• By Travelspoc

A guide to seeing the most beautiful tulips in the Netherlands

Established in 1949, Keukenhof Gardens is undoubtedly the most popular tulip experience in the Netherlands; its lushly landscaped “inspirational” tulip gardens and windmills drawing over a million visitors each year during its eight-week season. “Around 7 million bulbs are planted by hands, not by machine, every year,” says Panis-Ringersma, whose budding love for tulips was ignited by childhood visits to Keukenhof, where her grandfather volunteered as a ticket taker. “It’s the most beautiful spring garden in the world.”

Visitors enjoy a wide variety of experiences at Keukenhof including picnics, flower exhibitions and didactic “whisper boat” cruises through the gardens, where contemporary art sculptures dot the grounds. But plan ahead; Keukenhof is open for just two months, usually from the first day of Spring to the first week of May, depending on the weather