Amsterdam Lisse

A sleepy village just outside Amsterdam, Lisse’s main (and indeed sole) attraction is horticulture—specifically, that renowned Dutch flower, the tulip (which is, ironically, not native to the Netherlands). For this florid reason, Lisse is a seasonal town; the best time to visit (even though the town is filled with tourists) is between late March and mid-May, when the tulip fields are in full bloom. Lisse stays quiet the rest of the year, a small settlement surrounded in all directions by endless fallow fields.

Transportation And Practical Information. Several bus lines service Lisse, but the easiest way to get there is to take the train either to Leiden or to Haarlem. From there, take bus #50 or 51 toward Lisse (20min., 5 strips or €3.50); bus #54, the Keukenhof Express, can also be accessed from either the Leiden or Lisse stations. The town’s VVV, Grachtweg 53, gives information on the town’s sights. It’s a short list, so a stop here won’t take you very long. (☎41 42 62; www.lisse.nl. Open M noon-5pm, Tu-F 9am-5pm, Sa 9am-4pm.)

Food. Most of Lisse’s restaurants are located along Kanaalstraat, the main street that also has a good collection of shops, and around the Vierkant, at the center of town. If you’re looking for an alluring atmosphere, try the gorgeous garden at Restaurant De Vier Seizoenen 3, Heereweg 224, which provides the perfect setting for a delicious meal for (unlike Lisse) all “four seasons.” (☎41 80 23. Entrees €7-21. Open daily noon-2pm and 5:30-9:30pm. AmEx/MC/V.)

Sights And Nightlife. Lisse is the capital of tulip country, so when the tulips are in bloom, this village is a must-see. If you’re around the Netherlands in late April, be sure to go see the Flower Parade, a 25 mi. procession from Noordwijk to Haarlem that goes right through Lisse and includes more than 20 tulip-covered floats. (☎42 82 37; www.bloemencorso-bollenstreek.nl.) The unquestionable highlight of the comfortable town of Lisse is the breathtaking Keukenhof Gardens, Stationsweg 166A, which in late spring become a kaleidoscope of color as millions of bulbs explode into life. Designed in 1949 by the creators of Vondelpark, the gardens were a priority of the town’s mayor, who wanted a permanent space for annual open-air flower exhibitions. Now the world’s largest flower garden, Keukenhof boasts impeccable grounds with fountains, a windmill, and bronze sculptures. Feel free to steal (ideas) from all seven “inspirational gardens,” themed sectors meant to give you an epiphany for your own front yard. From Keukenhof, you can also take in views of the area’s surrounding tulip fields, whose long strips of color are the pride of the Dutch. April 11-13, 2008, marks the annual Summerbulb Weekend. Opening times and dates change every year, depending on the flower crop. (☎46 55 55; www.keukenhof.nl. Open daily late Mar.-late May 8am-7:40pm; tickets on sale until 6pm. Open also in mid-Oct. for the sale of bulbs; check website for more information. €13.50, ages 4-11 €6, over 65 €12.50.) The Zwarte Tulp Museum, Grachtweg 2A, details the historical cultivation and scientific evolution of “bulbiculture,” or tulip raising, through photos, drawings, artifacts, and tools. The small “Black Tulip Museum” is best seen as a complement to the lovely tulip fields of Lisse; there is little here to draw the average tourist independent of flowering season. (☎41 79 00; www.museumdezwartetulp.nl. Open Tu-Su 1-5pm. €3, ages 6-12 and over 65 €2. Guided tours €12.50.) Older than any standing structure in Amsterdam, the Dever House, Heereweg 349A, with its tower and dungeon, was built in 1375 by Reinier Dever, a knight and vassal of Count Van Beieren. The ancient building, after undergoing a massive restoration and reopening in 1978, now holds a small collection of medieval artifacts. (☎41 14 30. Open Tu-Su 2-5pm. Free.)

For a local bar, try De Kroeg, Heereweg 196, whose name translates, straightforwardly enough, into “the bar.” Decorated with dessert wall murals and marked with its distinctive chalkboard sign, De Kroeg lets you bop to a DJ the last Saturday of each month for a €3.50 cover. (☎41 23 11. Open Tu-Th and Su 4pm-1am, F-Sa 4pm-2am. Cash only.)