history
Keukenhof(IPA: [ˈKøːkə (n) ˌɦɔf] 
) means "kitchen garden". In the 15th century there was an estate here, where herbs and vegetables were grown for the kitchen Jakobäa of Bavariawho lived in nearby Teylingen Castle. The was built on the grounds of the estate in the 17th century Keukenhof Castle as the country residence of a commander of the Dutch East India Company.
In the 19th century, part of the 200-hectare estate was transformed into an English park. Their winding paths, their watercourses and the now huge trees form the core of the park.
In 1949, 20 bulb dealers created the Keukenhof Spring Park as a permanent exhibition. When it opened in 1950, the Keukenhof was visited by around 236,000 people, and the number of visitors has now risen to around 800,000 per year.
Park area
The 32 hectare park is surrounded by a fence, within the area there are several areas covered with large trees, they are repeatedly broken through by clearings. The park is criss-crossed by canals, some of which can be navigated with small electric boats. The fields on the northeast side of the park are planted with tulip bulbs, on the southwest side the Stationsweg separates the park from a forest in which the Keukenhof Palace is located, but this can only be visited by appointment.
landscape
The park is located in South Holland, the flat terrain has a sandy, calcareous soil, it is very permeable to water and does not form waterlogging. This makes it particularly suitable for growing bulbous plants such as tulips and daffodils.
Flora and fauna
The original vegetation of the site consists of native trees, but the decisive factor are the approximately 7 million flower bulbs that were buried in the ground on the 32 hectares. Depending on the weather, they bloom from mid-March to mid-May, the peak of flowering is around mid-April. Water birds have made their home in the canals and waterways, they have their offspring in spring and can therefore be observed with their chicks when the park is open.
climate
The park is open in spring from mid-March to mid-May. The weather in this region is shaped by the nearby North Sea. Due to this, you have to expect that a long-term planned visit can fall in windy, cool and rainy weather conditions. Umbrellas and rainwear should be taken with you, and a warm jacket can also be taken with you.
Planning and arrival
The Keukenhof is only open to visitors when the tulips are in bloom.
- Opening times 2021: open from Saturday, March 20th to Sunday, May 9th, 2021, the ticket office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The flower parade will take place on April 17, 2021. You can find more information about the Flower Parade at Bloemencorso-BollenstreekAdmission prices not yet up to date (2019) for adults: 17 € (Tickets online), for children 4-11 years: 8 €. Group price: € 14.75 per person. The ticket shop will go online at the end of November 2020.[outdated]
When planning you should keep in mind that on April 27th the King's Day and associated with it is a special hubbub. Those who love peace and solitude should avoid this day.
With public transport
- From Schiphol Plaza Airport: Bus line 858 (Keukenhof Express), Ticket including admission 25 €
- Out Amsterdam: Museumsplein bus 197 to Schiphol Plaza, Ticket including admission 30 €
- Out Suffer: Bus line 854, 25 € (as of 2019)
The 1 Main entrance the park is just a few meters away from the N208 on the northwestern outskirts of Lisse, there are also parking spaces for visitor buses.
By car
With GPS: set Lisse and enter "Keukenhof", or switch off the GPS and follow the signs. You get to the parking lot at 1 Entree extra, the rear entrance. There is good parking for cars and mobile homes on the adjacent site, fee 6 €. Staff are available for instruction, the rows of parking should be remembered well.
By bicycle
There are a number of cycling and walking routes in the vicinity of Keukenhof, see vvvlisse.nl or Keukenhof Cycle Route.
mobility
There are around 15 km of paths on the Keukenhof grounds, they are quite flat, there are only a few inclines, and they are mostly wheelchair-accessible. If necessary, wheelchairs can also be borrowed, prior reservation is recommended.
Tourist Attractions
The main attraction of the park is the multitude of tulips and other spring flowers such as crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths. The latter can get on the nerves of odor-sensitive people because of their intense scent. The individual flowers with their colors and shapes are also worth seeing, but the entire complex is particularly impressive due to the design of its beds, with around 100 sculptures scattered around it and with individual inspiring gardens. There are also water features, streams and ponds. Within the complex there are several pavilions in which the gardeners advertise their products with flower shows.
- 2 Juliana: Tulip exhibition (2014), shop, café, toilet
- 3 Wilhelmina: Shop. Restaurant, toilet, first aid
- 4 Beatrix: Anthurium and orchid show (2017), shop, restaurant, toilet
- 5 Orange Nassau: Flower shows, historical gardens, shop, toilet
- 6 Willem Alexander: Flower shows, restaurant, shop, toilet
- 7 Windmill : It once had the function of a polder mill elsewhere and was only installed here afterwards. You can climb the upper floor and then have a good view of the adjacent tulip fields and the interior of the park. Next to the windmill is a small Japanese garden in which red maple dominates the color scheme.
Also noteworthy are gardens on special subject areas. In 2014, for example, the "Inspiration Gardens" showed the themes Kitchen, love and health, in 2017 is the topic Dutch design, you can also find it in the flower bulb mosaic and in the exhibitions in the Oranje Nassau Pavilion.
activities
- Bike tours around the Keukenhof. Bikes can be rented at the entrance area
- Whisper boat rides through the canals. Access is by the canal near the windmill. From the flat boats you have a very special angle of view of the park.
shop
Souvenir shops cannot be overlooked on the Keukenhof grounds. The usual range is similar in price and quality to what is on offer in the surrounding towns. In addition, there are all kinds of flower bulbs, and the Keukenhof is supposed to give an overview of what the florists have to offer. Anyone who does not find what they are looking for here should go to the dealers Westelijke Randweg between Keukenhof and Lisse, they are right next to the flower fields and have a wide range of plants.
kitchen
The cafés and restaurants in the pavilions have different dishes in their offerings, and waffles, which are popular in Holland, are part of them almost everywhere. In terms of price, the offer is within an average range. Next to the windmill there is a picnic area that families with children like to use. In addition, you can find snacks and drinks all over the park area.
accommodation
The Keukenhof is purely an excursion destination, there are no overnight accommodations on the park area, these are more likely to be found in nearby places such as Lisse, Hillegom, Katwijk and Noordwijk or in Suffer or Amsterdam
 Azaleas near windmill |  Tulip picture at the Oranje-Nassau Pavilion, 2014 |  Pond at the Wilhelmina pavilion |
Practical advice
- WiFi is available in all pavilions, information at the entrance.
- Dogs are allowed on the premises, but must always be on a leash.
- The hiking trails on the entire site are wheelchair accessible.
- Lockers are available free of charge at the main entrance
- More information on the homepage www.keukenhof.nl
security
The Keukenhof can be seen as a fairly safe park, and this also applies to the parking spaces. With small children, it is important to watch out for the water. Not all parts of the plant are edible without any problems.
literature
Web links
http://www.keukenhof.nl/ - Official website of Keukenhof
