In May 2012, Mr. Selfish and I spent four days in Amsterdam, Netherlands.  I had always dreamed of visiting the tulip fields in Amsterdam, so I accordingly planned a trip to Keukenhof, which is the world’s largest garden in nearby Lisse, Netherlands.  Keukenhof is open from mid-March to mid-May each year.

Unfortunately for us, we went at mid-May, which was the end of the season for the tulips.  To my dismay, a lot of the tulips were dead by the time we arrived.  I would recommend going mid-April, which is the height of the tulip season.  It was still lovely – even if the tulips weren’t in full bloom.

Aside from the beautiful tulips, Keukenhof has plenty of areas through which one can stroll.  There are ponds, a windmill, a hedge maze, and a petting zoo.

Finally, you can also visit Castle Keukenhof, which was quite scenic.  There were some modern art exhibits nearby, but Mr. Selfish and I mostly enjoyed the view of the Castle, which we had to ourselves.

Even though it wasn’t the height of tulip season, Mr. Selfish and I enjoyed our visit to Keukenhof.  It was certainly lovely, and there were lots of gardens and ponds for leisurely strolls.