Netherlands tulips bloom on social media

The Keukenhof flower park southwest of Amsterdam has opened to visitors for the 76th time. The Netherlands' colorful tulip fields are famed around the world, attracting crowds of tourists every year. They're particularly visible on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.

Selfies next to the flowers are a key part of a every visit. According to the flower park, Keukenhof is one of the most photographed places in the world.

In 2024, more than 1.4 million flower fans visited the Keukenhof park in Lisse. The town in the south of the Netherlands is known for its tulip fields. Around 20,000 visitors were expected on opening day. This year's beautiful spring weather has fueled the tourist rush — bright sunshine isn't always guaranteed in the Netherlands in March.

Some 80% of visitors to the flower show are from abroad, travelers in search of the "Holland experience." The cultivation of the coveted flower bulbs is particularly successful in the region's soil, and has a long tradition in Lisse. Flower growers held the first flower show in Keukenhof in 1950.

Thousands of Dutch people also visit the park every year, from March to May. The first blooms of the year are crocuses. Then come the tulips and daffodils, and finally irises and alliums. Some flower fans have already visited the park up to 100 times, searching for a fresh angle.

Keukenhof's flower fields are already filled with blooming yellow, red and pink tulips. But it will still be a few weeks before the spring flowers are in full bloom.

The so-called "tulip mania" first took hold in the Netherlands in the early 17th century. The coveted tulip bulb became an object of speculation and reached enormous sums in trade before prices collapsed.