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Destination of the Day

Lisse, Netherlands

Anyone who loves spring flowers—especially tulips—should visit the Keukenhof flower gardens in the town of Lisse, Netherlands. Spanning nearly 80 acres and boasting more than 7 million spring flowers, the gardens seem to go on forever, and the beauty of these brilliant blooms cannot be adequately captured in pictures. Open today through May 15, Keukenhof is best seen in mid-April; here's how to visit the gardens during the Netherlands' most beautiful time of year.

Things to See and Do

More than 800 different varieties of tulips are planted at Keukenhof, but visitors will also get to see daffodils, hyacinths, and narcissi all flowering simultaneously. In the greenhouses are delicate orchids, while other pavilions are ablaze with azaleas and hydrangeas. Sign up for a guided walking tour, hop on an electrically-propelled whisper boat for a 45-minute cruise through the gardens, or rent a bicycle to explore the surrounding area. There are also flower shows, sculptures, a petting zoo, and a kid-friendly maze to keep people of all ages entertained.

How to Get There

From Amsterdam, you can take the Keukenhof Express bus line 858 from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Plaza (35 minutes), or the 854 from Leiden Central Station (25 minutes). These buses depart up to 12 times an hour. Alternatively, you can buy a special Keukenhof train and bus combi ticket that includes the park entrance fee. If you choose this option, you'll depart from Leiden Central Station, Schiphol Airport, or the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre. You can purchase your tickets online; tickets are 18.50 euros for adults, 9 euros for children 4 and up, and free for kids 3 and under.

Vacation Like a Pro

Want to enjoy a quieter experience? To avoid the crowds, head to Keukenhof before 10:30 a.m. or after 4:30 p.m. Monday to Wednesday.

Linda Garrison
Contributing Writer

Your Packing List

With the average springtime temperature being 54 degrees Fahrenheit, you'll want to bring warm layers.

Thanks to the Netherlands' long North Sea coastline, there is always enough moisture in the air for a rain shower to occur any time, any place. While it doesn't rain all the time, showers are very unpredictable; it's well worth packing an anorak and umbrella.

Be sure to take a camera. Keukenhof is one of the most photographed sites in the world, and you will likely take more pictures than you plan.

A pair of gloves also comes in handy if you want to rent a bike to pedal through the Dutch countryside.

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Salt has always been an essential mineral, and it's been harvested on the Mediterranean island of Gozo for thousands of years. On the northern coast of Gozo, the Xwejni Salt Pans are thought to be among the oldest functioning salt pans in the world. You can't walk among the salt pans, but you can take pictures, buy salt, and, with any luck, watch the salt harvesting process.