Lisse, Kaag, Sassenheim

Keukenhof Castle with the adjacent Lisser Art Museum (LAM) are the highlights of this cycle route. Start and end your cycle route at Keukenhof Castle and visit the castle's special gardens.

The history of Keukenhof estate dates back to 1432, when the area still bore the name 'Keukenduyn'. Jacoba van Beieren used the estate as a hunting ground for Slot Teylingen. You will encounter the ruin of Teylingen on the route.

Later, in 1641, the then commander of the United East India Company Adriaan Maartenzoon Block had a country house built on the estate. In this house, the wealthy merchant could stay with his family in the summer.

From the beginning of the 19th century, the country house was owned by the noble Steengracht van Oostcapellen family. Under this family, six towers were added to the house, turning the manor into a castle: Keukenhof Castle. The gardens were also laid out at that time.

The magnificent Keukenhof flower park has existed since 1950 and used to be a stand-alone flower exhibition. In 2016, the show and the castle merged as one attraction: De Keukenhof. It is the largest natural attraction in the country. Over 7 million crocuses, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, lilies and other bulbous plants are on display. And those are not the only flowers you will encounter along the way. The area around the Kagerplassen is world-famous for its colourful bulb fields with good reason! Get off your bike just past Sassenheim and take a look at flower bulb farm De Tulperij to find out all about it.

Besides the floral splendour of De Keukenhof, you will come across more castles and estates on the route. For example, visit 't Huys Dever in Lisse, the Huys te Warmont in Warmond and the Oud Poelgeest castle in Oegstgeest. A lovely cycle route with great allure!