Keukenhof Holland 2015

Here at Qbic, we love the good old Dutch tulip because, certainly for international guests, it is one of the most well-known symbols of the Netherlands. The Keukenhof comprises 32 hectares of fields of flowers to walk through, including our favourite: the tulip. You can easily spend a whole day there. Last year, more than a million visitors descended on the fields and this year promises to have another great season with Vincent van Gogh as the theme! Vincent van Gogh did things his own way and that’s what we love about him. We do things our own way too: cheap, chic, and no frills!

Vincent van Gogh: The theme of Keukenhof 2015

Where would we be without Van Gogh? We often find ourselves giving our guests directions to the world-famous Van Gogh Museum, located in Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter, which houses the biggest collection of his works. This year marks exactly 125 years since his death, reason enough for the Keukenhof to honour the world-famous Dutch painter with a theme that is devoted to him. The pièce de resistance is a 250-m2 large bulb mosaic of his self portrait in different coloured tulips! Just as you go over the Keukenhof’s Walk of Fame, you will see the ‘Vincent van Gogh’ tulips which have been planted to either side. And don’t miss out on the ‘selfie garden’ which was inspired by the self portraits Vincent van Gogh painted (the selfies of his era).

History of the Keukenhof

Centuries ago, a fruit and vegetable garden was situated on the spot where the flower exhibition now takes place. The fruit and vegetables grown here were picked for the nearby Teylingen Castle where Countess Jacqueline of Bavaria lived. The name ‘Keukenhof,’ or ‘kitchen garden,’ derives from the fact that the food grown here was used in the kitchen. Nowadays, the Keukenhof park is part of the much bigger Slot Teylingen country estate on which the much younger Keukenhof castle is also located. The Keukenhof first opened in 1950 after a group of bulb growers and exporters had the idea to hold an exhibition of springtime blooming flowers on the estate.

Flower Parade 2015

The Flower Parade 2015 takes place on Saturday 25 April. Although it is not held at the Keukenhof, this parade travels along a 40-km route from Noordwijk to Haarlem and does pass closely by the Keukenhof. You can therefore easily leave the park to see the Flower Parade.

Tickets and practical information

If you would like to visit the Keukenhof you can buy your tickets online. Admission for adults is €16. Admission for children is €8. Children age three and under enter for free. The park is open 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM every day from 20 March 2015 until 17 May 2015, including Sundays and Bank Holidays. The ticket desk closes at 6:00 PM.

If you are travelling by car, Keukenhof is located in an area known as the Bollenstreek (Bulb-growing region) between Amsterdam and The Hague and is easily accessible via the A4 motorway (exit Nieuw-Vennep) and the A44 motorway (exit 3, Lisse). ‘Keukenhof’ is well signposted after the exit. If you are staying at Qbic Amsterdam WTC, you can also go to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and take bus 858 in the direction of Keukenhof from there. This bus goes from the bus stop at Arrivals 4.
Would you like to visit the Keukenhof and stay overnight in Amsterdam? We have rooms available during this period from €69. We hope to see you soon!

Photo by Anh Tran on Unsplash