Floriade Expo 2022
Thanks to Tauck, and their travel representatives, I am looking forward to once-in-a-decade experiences at "The Netherlands' prized gardens at Floriade Expo 2022" and "The Bavarian village of Oberammergau's Passion Play".
I received confirmations for three Oberammergau itineraries and pricing in April. The Tauck representative suggested I confirm back to back reservations for the May 15-29, 2022 Amsterdam To Budapest River Cruise & Floriade Expo and The Ultimate Alps and Dolomites & Oberammergau Passion Play departing on May 29, 2022 and decline the Romantic Rhine and Romantic Germany.
Yesterday's "inside Tauck" "Behind the Scenes of Floriade Expo" in-depth look and what guests can expect in 2022 was an inspirational and informative presentation for me.
According to Frank Cornelissen and Marianne de Nooijer, key members of the team behind the scenes at Floriade Expo, it takes 2 days to "Experience a living pageantry of art, cultural programs and exhibits, energized by live music, workshops, demonstrations and tasting surprises."
In addition to the "Gift Of Time", I have also booked 2 additional nights in Amsterdam to see and enjoy Amsterdam and some additional time at Floriade Expo".
Are there any other taucktourians arriving early for the May 15, 2022 Amsterdam To Budapest River Cruise that would like to share some extra Amsterdam and Floriade Expo experiences prior to our cruise?
Comments
I happened across Floriade 1982 purely by chance (what were the odds?!) on a backpacking/Eurailpass trip across Europe. We had no idea what Floriade was or that it was going on, but when we arrived in Amsterdam, it was tulips as far as the eye could see. Really amazing display!
BKMD - doesn’t everyone have two lips. Ok, sorry. A bit bored this afternoon. 😀
We went to the 1992 Floriade. Such a shame that the presentation had so many glitches yesterday, poor Dustin.
I booked the "Belgium & Holland in Spring" river cruise departing from Brussels on April 24; we finish in Amsterdam on May 1. I then walk down the pier and take the "Cruising Dutch Waterways" river cruise departing that same day and finishing on May 8. Each river cruise offers a day at the Floriade so I will get the two recommended days for touring that attraction. The presentation was a bit difficult to follow but did give a preview of what we can expect. The "Belgium" cruise also includes a day at the Keukenhof Gardens that I saw many years ago - very beautiful and lots of tulips also.
We are scheduled April 12th, starting in Belgium and ending in Amsterdam. Amsterdam in spring is beautiful. If you get a chance to visit the Aalsmeer flower auction, it is well worth the time.
Have visited that flower market previously - it is amazing to watch literally millions of flowers being auctioned off in just a few hours.
Does Dutch Waterways include Keuckenhof
No, you would need to take the Belgium and Holland tour to see the Keukenhof Gardens. You can view the Tauck website for day-by-day itineraries.
It appears to be pretty easy to get to Keukenhof from Amsterdam either on your own or on a tour, i.e. Viator. You could add a pre- or post-day. Kuekenhof is only open through May 15 though.
Re kpetzeit and Aalsmeer flower auction. I remember stopping there on a bus tour from Amsterdam during the summer of 1971 for a day. The flowers and smell were gorgeous early in the morning and we learned that they would be shipped all over the world each day. Beautiful.
When I arrive in Amsterdam on May 12th I plan to use the train from the airport to Almere Central.
Is anyone familiar with the 3 day pass that includes trams, buses and ferry?
I understand there are some direct trains to and from Almere Central back to the Amsterdam Central Station.
The website states that there are direct trains but I could not find them when I was looking at the current weeks schedule.
I assume I must wait until April 12th -15th for actual schedules to be posted or open.
Derek
Derek, I searched my trusty bahn.com train schedule site & also rome2rio, and can find only a bus between Amsterdam & Aalsmeer. When I Google Aalsmeer train station, rail.cc turns up hortensiaplein-bus-station. Future schedules whether train or bus should be available. Good luck & let us know what you find.
I was able to book online a direct train from the airport to Almere Central and a return direct train from Almere Central to Amsterdam Central Station. Both trips were about 20 - 40 minutes, At Almere Central the Best Western Plus Almere Plaza was adjacent to the train station and the Floriade Shuttle a block away from the hotel at the train station bus terminal.
How did you find Floriade Derek?
Floriade Expo was the best part of my trip. I arrived early in Amsterdam so I would have two days at the expo, one on my own and one day with the Amsterdam to Budapest river cruise. The lunch at the Dutch Food Artist restaurant was excellent and well worth the experience.
So turns out Almere (Floriade) & Aalsmeer (Flower Auction) are different towns. Sorry about that; my Dutch needs work.🌷
We went to Floriade Expo in mid-April 2022, it had only been open a week or so and there were many unfinished/closed exhibits. Hopefully things are more in full-swing now. I had really been looking forward to it and I liked the concept of it since while it is only open for part of a year, the landscape and infrastructure is set-up now for a future planned community. I enjoyed my half-day there on the tour, but it wouldn't have filled a whole day. Being from Florida, it was a bit like EPCOT, if some of the countries only had the buildings, but not the shops, country representatives, and with partially filled planter beds. But there were pockets of places that had everything together.
100% agree with @cetammi - we were there at the same time and it was just too early, not quite ready. Bangladesh exhibit (if i recall which country correctly) had just started building as they’d been held up with customs/Covid. . we kept thinking Floriade will be so much better later this summer.