Fly over the tulip fields at This is Holland
Tulip season is very short. During springtime the tulips are in bloom for just for app. four weeks. With the other spring flowers in bloom there are between the 6 to 8 weeks of blooming flowers in the fields, the other 44 weeks in a year the flowers are unfortunately gone. Since this month you can see the flower fields from up in the air all year round at This is Holland. A new attraction was opened in the midst of October at the north side of the Amsterdam waterfront. Located just next to the architecture Eye museum, the Amsterdam Tower and Sir Adam hotel, it can easily be reached by the free ferry from Amsterdam Central Station to the Buiksloterweg stop and a short walk of 2 minutes.
The new attraction is named This is Holland and provide a wonderful birds eye view of all the beautiful places in the Netherlands. Last weekend I was invited to have a look and to try the flight experience myself.
After a warm welcome at the ticket desk you can put your coat and daypack in one of the lockers next to the entrance. With you ticket you walk up to the entrance and a lovely photo in front of a green screen is made. Walking up the stairs you notice the beautiful decorated wall with Dutch designs. Make sure you use your phone to spot the hidden images on this wall. In the waiting area to the first preshow you can play a trivia game to discover how much you know about Holland and the Dutch people.
Preshows
The first preshow takes you back to the Netherlands from the Roman Ages until now. An elevator takes you to the second preshow with descriptions of the Netherlands of today and the flight plan over the Netherlands. In total 22 places are visited with the flight experience. After boarding instructions it is time to find a seat in the flight simulator that looks a bit like the Soarin attraction of Epcot. The staff takes care of flight safety and the flight experience can begin.
Flying
In a flight of app. 10 minutes you fly over 22 most beautiful places in the Netherlands. You can feel the wind in your face, smell the flowers during springtime, feel the cold during wintertime and the water during summer. Accompanied with lovely music and sounds it is a wonderful 4D experience. One of the 22 places is the flower fields during springtime. And a lovely detail is that the bulbs in the shop are from the same bulb farmer where the film footage is shot.
Film
Over 32 hours of film is used to create this beautiful film, which gives you the feeling of flying over Holland. After the flight experience you enter a space filled with extra information about the 22 places and the UNESCO locations in the Netherlands. Here you can view and buy your green screen photo. And after the experience you can sit and relax in the cafeteria-style lounge next to the shop area.
Experience
Overall it is a wonderful experience. You can see the beauty of Holland and learn something about the past of the Netherlands and the 22 places. It takes around 1 hour to see and enjoy the total experience so it is a perfect short visit experience.
Keep in mind that this attraction is suitable from the ages 5 – 95 years old (Minimum height is 102 cm or 3.35 feet). The building is wheelchair accessible and if you can transfer from your wheelchair to the flight simulator yourself or with the help of your travel companions you can experience this attraction.
Tickets
A ticket of this 1 hr experience cost 16,50 for an adult and 9,50 for a child (4-12 yrs)
You can find these tickets of This is Holland here or at our Tickets and Tours page.
Source: Tulips in Holland
Photo credits: This is Holland & Tulips in Holland