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Amsterdam is a city renowned for the splendour of its architecture, its glistening and ubiquitous canals and its diverse history and culture. In recent years, another reason it has become one of the most popular destinations in Europe is its natural beauty, present in the many parks and botanical gardens that fill in the gaps of the city and give a vital, life-affirming peacefulness only achievable through the celebration and preservation of nature. For those holidaymakers wanting to avoid concrete jungles, Amsterdam’s green spaces may be the answer. Hortus Botanicus The Hortus Botanicus is a botanical garden right in the middle of Amsterdam, famous for being one of the oldest in the world. The gardens were created close to 400 years ago as a medical herb garden and remain open to this day as a place of scientific discovery and education. There are a range of events and exhibitions put on at the Hortus Botanicus each year, but the best option may be to explore on your own through some of the greenhouses boasting a vast selection of different plant species. If you’d like a bit more guidance there are regular scheduled guided tours and many children’s activities on offer. Keukenhof Located in between Amsterdam and the Hague, Keukenhof is the home of the Netherlands’ most famous floral export – the tulip. This park houses around seven million bulbs of over 800 separate varieties. It’s safe to say that if you’re a tulip lover (and there are an ever-growing number of us), there is no place on earth where you’ll find a more eclectic and diverse range. To avoid disappointment, make sure to go between the end of March and May as the park is only open during this time frame. Botanic Garden Zuidas The second botanic garden on this list is in Zuidas – the Amsterdam business district – and has a huge collection of over 6,000 different species of plants. There are a large number of separate sections to the gardens, including the extensive cactus and succulent greenhouse, the Penjing Garde and the Orangerie. The Botanic Garden Zuidas is also committed to the protection of endangered species (many of which come straight into Schiphol airport), transferred for the purposes of conservation after being confiscated at customs. It is a centre of learning and preservation as well as being the perfect place to relax, surrounded by the natural world. It is free of charge and open year round. How to Get There Once your flight lands, simply take a Schiphol airport transfer straight to your accommodation or any of the locations mentioned above. It is advised that you pre-book to avoid any delay in getting your green Amsterdam adventure started. Amsterdam is a thriving European city, with culture and history right at its heart. An appreciation for and desire to protect the natural world makes up the spine of the city. As you explore there are plenty of opportunities to wander around some of these beautiful green spaces. Sounds relaxing just to think about, doesn’t it? Author Plate Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers in various countries across the globe. If you’re looking for an affordable Schiphol airport transfer, Lukas and his colleagues can make sure that you get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.
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