Amsterdam Travel Guide

Tulips and Amsterdam A Tumultuous History

One of my favorite things about being in Amsterdam is the flowers. A short walk along the flower market is, for me, a sort of rainbow-hued heaven. That may sound like a strange thing to say about a city with so many other things to offer, but I've always been crazy about flowers in general and tulips in particular.

I'm not alone. Holland has had a very special relationship with the tulip since it arrived in the Netherlands from Constantinople in the 16th century, and, 100 years or so later, made a whole country go temporarily mad. In the 1600s, when growers started to compete to create the most beautiful tulip, the citizens of the country were willing to spend more and more money on tulips. Astronomical sums of money. In 1635, a batch of 40 tulip bulbs were sold in Amsterdam for 100,000 florins. The median annual salary was 150 florins. That's one pricey flower.

With the craze for tulips came speculation in the tulip trade. A tulip stock market was created, and it 1637 it crashed, leaving many bankrupt. Many were ruined. Some even committed suicide.

Even though they make fun of their part in the history of this flower, almost 400 years later the Dutch still love tulips; you'll find them all over Amsterdam. And fortunately, they won't cost you ten times your annual salary. In fact, you may be shocked at how cheap they are. Last time I was there, I bought a large boquet of gorgeous pink tulips for 3 euros. If you're thinking about what to bring home, tulip bulbs make a great souvenir, and come with a fascinating history.

Flowers aren't just pretty; they can be exciting. If you want to learn more, you might want to think about visiting the Tulip Museum while you're in Amsterdam. It's only 2 euros for adults, and kids are free.

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