Tulip fields in Germany can’t quite hold a candle to the likes of the world-famous Keukenhof or other similar spots in the Netherlands, but they are still worth a visit if you’re looking to fill a spring day with colour.
Tulip bloom comes in three different stages in Germany, depending on the flower species: the early tulip species, which flower in March; the mid-spring species, which flower in early May; and the late tulips, which can flower until June.
The specific names of these tulips are so excellent they are worth mentioning individually. Dwarf and Waterlily tulips come first, followed by the camply-named Purple Prince and Baby Queen species. Red, orange and yellow Triumph and Darwin Hybrid tulips follow in May, before Lily Flowering, Red Hat, Foxtrott and Companions bloom until June.
It is easy to locate flower picking fields across Germany by googling “Blumen selbst schneiden” ("cut flowers yourself") or “Blumen selbst pflücken” ("pick flowers yourself"), but it can be harder to track down fields rowed with tulips specifically. Here are some fields we can recommend for a stroll. In some locations, you will have to leave the plants in peace; in others you are welcome to pay to pick a bunch and take them home.
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Around 40 minutes from Cologne and Düsseldorf lies one of Germany’s most popular tulip fields, Tulpenhof Francken. Visitors to Tulpenhof Francken can walk through the fields, which are lined with magenta, crimson, sunshine yellow, cream, orange, and bright red Tulpen.
In previous years, visitors have been limited to looking at the tulips from the field perimeter, after guests repeatedly caused significant damage to the flowers. For this reason, visitors are warned to tread carefully. Tulpenhof Francken says that photo shoots and other similar activities are expressly forbidden on the fields.
The nearest train station to Tulpenhof Francken is Kapellen-Wevelinghoven, from which a 20-minute walk will take you to the field on Talstraße.
Most of the tulip fields in Germany can be found in Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia. Head to the Berges tulip field, 50 minutes from Frankfurt and 30 minutes from Mainz, for a more low-key tulip field visit. This field isn't commercial in the sense that there are no shops and staff on site, but you can pick your own flowers and pay for them.
Flower farms like Berges tulip field operate on an honour system. Visitors should be careful while walking among the plants and pay fairly for whatever they pick. You will usually find an unstaffed payment point at the edge of the field where you can pay in cash. Prices can vary between 50 cents and three euros per tulip.
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Flower Island is as magical as it sounds. Officially named Mainau Insel, this island sits in Germany’s largest lake, Lake Constance (Bodensee). Flower Island is home to a dahlia garden and tropical fern garden, among other sights, but its tulip garden along Frühlingsallee (Spring Alley) is the highlight and a previous winner of the World Tulip Award, no less.
From the end of March to the beginning of April, 450 tulip species turn the banks of Flühlingsallee into a kaleidoscope of colours. From Hauptbahnhof Konstanz, you can reach the island by bus, on foot, or by taking a quick ferry ride.
A top tip: you don’t even have to venture beyond the boundaries of the largest German city to enjoy everything tulip season has to offer. Head to Britzer Garten in southeastern Berlin, where over 100.000 tulips bloom every year. True tulip enthusiasts can also take part in a tulip tour, to learn about the flower’s history in the Middle East, “tulip mania” of 1637 and the different species.
By mid-March, when the tulip bulbs spurt their green heads through the earth, you can check the Blütenbarometer (bloom barometer) on Britzer Garten’s website to see if the fields have bloomed ahead of your visit.
Tulip fields can be elusive. Have you spotted an excellent spot while driving through the countryside and think it's worth a mention in our list? Let us know in the comments below.
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