Update: Amsterdam Tulip Day 2022 Cancelled
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, National Tulip Day 2022 cannot take place. The event has been cancelled for the second year in a row.
The event in 2021 was to be the 10th anniversary edition.
The information below is out of date. It will be updated as soon as the COVID-19 situation no longer prevents these type of events taking place. 1Hopefully in January, 2023
Tulip Picking Garden
Once a year, on the third Saturday in January, Amsterdam’s cobblestoned Dam Square transforms into a giant field of tulips.
National Tulip Day 2021 — the event’s 10th anniversary edition — was scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 16.
National Tulip Day: Start of the Cut Tulip Season in the Netherlands
National Tulip Day (Dutch: Nationale Tulpendag) marks the start of the cut tulip season in the Netherlands.
That is why some 500 tulip growers/breeders use 200.000 tulips — in a wide range of colors and shapes — to create a tulip picking garden in the center of Amsterdam.
Here’s what that looked like in January 2020:
Free: Pick Your Own Bouquet of Tulips
That’s right: You get to pick your own bouquet of up to 20 tulips, free of charge. Carry them home (or to your hotel) in the free biodegradable tulip bag you will receive at the entrance.
Amsterdam’s National Tulip Day Event Details
What: National Tulip Day (Nationale Tulpendag)
When: Saturday, January 16, 2021 — CANCELLED!
Where: Dam Square in front of the Royal Palace. [Map]
Time: The garden opens at 1 PM and closes at 5 PM at the latest. (Note: in previous years all flowers were picked by about 4 PM.)
Photos/Videos: Show up (much) earlier if you want to take photos and videos of the tulip field before the crowd starts picking the flowers.
How long is the wait: Stewards will allow a set number of people into the garden at a time. The average waiting time to enter the garden normally is 30-60 minutes.
Accessibility: The tulip picking garden is accessible to wheelchair users.
Keep this in mind:
- Come early: Before the gates to the garden open, you can view and photograph the tulip field from a viewing bridge. Have your camera ready. You’ll be among 15.000+ flower enthusiasts, and stewards will keep the flow of people moving across the platform.
- Free bag: You will get a free tulip bag, which you can use for up to 20 flowers. You cannot use any other bags.
- Pickpockets: Events like this are prime opportunities for pickpockets and luggage thieves. Keep an eye (and/or a hand) on your stuff at all times.
Organized by Tulip Promotion Netherlands
National Tulip Day is organised by Tulip Promotion Netherlands. The foundation was established by over 500 tulip growers/breeders in order to promote Dutch tulips worldwide.
And it works. 2019 was another good export year for flowers, plants and flower bulbs. In fact, floriculture heads the list of agricultural export products to the tune of 9.5 billion euros.
Not here on National Tulip Day? See Keukenhof in the Spring
If you’re not visiting Amsterdam in the middle of January, don’t worry. You can see some 7 million tulips and other flowers at Keukenhof this spring.
Keukenhof is one of the largest and best known flower gardens in the world. Open just 8 weeks a year(!) the garden draws 1.5 million visitors with its stunning floral displays.
Mind you, unlike the National Tulip Day on Dam Square, Keukenhof does not allow you to pick any of its flowers.
Map: National Tulip Day on Dam Square
Dam Square is just a 10 minute walk from Amsterdam Central Station. Via public transport you can reach it with trams 2, 4, 12, 13, 14, or 17.
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