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After my trip to Portugal a week ago, I am definitely in the “spring is coming” kind of mood. Not even the traces of snow when I got back to a cold and white Amsterdam could change that. Snow time is gone, I say bring on spring!

Thinking about springtime in the Netherlands, one of the first things that comes to mind is Keukenhof. There’s nothing more emblematic of the Dutch spring than the tulip fields. This park is not only surrounded by them, but it creates its own flower fields too — all varieties of tulips as well as other spring flowers, plus indoor exhibitions of orchids, lilies and many more. The park will open its gates on March 23 and, for two months, this will be one of most photographed places in the world. This doesn’t come as a surprise for me, since every time I visited I came back with tonnes of pictures.

If you are considering visiting the Keukenhof Park, here are a few tips to make your trip easier:

• Buy your tickets in advance: there’s no need to stay in line at the entrance, sometimes buying online is even cheaper. The best deal is a combo-ticket: a direct bus (from Amsterdam, Haarlem, Schiphol, Leiden) and entrance.
• Don’t spend too much time in the entrance area: I say this because I already did it twice. You will be tempted to start taking pictures immediately but trust me, you have to move on into the garden, there is so much more waiting for you.
• Plan a whole day if you want to visit the entire park (including the expo pavilions) and don’t want to do things in a hurry. If that is not possible, plan at least half a day.
• The park is filled with flowers from its opening to the end, but if you want to be on the safe side, you should book your tickets for the middle of the season. Last year I went on the last day and it was still a marvelous garden.
• In April you can also visit the flower fields around the park, if you still have time.
• You can combine the park with a visit to the Keukenhof Castle and a visit to Lisse, the village where this park is located. In Lisse you can visit Museum de Zwarte Tulp (the Black Tulip Museum) to learn about the history of the Bulb District and the origins and the development of bulb culture.

For more information, visit Keukenhof website and check out my other articles:

Keukenhof, One of the Most Beautiful Gardens in Europe

Dreaming of Spring: Keukenhof Gardens

Keukenhof at the End of the Season

Visit the Dutch Tulip Fields: a Complete Guide

To see what’s waiting for you there, here are a few pictures: