Why the Dutch Love Tulips So Much (And Why I Do, Too)

How tulips became part of Dutch identity

Tulips didn’t originate in the Netherlands. They originally came from Central Asia and became hugely popular in the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey). From there, tulips arrived in Western Europe through trade and botanic collections.

In the Netherlands, tulips became a symbol of status in the 1600s. Wealthy collectors competed for rare varieties, especially the striking “broken” tulips with flame-like patterns. That obsession eventually led to the famous period known as Tulip Mania, where prices for some bulbs rose wildly before the market crashed in 1637. That story gets exaggerated sometimes, but the impact is real: the tulip became linked to the Dutch Golden Age, trade, craftsmanship, and the idea that the Netherlands could turn something beautiful into something world-famous.

Over time, tulip growing shifted from luxury to industry. Dutch growers became experts at breeding, cultivating, and exporting bulbs. Even today, the Netherlands is still the global centre of the tulip world.

The wartime story people don’t forget

And then there’s a part of tulip history that feels much heavier.

During the Second World War, especially in the terrible winter of 1944–1945 (often called the Hunger Winter), many people in the Netherlands faced extreme food shortages. When there was almost nothing left, some people ate tulip bulbs just to survive.

It’s hard to imagine now, in a country where tulips feel like joy and celebration. But that contrast is exactly why the tulip is more than “just a flower” here. It carries history: beauty, trade, tradition, and also survival.

After the war: Keukenhof becomes a spring tradition

After the war, tulips became more than an export product. They became a symbol of a country rebuilding, blooming, and looking forward. That’s where Keukenhof comes in.

Keukenhof is famous worldwide, and yes, it attracts tourists from everywhere. But it’s also massively popular with locals. For many Dutch people, it’s a yearly tradition and for good reason. We try to visit every year, because it’s just something else.

The smell of flowers.
The kaleidoscope of colours.
The feeling of walking through living art.

There is nothing like it anywhere, and we’ve looked.

We even visited Miracle Garden in Dubai, partly out of curiosity, because it’s often presented as a comparable experience. And yes: it’s impressive. What they created in the desert is genuinely fascinating but it doesn’t compare to Keukenhof.

Keukenhof isn’t just “a lot of flowers.” It’s the scale, the variety, the atmosphere, the freshness, and the way it feels completely natural in the Dutch landscape. It’s a sea of flowers that somehow still feels intimate and magical.

Want to visit?

If you’re reading this and thinking, okay… I get it now, and you want to experience it for yourself:

We have an extensive Keukenhof guide, with everything you need to plan your visit (tickets, best times to go, how long you need, transport, and what to combine it with).

Because tulips are lovely in photos.
But in real life?
They hit different.