Every April, over a few weeks, millions of green tulip stalks burst into bloom across the Netherlands. However, this classically Dutch symbol is not native to the Netherlands or to Europe at all.
Tulips originally grew wild in central Asia, arriving in Europe in the mid-1500's through trade with the Turks. The flower rapidly gained popularity over the next century, and there was even a period in the 1600's called "tulip mania" when the price of tulips skyrocketed. These days, the flower may have lost its power as a status symbol, but it still manages to lure in large tourist crowds.
If you can spare a day outside the city during your travels to Amsterdam, the Keukenhof Gardens are a great place to check out this notorious icon. Here you can find any sort of tulip, from your standard solid colored flower, to something resembling a burst of flames, to a bloom that looks like it might bite your hand off if you venture too close.
Don't expect a visit to the gardens to be a quaint, off-the-beaten-track experience: on April weekends tourists flood Keukenhof. Luckily, with over 15 kilometers of trails, you aren't left crawling on top of each other--even if boarding the buses to get there involve Disney-land style queuing.
To reach the Keukenhof Gardens, take a bus or train to Schiphol airport and then catch a Conexxion bus to Keukenhof. Special “combitickets” sold at tourism offices in Amsterdam combine admission and bus transportation, saving time on lines at the gardens.
Should you find yourself in the Netherlands in April, the Gardens are worth the visit.