Amsterdam, Aalsmeer, Uithoorn

The name Aalsmeer goes back to the fishing village it once was. It means something like eel lake. In the past, the people of this small village lived mainly from fishing and peat cutting. When the lakes around the village were drained, strawberries and fruit trees started growing well on the peat soil. You can still see this in the village flag.

The flag of Aalsmeer has three horizontal stripes: red, green and black. These stand for the strawberry plant – deep red fruit, green leaves and dark soil.

At the end of the nineteenth century, the demand for ornamental flowers grew. More and more growers switched from fruit to flowers and started experimenting with greenhouses. Flower cultivation in Aalsmeer flourished and soon flowers were being auctioned in the village. The auction benefitted from the growth of Schiphol Airport, and today the largest flower trading building in the world stands on the Legmeerdijk in Aalsmeer: Royal Flora Holland. Millions of flowers are traded here daily.

Several historic buildings still tell the story of flower growing. At the Historical Garden, you can walk through old style horticulture and explore changing exhibitions. The building of Bloemenlust used to host flower auctions from benches in a real auction room.

This route takes you deep into the flower filled past of Aalsmeer. You’ll pass old auction buildings and colourful spots where you’ll want to stop for a moment. And it’s not just the sights that are blooming – while cycling through Amstelland and the Amsterdam Forest you’ll come across plenty of natural beauty too.