Best flower walks around Amsterdam

Wander the flower fields of Lisse and Hillegom

What could be more synonymous with the image of Holland than the humble tulip? In fact, no springtime trip to the Netherlands is complete without a visit to the country’s famed flower fields. For a truly unique experience, start out in Lisse, beyond the gates of Keukenhof, to experience the countryside at the heart of what the Dutch call the ‘Bollenstreek’, or the ‘bulb region.’ Stretching between Haarlem and Leiden, this world-famous flower-growing region boasts sandy soil ideal for cultivating bulbs. The Netherlands has a long history of this kind of cultivation, which began with the exotic import of tulips from the Ottoman Empire and the subsequent Dutch tulip mania of the 17th century. These days, a Dutch love of the flower endures, and it’s here in the Bollenstreek that you can admire those beloved blooms up close. At Lisse and Hillegom, walking routes follow quiet roads and footpaths that meander past actively working bulb farms.

Timing is crucial in order to witness the spectacle of the flowers. For just a few brief weeks between mid-April and early May, the Dutch countryside explodes into colorful blooms. But blink and you’ll miss it – by the end of May the season is over. In subsequent weeks growers will carefully remove the tulip heads before harvest to direct the plant's energy into producing large healthy bulbs beneath the soil. It’s a practice that has been refined and polished over centuries into horticultural expertise, keeping these wonderful flowers blooming brighter each year.

Glimpse the industry in action at Aalsmeer’s flower auctions

When you’ve seen the blooming beauties of Lisse and Hillegom, it’s time to turn to the commercial wonder that is Aalsmeer, the site of the country’s premier flower trade. Take in the fast-paced world of international auctions and trading that unfolds behind these doors, which makes the proliferation of tulips across the world possible. (Fun fact: the Netherlands produces over 80% of the world’s tulips).

Start your walk at the Royal FloraHolland. Home to the world’s largest flower auction – at 775,000 square meters, it covers around 200 football fields of space – the Royal FloraHolland is truly the epicenter of the global cut-flower trade. It’s a fully functioning working hub rather than a tourist attraction, and it sends millions of flowers to every corner of the globe each day. The best part of the auction space is the elevated visitor gallery, which overlooks the auction halls and logistics floor. Here, you’ll gaze down at the frenzy of the Dutch flower auction as it unfolds, live, right in front of you. The visitor center also offers plenty of information panels to break down the auction process step-by-step, as well as explaining everything from quality control to the complicated logistics systems that keep the flowers fresh while they are transported to airports, wholesalers, and retailers.

Almere’s cherry blossom walk

Nothing heralds the arrival of spring quite like the explosion of cherry blossoms you’ll find blooming across the Netherlands. And if you’ve never experienced this phenomenon in the flesh, Almere’s cherry blossom walk is just the way to do it.

Though Almere is known for its modern architecture and for resting on reclaimed land – that feat of staggering engineering that allowed whole swathes of Dutch land to rise from under the sea – it is also known for its Regenboogbuurt (translating literally to ‘Rainbow Neighbourhood’), a pleasant residential area where you’ll find two avenues lined with 850 Japanese ornamental cherry trees. Begin your walk at Terracottastraat, the most famous cherry blossom street in Almere. Here, the trees form a whimsical canopy over your head in what has become one of the city’s most photographed spots. Wander down towards Siennastraat, another beautiful blossom-lined avenue, where the delicately blooming trees are set against the colourful scenes of the Regenboogbuurt.