Spring in the Netherlands: Tulips, Crowds, and Timing

Spring is the right time to visit the Netherlands only if seeing spring flowers are important to you — and if you’re comfortable planning around crowds and fixed dates, because this is the busiest season of the year.

Every year I speak to travelers who assume tulips bloom earlier, later, or longer than they actually do, or who think Keukenhof is the tulip fields (it’s not). Or who expect spring to feel relaxed. It doesn’t. High season starts early here.

This page is for you if tulips are a priority and you’re willing to plan around them. If you get the dates right, it’s one of the most rewarding times to visit. If you prefer quiet museums, flexible days, or seeing spring flowers is not a priority for you then I’d consider another season instead.

When you already know what you want, choose an option below.
If you’re still deciding, keep reading — I’ll help you avoid the most common spring mistakes.

🌷 I want to see real tulip fields

Open working fields, fewer crowds (depending on where you go), more dependent on timing.
→ Read my Tulip Fields guide

🌼 I want to visit Keukenhof

Well-organized gardens, easy to reach from Amsterdam, very popular.
→ Go to my Keukenhof guide

🎉 I want spring events

Flower Parade, National Tulip Day, King’s Day.
→ See Spring Events

Tulips and Timing: What to Know Before You Plan

Tulips are the reason most people choose spring to visit. So it breaks my heart when people come a week too early, or a week too late. And that happens more than you would expect. Every year I receive bookings for tulip tours days before they bloom, or for dates just after they’re cut.

And I am the one that has to deliver that bad news, often after plane tickets have already been booked. Don’t let this be you.

Tulips can’t adjust to your schedule, you need to adjust to them, especially if you want to see those endless rows you see in ads in nauture. You don’t find them at Keukenhof.

• Tulips do not bloom all spring
• The exact timing is different every year
• Peak for only a short window (3 weeks), and only one week is near 100% certain

I see disappointment when people assume tulips are “everywhere” in March or May. They aren’t. Those months they only live at the Keukenhof gardens in a park.

If flowers are central to your trip, book conservatively and aim for the golden week.

⤷ Read next: Best Time to See Tulips in the Netherlands

The Famous Keukenhof Flower Garden: What to Expect

For many visitors, spring in the Netherlands automatically means Keukenhof Gardens. That makes sense — it’s the most well-known flower site in the country.

Keukenhof is beautifully designed and very well organized. People often enjoy it far more than they expected. At the same time, it’s also where expectations most often drift off course.

First, Keukenhof is not a field of endless tulips. It’s a landscaped park. The flowers are planted in beds and patterns, not grown for farming. You won’t see long rows stretching to the horizon — that image belongs to working tulip fields, not Keukenhof.

Second, timing, also for a Keukenhof visit, matters more than many visitors realize. Early in the season and toward the end, there are usually fewer tulips and more other spring flowers on display at the garden. Some people love that variety. Others arrive expecting wall-to-wall tulips and feel let down. That gap in expectations is very common.

Third, a large part of Keukenhof is indoors. The pavilions are important to the experience, especially early in the season. Visitors who imagine an entirely outdoor walk through flowers are often surprised by how much time they spend inside.

And then there are the crowds. Keukenhof can feel extremely busy, especially from mid morning to late afternoon. Many people enjoy it anyway. Some feel overwhelmed. Very few expect it to be as full as it often is.

Because of all this, I usually recommend Keukenhof when:

• This is your first (or only) spring visit
• You want a structured, dependable flower experience
• You’re comfortable sharing space at peak moments
• You’re okay with planning tickets and transport in advance

If someone tells me they mainly want quiet walking and endless open fields, I usually explain why Keukenhof may not match that picture — and what to look at instead.

⤷ Practical planning:

• More about the Keukenhof and Tickets
• How to get to Keukenhof From Amsterdam
• Keukenhof Parking
• Hotels Near Keukenhof
• A Private Tour with me where we can visit before the tour buses arrive

If You’d Rather Not Handle The Logistics Yourself

Many travelers are happy to visit Keukenhof on their own. Others enjoy it much more when the day is handled privately — with timing, transport, and tickets taken care of, and without sharing the experience with a group.

That’s why, in spring, I offer a small number of private, door-to-door tulip days. They’re built around bloom conditions and crowd patterns, and they’re designed so you can focus on the flowers instead of the logistics.

All options are private. All are guided and planned by me.

⤷ View my private spring flower tours

Tulip Fields: What People Expect vs. Reality

The working tulip fields are not tourist attractions. They’re agricultural land.

That means:

• Access is limited
• Fields change yearly
• Behavior matters

I see visitors disappointed when they expect free access or empty fields. I also see locals increasingly strict about where people go especially in the Lisse area near Keukenhof. The result is fewer accessible fields — often paid for by tourbus companies — and large numbers of visitors competing for the same photo.

There are better alternatives, if you know where to go.

⤷ Read next:

• Where Are the Tulip Fields in the Netherlands
• Tulip Fields Selfie Rules: Do’s and Don’ts

Spring Events in the Netherlands Worth Knowing About

Spring in the Netherlands isn’t only about tulips. Several national events take place in a short period. If you’re in the country on these days, things won’t feel normal — and that’s not always obvious when you book.

King’s Day (April 27)
This is the biggest one. Cities — especially Amsterdam — turn into a nationwide street celebration. Some travelers come specifically for it. Others are completely overwhelmed by the noise, and crowds. This is a day you plan for — not stumble into. One thing that many travelers take by surprise is that transit stops running and roads are closed off for street parties. Meaning often you can’t reach your hotel by car or other transportation. Not even taxi’s. I had multiple guests arriving in the past on this day without knowing about this.

Remembrance Day and Liberation Day (May 4–5)
On May 4 at 8 p.m., the country observes two minutes of silence, with a national ceremony on Dam Square (which you can visit for free). It’s an opportunity to see the Royal family up close. The following day, Liberation Day is marked with festivals and a large free concert on the Amstel River. These days make a visit extra special and add meaning.

Flower events beyond Keukenhof
In places like Limmen, you’ll find large flower mosaics made by local communities. They’re far less crowded than Keukenhof and give a very different, more local view of spring flower culture.

The Flower Parade (Bloemencorso)
This is a one-day event that draws heavy crowds along the route. It’s visually impressive, and absolutely worth seeing if you’re here. It’s only once.

⤷ Read next if you want to know more: Bloemencorso Flower Parade in the Netherlands

All of these events are part of spring life here. Whether they add to your trip or complicate it depends on what you’re looking for — and whether you plan around them.

Weather in Spring: Manage Expectations

Spring weather is unpredictable. Full stop. This is the weather this country is known for.

You may get:

• Cool mornings
• Wind
• Sudden rain
• Bright, clear afternoons

April in particular surprises people who expect mild, settled weather. It can go from freezing to hot. And it can keep changing throughout the day.

⤷ Read more: Weather in April in Amsterdam

Is Spring Right for You?

Spring works great if:

• Tulips are a main reason for visiting
• You don’t mind planning ahead
• You accept crowds as part of the experience
• You can visit in that tight period when the tulips are at their peak

Spring is often frustrating if:

• You prefer quiet museums
• You want flexibility day to day
• You dislike crowds and full schedules

A spring day in Holland can be calm, but you need to plan well, and know where to go. A good option can be to book a private tour like mine, where I can plan around the crowds and visit further away empty working fields where no tourist busses travel to.

How to Use This Page

Use this page as your starting point. Then dive into the details that apply to your plans.

If spring doesn’t feel right after reading this, that’s a good outcome. Choosing the right season early saves a lot of stress later.

⤷ Not sure spring fits? Start here instead: When to Visit the Netherlands (From a Local)

Related Spring Planning Guides

• Best Time to See Tulips in the Netherlands
• Where Are the Tulip Fields
• Keukenhof From Amsterdam (how to get there)
• Bloemencorso Flower Parade in the Netherlands
• Weather in April in Amsterdam
• Hotels Near Keukenhof
• Keukenhof Parking
• Tulip Fields Selfie Rules
• Dutch Tulip Mania (the real-life story of the tulip craze in the Golden Age)