The Netherlands is known to the whole world for its flowers, especially for tulips. Thousands of tourists from all over the globe come to visit the blooming fields and the world-renowned flower parades in Harlem, Keukenhof and Amsterdam.
The flower fields are not just chaotically stretched out throughout the country but are mainly concentrated around the Keukenhof park in a small city of Lisse. The location near the park is very practical and allows farmers to quickly deliver their products for sale at flower auctions. There are different flower fields in Lisse but the most visited are fields of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. In Lisse the flower fields are mainly scattered on the streets: Zwartelaan, Essenlaan, Loosterweg-Zuid and Herenweg. Getting to the fields is quite simple by bus or alternately by bicycles.
The exact dates for the bloom vary from year to year, but they usually happen sometime in April. Like some other spring flowers, the tulips may only bloom for a few weeks as the flowers might be cut back by farmers so the bulbs can get stronger before they are taken out of the ground during the summer months. As we were waiting for the right time to go Holland and to not miss the blossom, our trip happened to be very spontaneous. The last-minute train tickets and flights were quite expensive, so we decided that there is no better way to discover the blossoms but by car, so we rented a comfortable Citroen at Hertz office in Paris and headed in the direction of Amsterdam.
On our way, we stopped in Bonn to enjoy the pink tunnel of flowers. We were very lucky as the famous Cherry Blossom Avenue was in full bloom, so we couldn’t stop taking pictures. Although most people think of Japan when they hear about ‘sakura blossom’, but in my opinion, some of the most picturesque and romantic blooms of Europe and maybe of the world can be found on Heerstrasse in Bonn, Germany. Beautiful pink clouds spreading over old cobblestone streets were definitely worth stopping in our small Euro trip. Unfortunately, there are no direct trains to Bonn from Paris and the bus lines are very time-consuming, so travelling by a rental car with Hertz was very convenient and savvy. It’s roughly 3-hour drive from Paris and we were able to see so many cute villages on our way that we maybe won’t ever see if we moved by air or train.
When we were back on route for Holland, we discovered that Cologne was on a short drive away from Bonn, so it was the perfect occasion to see the world’s tallest cathedral with our own eyes. We parked in the city centre and went for a lunch at famous Fischmarkt. The magnificent Cologne Cathedral hovers above the roofs and chimneys of the city and truly impresses with the size.
Next stop was Lisse. We have asked the owners of the tulip fields for permission to take pictures at their fields in advance, please, respect their private property and don’t hurt the flowers.
The first field we visited was the field of daffodils and its fragrances and smells get hit in the head. As we were travelling by car, I took loads of outfits, so we were moving around and photographing matchy looks. There are fields for every taste: red, violet, orange, yellow and, of course, different shades of pink. A true paradise for a flower lover like me!
When we left the country of tulip fields, we came back to Paris via Belguim, so it was an occasion to stop in Brugge to try famous Belgian chocolate and, of course, mules with French fries. Oh, wait…are they really French? They are Belgian, you know!
Travelling by car with Hertz was a very advantageous solution for our small Euro-trip and here are the reasons why:
Flexibility. One of the biggest benefits is flexibility. You can stop your car anywhere you want. We truly enjoyed the freedom of the road journey with each other. I also liked the fact that I can carry huge luggage with me.
Better Views. We saw beautiful hills, villages and small towns in our journey. I love the fact that I can stop anywhere to click awesome pictures. Hence, window view is a big plus.
Money Saving. We would spend way more money on our tickets to and back to all the cities we stopped during the trip. In addition to that, you can choose different plans on Hertz that will be particularly savvy if you travel with family or friends.
