Looking for things to do in Aalsmeer? Just 30 minutes from Amsterdam, 15 minutes from Schiphol Airport and 25 minutes from Haarlem lies one of the most charming places in the Netherlands. Known as the flower village on the water, Aalsmeer is home to the largest flower auction in the world, beautiful lakes, historic gardens and real Dutch village life.
Whether you love flowers, enjoy nature or simply want to see something beyond Amsterdam, Aalsmeer makes a great day out. And if you get hungry along the way, you can stop by our Ukrainian food shop, Vesela Pani.
Opening days of the places below change by season, so check their own websites before you go.
Visit the world’s largest flower auction
Royal FloraHolland in Aalsmeer is one of the best-known sights in the area. Every weekday, millions of flowers and plants are traded here before they travel to florists and supermarkets across Europe. It shows why the Netherlands is known worldwide for its flower industry.
Explore the Historical Garden
The Historical Garden Aalsmeer is an open-air museum about more than 300 years of Dutch flower growing. Walk through old greenhouses, colourful gardens and historic buildings, and learn how Aalsmeer became the flower capital of the Netherlands. Different flowers bloom in every season, so every visit is different.
The garden also has a cosy tea house for coffee, cake or lunch, and on some days you can watch a traditional flower auction.
Cruise the Westeinderplassen
One of the best ways to see Aalsmeer is from the water. A boat trip on the Westeinderplassen, one of the largest lakes in the area, takes you past small islands, old greenhouses and pretty landscapes. Boat trips leave from near the Historical Garden, so the two are easy to combine.
On warm summer days the lakes are also perfect for swimming, paddleboarding, sailing or just relaxing by the water.
Stop by Vesela Pani for Ukrainian food
Our shop is in the centre of Aalsmeer, at Zijdstraat 1, with free parking. We’re open Tuesday to Friday 09:00–18:00, Saturday 12:00–18:00 and Sunday 12:00–17:00, closed on Monday. Here you can choose from more than 100 handmade frozen dishes to take home, such as varenyky and pelmeni, syrnyky і chebureky.
Coming from further away? Bring a cool bag, and your freezer is stocked for weeks. You can also order in our online shop and pick up for free, or check if we deliver to your city.
Discover more of Aalsmeer
Depending on the day of your visit, there’s more to explore:
Flower Art Museum
A museum for contemporary art inspired by flowers and nature, with new exhibitions every few months.
Windmill De Leeuw
One of Aalsmeer’s historic windmills, where you can learn about traditional Dutch milling and buy locally milled flour.
Aalsmeer Water Tower
On open days you can climb the water tower for views over the lakes and countryside, and on a clear day even Amsterdam and Schiphol.
Surf Island
Looking for an active afternoon? At Surf Island locals swim, paddleboard, windsurf and relax on the beach on sunny days.
Dinner by the water
End your day with dinner overlooking the Westeinderplassen. Restaurants such as Joseph aan de Poel have terraces with sunset views over the lake.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Aalsmeer from Amsterdam?
By car it’s about 30 minutes. Buses run from Amsterdam and from Schiphol to the centre of Aalsmeer.
Where can I park near Vesela Pani?
There is free parking at our shop, Zijdstraat 1, 1431 EA Aalsmeer.
Is Aalsmeer worth a day trip?
Yes, especially in spring and summer: flowers, lakes, boat trips and village life, all close to Amsterdam and Schiphol.
Aalsmeer is more than flowers
Aalsmeer is much more than the world’s largest flower auction. Flowers, water, history, nature and good food come together here. Whether you visit for a few hours or a whole day, stop by Vesela Pani and take home some handmade Ukrainian food.
We look forward to welcoming you in Aalsmeer! 🥟🌷
