Travel Tips: Spring in The Netherlands

Spring in the Netherlands is all about bulb flowers. Daffodils, hyacinths and tulips.  Trees along city canals burst into bud, the days are longer and the sun appears, although it is still pretty cold, so keep the winter jacket handy.  If you live in a seasonal country, spring is the beginning of a new year after having lived through a long, cold, dreary winter of rain and predominantly grey skies.      

 

 

 Weeping Willows are the last trees to lose their leaves in late autumn and one of the first trees' leaves that open in spring. Ducks, geese and swans on the canals and waterways feed and protect their young, so look out for ducklings, cygnets and goslings. People venturing outside the city visit tulip fields in the north near Alkmaar or around Lisse near the famous Keukenhof, where fortunately, after Co-vid, has busloads of tourists queuing to admire this garden paradise which is open for just two months in bloom.  With of course the annual Flower parade which follows a few days before the Kings birthday at the end of April  

To celebrate spring and its scent rich flowers, the Flower Parade "Bloemen-Corso" takes place starting around the Lisse area, driving a 40km route through Voorhout, Bennebroek, Heemstede, Noordwijk and Haarlem, where it ends.  In Noordwijk the flower floats are illuminated at night.  Once can view it along the route roads with music and festivities or in Haarlem when parked on the Sunday.  It begins on Friday evening and the preparation begins a week earlier with 100's of volunteers.  The colours, creativity and scent are a wonder to behold.  2022 is the 75th anniversary of the parade.  

That’s all folks!