Tulip Bulb Region – The Bollenstreek, Netherlands

Do you want to visit the Netherlands to see their world-famous tulips? Driving around the Bollenstreek, or bulb region, is a springtime bucket list item.

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What is more Dutch than tulips?  We took a stunning road trip up to the tulip region of the Netherlands, and with fantastic sun and clear skies, we traipsed in and out of brilliant flower scenes, down stunning garden paths, in front of great Dutch architecture, and enjoyed the blooms in our own way.

A Drive on the Bollenstreek (Bulb Region)!

We wanted to beat the crowds since we’ve heard that over eight thousand visitors go to the Netherlands just to view the tulips in just over a two-month period. Most people take a typical bus tour, hit the big sights where all the crowds are, and lose out on the feeling, the freedom, and the really cool things to see along the way. The only way to get the most out of the Bollenstreek is to do it on your own, either by car or bike.

Our Drive through the Flower Region of the Netherlands

As the sun rose, we stopped right by the coast and started to take a few shots when I heard this plaintive bleating.  I started paying attention and all of these mother sheep with two or three lambs each started running across the meadow towards us.  What a way to start the day!  

Most of the sheep just came to stand with us, but a few wanted to be pet.  It didn’t have anything to do with flowers, but it did make me smile. We somehow managed to pull ourselves away from the cuteness, and started following the signs of the Bollenstreek.  

The flower (or bulb) region is only about 20 kilometers long from top to bottom, so it’s easy to do by all modes of transportation.  We were driving, but we saw plenty of folks who had rented bicycles, and many who were walking as well.  I do recommend a slower pace, because there is so much to see.

The region covers some quaint towns and villages in the area, including Leiden, Katwijk, Lisse, Noordwijk, Sassenheim, and De Zilk. There are over a dozen smaller bike paths that take you in and around these smaller places where everything is dripping with Dutch charm.  

The red brick row houses and town buildings with stepped gables, lacy Dutch curtains covering the huge picture windows, and statues and art throughout their green spaces make it a beautiful walk or ride no matter which town you find yourself.

The whole idea of following the Bollenstreek was to see as much as possible, but we there’s so much pulling you in every direction that we kept getting off the path.  We enjoyed the flower fields, stopping, taking photos, and talking to people.

We discovered the Giant Tulip Bulbs, which are dotted around the region. There are somewhere around 80 painted bulbs, so it’s another thing to keep your eye out for.

Even though we all associate the Netherlands with tulips, the region is an overall flower growing area.  It starts off with crocuses, then daffodils, then hyacinths, and finally tulips.  So the season lasts about two months.  We’ve gone numerous times throughout the season, which allowed us to see different flowers each time.

We’ve enjoyed the daffodils, the hyacinths, and of course the tulips. Each flower has its turn in the fields, and the best is when you hit the end of one of the blooms while the next flower is blooming in some of the fields, too.

The two main flowers to enjoy with fantastic events are, of course, the tulips, and surprisingly, the hyacinths.

Hyacinths were everywhere, and it was amazing that we could just step out of the car across from the ribbons of pastel pinks, lavenders, whites, and purples and immediately smell the sweet perfume of the flowers.  Since we were up so early and few people were about, it was such an incredible experience to see and smell the flowers with no noise or people to interfere.

It didn’t last long though, with no tourists. They were up and at them by 8:00, and by 8:30 were everywhere speaking every language on the planet.  At one point, Jim and I were buying some hyacinths at a pay-by-honor stand and a group of Chinese came right up to see what we were doing and photograph us.  “Ni-haos” all around. It made us all happy.

There is something special about going out early.  Of course, first thing in the morning is the best time to pick the flowers, and we came across many pickers right away.  They would choose the not-quite-open blooms, bundle them, and rubber band them.  There were plenty of stands all over the region to pick up some flowers or bulbs, both hyacinths and tulips.

During the hyacinth season, they also make signs, sculptures and floats with the petals.  We timed it so we could visit at least one of the towns celebrating the hyacinth mosaics, artwork made entirely with petals. It was fascinating and fun.

Practical Information for Driving the Bollenstreek

The Dutch version of a tourist information office is the VVV.  You will see these in every town.  Make sure to stop in at one and ask for some maps.  They have maps for bikes and walking, as well as the general region maps. Don’t forget to ask if there are any special events happening the time while you are there.

Accommodations are hard to come by, and there are few deals to be had, during the flower season so plan as early as possible.  Even just to view the flowers, and enjoy a little of the warm Dutch culture, you will need a minimum of a weekend, so plan at least two nights.

The bulb region is easy to get to. Whether you fly or drive in, you can get just about anywhere by train or bus. The Dutch have a fantastic public transportation system. However, we highly recommend driving or biking yourself, so you can stop whenever you want to.

Conclusion

Just one of the many things to do when visiting the tulips in the Netherlands, exploring the Bollenstreek should definitely be on your list.

Author Bio: Corinne Vail is a travel photographer, food lover, and a perpetual traveler who has been travel writing for over 14 years. For many years she lived overseas in Germany, Japan, Turkey, South Korea, and the Netherlands teaching the children of the US. military. She’s visited over 90 countries, and she’s not stopping anytime soon.