Public Transport Map Se
a
Amsterdam City
Haarlem
th Daytrips
N
Keukenhof and beyond (1/2 day or full day)
Amsterdam Sloterdijk
Station
or
50 340
Zandvoort
Amsterdam Central Station
80
172
80
Bus station 80
You can’t leave Holland without visiting the famous Keukenhof gardens. Open for just eight weeks each year (23 March-21 May 2017), the Keukenhof boasts a staggering seven million blooms, planted over 32 hectares (www.keukenhof.nl). From Amsterdam Central Station, take a train to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and then the Keukenhof Express bus 858 or 361 to the Keukenhof. Alternatively, take a train from Amsterdam Central Station to Haarlem Station, and then bus 50 to the Keukenhof. Both journeys take around one hour. Located opposite the garden is Keukenhof Castle. The Black Tulip Museum (a kilometre away, Heereweg 219) is also worth a visit if you want to know more about the history of the Bollenstreek (bulb region) . If you’re heading back to Haarlem Station with bus 50, make a stop at Annemieke’s Pluktuin to pick your own bouquet (Ford Museum stop).
Elandsgracht 80 197
80
Heemstede
Haarlemmermeerpolder
50 340
197 172
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Amstelveen
197 361 858
Hoofddorp
Hillegom
57
Keukenhof 854 858
C
Picképlein 361
D
50
57
Noordwijkerhout
Noordwijk
Station 340
361 858
Lisse
A
NieuwVennep Station
340
361 858
57
50 361 854
Aalsmeer FloraHolland
172
B Westeinderplassen
Uithoorn
172
Bus station 340
57 361
172 Kudelstaart
ESTEC 30
Kager Plassen
Katwijk Fantastic Flora (full day) Set the alarm because today you’ll discover the wonderful world of flowers at the FloraHolland flower auction (www.floraholland.com). The earlier you get there, the more you’ll see. Experience the hustle and bustle of the auction floor, watch traders bidding against the clock and be amazed at the quantity of beautiful blooms from more than ten countries traded daily. Take bus 172 from Amsterdam Central Station to Aalsmeer, the FloraHolland stop (one hour, direct connection). After your visit, take bus 172 again to the Hortensiaplein stop. From here you can walk to Westeinder Rondvaart (20 mins total), a company that operates boat tours on the Aalsmeer lakes. You’ll float past countless islands teeming with flora and fauna (www.westeinderrondvaart.nl). Next to Westeinder Rondvaart is the Historic Garden (www.historischetuinaalsmeer.nl), which takes you through the horticultural history of Aalsmeer between 1700 and 1940. Refuel in the centre of Aalsmeer , with its cafés, restaurants and shops. Bus 172 from Hortensiaplein will take you back to Amsterdam.
Oegstgeest
50 57 854
30
Visitor Information Centres I amsterdam Visitor Centre
Braassemermeer
Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket (ARTT)
Central Station or Amsterdam Airport Schiphol www.iamsterdam.com/area
A VVV Lisse (www.vvvlisse.nl) B VVV Aalsmeer (www.vvvaalsmeer.nl) C VVV Noordwijkerhout (www.vvvnoordwijkerhout.nl) D VVV Hoofddorp (www.hlmrmeer.nl/en)
30 50 57 854
Station
Leiden
Highlights
Bus Railway with station
Keukenhof Rent-a-Bike van Dam Aalsmeer (Flower Festival 17-18 June 2017) Lisse (Flower Festival 8-30 April 2017) Annemieke's Pluktuin Haarlem Tulpomania Keukenhof Hotel Express Haarlemmermeer The Historic Garden
Get out of Amsterdam with the ARTT, which grants you unlimited travel on the city's public transportation and beyond. From flower auctions and windmills to beaches and medieval castles, ARTT is the easiest and most economical way to explore everything the greater Amsterdam Metropolitan Area has to offer! Pick up yours at an I amsterdam Visitor Centre, participating public transport company ticket counter or selected hotel or campsite. (Don't forget to check in and out whenever you get on or off a train or bus!) ARTT tickets are valid on any bus, tram, metro and train services offered by GVB, Connexxion, EBS and NS (including night buses) from 0:00 until 4:00 the following day. Tickets also accepted on Arriva bus 50 from Haarlem and Arriva bus 858 from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to Keukenhof Gardens 23 March-21 May 2017. 1-day tickets are €18.50, 2-day tickets €26 and 3-day tickets €33.50. Find more information and a map of all included routes on: www.iamsterdam.com/area
Rent a bike!
AM-Flowers.indd 1
Where the floWers come from
2/18/16 16:09
The best way to experience the flowerfields around Keukenhof!
AAlsmeer +31 6 12 08 98 58 WWW.RENTABIKEVANDAM-KEUKENHOF.COM
DISCOVER KEUKENHOF
ADV themaplattegrond Flowers.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/17 11:32 Page www.vvvaalsmeer.nl
tulpomania haarlem
Keukenhof Hotel Express The beauty of spring? Best experienced in Keukenhof from 23 March till 21 May. So much more than just a park with colourfull flowers. And with the new Keukenhof Hotel Express it’s only 35 minutes away. It’s possible to take the express-bus on a daily basis, leaving from Novotel Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (nearby NS-station Hoofddorp). Departures at 9.15 a.m. and 12.45 p.m., back at 13.15 p.m. and 17.00
March 23 – May 21:
The most beautiful spring garden in the world! 23 21
03 05
2017
www.keukenhof.nl
p.m. For sure, a bright and flowery day in the best spring garden in the world.
‘Museum in bloei’ Frans Hals Museum Tulpomania walking tour Tulpomania beer Jopenkerk Visit Keukenhof
Book now: tulpomania.com
haarlemmermeer.nl haarlemmermeer.nl
World of Flowers (full day) To explore fully the wonderful world of flowers, a boat or bike tour through the bulb fields is highly recommended. Discover the bold stripes of colour that flame across the landscape each spring. After you’ve visited the Keukenhof , rent your bikes at Rent-a-Bike Van Dam , just in front of the garden’s main entrance (www.rentabikevandam.nl, €10 a day, including a map with cycling routes). Or relax as you enjoy the peace and quiet of the endless bulb fields in an electrically propelled ‘whisper boat’. You can buy tickets for the boat tour at the Keukenhof’s only windmill. To get back to Amsterdam, take Keukenhof Express bus 858 or 361 to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol or bus 50 to Haarlem. From there, take the train to Amsterdam Central Station (one hour total).
Holland in Bloom
Bulb Fields
Discover the heart of Holland's booming and blooming flower industry, and the country's most colourful landscapes, just an hour outside the capital city.
The Dutch bulb fields, whose bulbs and blooms support a billion-euro industry, are a carpet of geometric colour blocks from mid-March through to August.
Holland produces a staggering 70% of the world’s commercial flower output. For a colourful glimpse into contemporary Dutch flower power, you need go no further than the so-called ‘flower strip’ (known in Dutch as the Bollenstreek), just an hour from Amsterdam. With Holland’s famous bulb fields in full bloom, you’ll be surrounded on all sides by a rainbow of flowers: purple hyacinths, pink crocuses, bright yellow daffodils and, of course, countless varieties of tulips. Visit iamsterdam.com/area for excursion tips and more suggestions.
‘Flower Capital’ Aalsmeer Aalsmeer knows a thing or two about flowers. Not only is it home to the world’s biggest flower auction, you can also learn about the history of growing flowers and plants and sail through the region’s horticultural past.
From Leiden to Haarlem, bold beautiful stripes of colour flame across the landscape. After the crocuses, it’s the turn of the tulips, daffodils and hyacinths – an impressive display that continues into May and beyond. In late summer the gladioli, dahlias, carnations and asters stage a second show. You’ll catch an eyeful on many of the trains heading southwest from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – and even from your airplane when you’re coming in to land – but the bulb fields truly deserve a closer look.
Black Tulip Museum
Boat cruises
This museum tells the history of Holland’s bulb region and tulip-growing ‘bulbiculture’. A visitor’s guide to the permanent exhibition is available in six languages. The museum is located on the Dorpsplein ‘t Vierkant square in the centre of Lisse.
Castle Keukenhof
The combination of horticulture, recreation and nature make Aalsmeer unique. An open or covered boat tour takes you through a maze of islands, and knowledgeable skippers fill you in on the region’s horticultural history.
www.museumdezwartetulp.nl
It may be perpetually outshone by its showy neighbour, but this castle (located straight across from the world-famous Keukenhof gardens) boasts an impressive history with Golden Age roots. Inside, you’ll find portraits, artefacts and period furniture; in the 230-hectare wooded estate, leading artists’ work.
Westeinder Rondvaart www.westeinderrondvaart.nl
Aalsmeer Rondvaart www.aalsmeerrondvaart.nl
For details of upcoming events and exhibitions, please see www.kasteelkeukenhof.nl
Keukenhof Hotel Express Haarlemmermeer
Keukenhof Gardens Nowhere is the Dutch cult of the tulip celebrated in more glorious fashion than at the ‘the most beautiful spring garden in the world’, located in the bulb region south of Amsterdam. Open for just eight weeks each year (in accordance with the tulip’s national flowering season), the Keukenhof boasts a staggering seven million blooms, planted across the 32-hectare park. With several indoor pavilions, the Keukenhof hosts more than 20 flower shows between 23 March and 21 May. Over 600 growers present their most beautiful blooms and leading florists create truly unique displays with them. The special theme for the Keukenhof in 2017 is Dutch Design. With groundwork laid by artists such as Mondrian and Rietveld, Dutch design including fashion, interior and graphic design is world-renowned and famous for its combination of minimalism, or even sobriety, and innovation. Look out for special flower presentations inspired by aspects of Dutch design, such as the Mondrian garden in primary colours, as well as exhibitions and events. 23 MARCH-21 MAY www.keukenhof.nl
Biking the Bulb Fields To explore at your own pace, a bike is by far the best option. You can rent bikes – from Rent-a-Bike Kees van Dam – at the main entrance of the Keukenhof for €10 a day, including a map of a cycle route. In total there are four signposted and marked routes, ranging from 5 to 25km long. For the real green-fingered fanatics, there is also a longer ‘Bulb Route’, a bum-numbing 35km. Rent-a-Bike Van Dam (entrance Keukenhof) www.rentabikevandam-keukenhof.com
FloraHolland Flower Auction
The Haarlemmermeer, home to Schiphol Airport and 70+ professional locations, now offers an easier way to visit the famous Keukenhof flower park: the Keukenhof Hotel Express Haarlemmermeer. This direct shuttle from the Novotel Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (next to Haarlemmermeer Station) offers two daily services in each direction. You're just 35 minutes from flower paradise. 2017 Keukenhof dates: 23 March-21 May. Shuttle departs Novotel daily 9:15 and 12:45 and leaves Keukenhof 13:15 and 17:00. Combi-tickets €24 (€12.50 ages 4-12), Novotel reception desk. Shuttle seats must be reserved: +31 23 74 70 347. More information at www.haarlemmermeer.nl/keukenhof
TIP: Tulpomania
Tip: Looking for a more active experience? Rent a bike at the Novotel and let your map guide you on a 16 km or more scenic 35 km bike journey to the park.
Time left over after your visit to the Keukenhof? Combine your trip with a visit to Haarlem, which is paying its own tribute to Holland’s iconic bloom. During the Keukenhof’s open season, the special ‘Tulpomania’ package lets you experience the Keukenhof’s floral splendour, a flower exhibition at the Frans Hals Museum and a ‘Flower Beer’ tasting at the Jopenkerk brewery. For the duration of Tulpomania, four buses a day run from Haarlem to the Keukenhof.
Flower Parade 22 APRIL 2017 The highlight of Lisse’s Flower Festival – and one of the most anticipated events of the Dutch calendar – is the annual Flower Parade. Back for its 70th edition with the theme ‘Dutch Design’, lavishly decorated floats and cars will travel 40km along the main roads from Noordwijk to Haarlem, where they’ll conclude with an illuminated procession. Visitors flock to the roadsides and the atmosphere is deliciously convivial – and best of all, it’s free. If you miss the parade itself, head to Haarlem the next day, where the floats will be displayed on the city’s main square. 22 APRIL 2017, DEPARTS 09.30 (Wilhelminaboulevard, Noordwijk) www.bloemencorso-bollenstreek.nl
The world’s biggest flower auction (a whopping 400 football fields’ worth) is FloraHolland in Aalsmeer, 15km outside Amsterdam. It’s so large, in fact, that the workers traverse the site by bike. FloraHolland handles more than 21 million cut flowers and 2 million potted plants each day, mostly for export. The unusual sales method used gave rise to the phrase ‘Dutch auction’. Dealers bid by pushing a button to stop a ‘clock’ that counts from 100 down to one; thus, the price is lowered – rather than raised – until a buyer is found. Bidders risk either paying too much for the goods or not getting them if another bids first. The best action is before 9:00 (opens at 7:00) so you’ll have to get up early to see it, but there are flowers stretching as far as the eye can see, the smell is divine and with an (optional) knowledgeable, multilingual guide you’ll witness the auction process first-hand. Open Monday - Friday only (closed on public holidays) www.floraholland.com TIP: Find the botanical attractions in the Aalsmeer brochure, downloadable from www.vvvaalsmeer.nl. You can buy a combi-ticket for the flower auction, The Historic Garden and a Westeinder Rondvaart boat cruise at the flower auction.
Aalsmeer Flower Festival
17-18 JUNE 2017
Enjoy a colourful weekend full of flowers, art, music and food during Aalsmeer Flower Festival. The fourth edition of this event takes place on 17 and 18 June 2017. The festival is spread out over several locations, where you will find the most beautiful flowers and plants this city has to offer. Locations include the horticultural museum, a rose nursery, a floral design school and a spectacular waterfront location. Visitors can travel around by bus and boat and there is also a bike tour available. www.aalsmeerflowerfestival.nl
The package is available online at www.haarlem.nl
Pick your own at Annemieke’s Tulip Garden
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Thanks to its fertile sandy soil, Amsterdam’s flower strip has been the top producer of unique flowers, in particular tulips, for hundreds of years. Annemieke’s Pluktuin (picking garden), a nursery in Hillegom – 35km from Amsterdam – specialises in cultivating tulips using organic horticultural techniques. The garden, which boasts more than 300 varieties of flowers, is open to public. Learn how the blooms are prepared for sale, wander through the tulip fields and pick your own vibrant bunch to take home. A great souvenir from to the flower strip!
Have you ever wanted to know how an international airport operates? Barely a runway’s length from Aalsmeer is one of Europe’s largest airports: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. And you don’t need an airline ticket to take a look around. Schiphol Behind the Scenes gives you a peek at what goes on outside and around this modern aviation hub. Join a multimedia tour and be taken to areas you wouldn’t normally be able to go.
Open daily February - October www.annemiekespluktuin.nl
Lisse Lisse is one of the bulb region’s most famous ‘flower villages’ and the jumping off point for a visit to the Keukenhof gardens. The Dorpsplein ‘t Vierkant square has been inhabited since 1200 and today it’s Lisse’s cultural and culinary heart. Visit the Agathakerk, for its towering spire and beautiful interior. www.vvvlisse.nl
Lisse Flower Festival 15-18 April 2017 Each year during the blooming season, Lisse is a hive of flower-related activity, including the floral mosaic competition. The result is 60 stunning floral works of art, which can be viewed free of charge on foot or by bike 15-18 April 2017. Map of route available at the Lisse Tourist Information Centre (VVV) or Museum De Zwarte Tulp www.flowerfestivallisse.nl
The Historic Garden If you’re interested in learning more about the unique Dutch auction and cultivation process, you should visit The Historic Garden (De Historische Tuin) in Aalsmeer, where they’ve literally turned back time with a replica of an auction hall, complete with a large clock dating from the 1930s. www.historischetuinaalsmeer.nl
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