From Istanbul to Leiden
- 1500sTulips arrive in Europe
Tulips had long been prized in the Ottoman Empire before bulbs reached European gardens.
- 1593Clusius comes to Leiden
Botanist Carolus Clusius planted tulips in the university's Hortus botanicus, the start of Dutch bulb growing.
- 1630sTulip mania
Rare striped tulips traded for enormous sums, often as contracts for bulbs still in the ground.
- Feb 1637The crash
Buyers suddenly stopped paying. Often called the first speculative bubble, though historians now think its economic damage was limited.
- 1950Keukenhof opens
A spring showcase for growers, now one of the most visited gardens in the world.
The bulb industry today
The Netherlands grows most of the world's tulip bulbs.
The Bollenstreek between Haarlem and Leiden, and the large fields of North Holland and Flevoland.
Royal FloraHolland in Aalsmeer is one of the largest flower trading centres in the world.
On the third Saturday of January, Dam Square in Amsterdam becomes a free tulip-picking garden.
When and where to see them
- 1Time it right
Crocuses and daffodils come first; tulips peak from around mid-April. The exact week depends on the weather.
- 2Keukenhof
Seven million bulbs in Lisse, open only in spring. Book a ticket online.
- 3Cycle the fields
Rent a bike in Lisse, Hillegom or Noordwijkerhout. Admire the fields from the path: walking into them damages the crop.
- 4North Holland and Flevoland
Larger, quieter fields, often with a tulip route.
More spring ideas in top attractions and Dutch festivals.
Sources
This article is based on these official pages. If anything here differs from them, the official page is right.