2024: Visit the Aalsmeer Royal Flora Holland Flower Auction near Amsterdam (2024)

Visit the Royal Flora Holland flower auction in Aalsmeer near Amsterdam and Schiphol Airport to see the largest floral market in the world and a fine study in logistics.

The Aalsmeer flower auction in North Holland near Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is by far the busiest and largest floral market in the world. Daily, around 20 million flowers are traded here. Visitors are welcome but must arrive early and only observe the action from walkways several meters above the flowers and the busy warehouse floor where mini transportation trains crisscross the world’s largest covered market at astonishing speed.

Visitors can avoid disappointment by knowing in advance that the Aalsmeer flower auction is not Keukenhof. Visitors will not get up close and personal with the flowers – the most interesting aspect of the Aalsmeer flower market is seeing the logistics in action, rather than admiring flowers up close.

Visit the Royal Flora Holland Flower Market in Aalsmeer

The flower auction held each weekday at the FloraHolland warehouse in Aalsmeer is the largest flower market in the world. Daily around 20 million flowers and decorative plants are traded here with well over 12 billion flowers traded annually in the six Flora Holland auctions in The Netherlands. This enormous central auction building in Aalsmeer has the largest footprint (518,000 m²) in the world while its floor space of 990, 000 m² makes it the fourth largest building in the world.

Inside, the building is a hive of activity. Endless numbers of small trains full of carts loaded with containers of flowers and plants are moved by electric-powered trucks or automated rails. It looks all chaotic with a highway system (and clearly a highway code to go with it) allowing the various wagons to be moved to where the schedules demand.

Flowers arrive from around 10 pm and are cooled and sorted during the night. The auctions are early morning with bought flowers distributed immediately. By late afternoon, all the flowers will have moved out and the warehouse prepared for the next round.

Visitors to the Aalsmeer flower auction may study the activity from two elevated walkways high above the busy warehouse. These galleries are the closest visitors will get to the flowers – the flowers are the traded commodity here, not the tourist attraction as is the case at Keukenhof and the tulip bulb flower fields in the Bollenstreek. FloriWorld next door to the flower auction hall is a new attraction very popular, especially with Instagram photographers.

2024: Visit the Aalsmeer Royal Flora Holland Flower Auction near Amsterdam (4)

Visit the Flower Auction Bloemenveiling at Aalsmeer

Tourists at the Aalsmeer FloraHolland flower auction (bloemenveiling) may observe the actual trading through soundproof windows high above two auction rooms. Here, two auctions per room are staged simultaneously.

At other auction rooms usually not open to visitors up to seven auctions can take place at the same time. The trading itself is done electronically, so the auction room is actually fairly quiet, other than traders swapping gossip amongst themselves.

The flower auction functions as follows:

2024: Visit the Aalsmeer Royal Flora Holland Flower Auction near Amsterdam (6)
  • The buyers sit in an almost college classroom fashion on one side of the hall – computers plugged in. (Physical presence is no longer required to bid electronically.)
  • In front of the hall, the flowers and plants are pulled through the hall on automated trains – two trains go by if two auctions are held at the same time.
  • Huge screens in each half of the hall display the auction information – the clock determines the price.
  • The auctioneer sits behind a glass screen – traditionally he drops the ball in each clock but nowadays most of it goes automatically.
  • The buyers bid electronically as the flowers move by.

Once sold, the most impressive part of the logistics springs into action. Wagons and containers are sorted and sent to the correct loading bay so each buyer receives his wares and can speed it on to the shops, further distribution centers, or often to Schiphol Airport for export.

Payments are received the same day and all sold flowers clear the building by late afternoon.

Dutch Auction Clock at Aalsmeer Flower Market

The flower auction in Aalsmeer follows the Dutch auction system – the price is set high and then drops until someone buys. If demand exceeds supply, those waiting too long for the price to drop may go home empty-handed. Similarly, anyone buying too fast overpays but is at least assured of receiving the product.

The bidding process is followed on the large screens inside the auction room. The key element is the round circle – often referred to as the clock.

A start price is set and the auctioneer drops the ball that moves down with the price dropping at the same pace – the numbers on the ring are percentages, not currency. The ball stops as soon as a buyer is willing to pay the given price.

If the buyer does not take all the flowers on offer, the price continues to drop until further buyers are found. The process can repeat but ideally, every offering is finished in one go. Only a few seconds are spent per auction offer.

2024: Visit the Aalsmeer Royal Flora Holland Flower Auction near Amsterdam (9)

The board is full of information but the most-watched figure inside the ring is second from the top on the left: the price (prijs) per stem – usually in euro. Before getting excited at tulips at €0.10 per flower, note the ape (number of flowers per container) and the min-afn (minimum number of containers that must be bought). Only registered traders may buy anyway.

Other information on the board includes the seller, details of the flowers on offer as well as the reliability of the seller’s quality indexing. The board also lists the next six auction offers that will follow.

Visit the Flower Auction in Aalsmeer near Amsterdam

TheRoyal FloraHollandflower auction in Aalsmeer takes place every weekday from 7 am to 11 am (only until 9 am on Thursday). Arriving early is advisable – preferably before 9 am (or 8 am on Thursday) – as the duration of the auctions may be shorter on certain days.

2024: Visit the Aalsmeer Royal Flora Holland Flower Auction near Amsterdam (10)

Upon arrival, first follow the gallery all the way to the auction rooms and stop and admire the activity on the warehouse floor on the way back. The flowers will still be moved around for hours after the auctions have finished. Wear comfortable shoes – it is a long walk.

Admission is €11.50 for adults and a rather hefty €9 for children 4 to 11.

Combination tickets for other sights in Aalsmeer are available but not for the adjacent FloriWorld.

The galleries are accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.

The FloraHolland auctions at Naaldwijk (south of Den Haag) and Eelde (near Groningen) are also open to visitors but hours are shorter and the auction halls much smaller.

Transportation to FloraHolland Aalsmeer Flower Auction

The FloraHolland flower auction market in Aalsmeer is easily reached by car or on public transportation from Amsterdam and Schiphol Airport.

By car, use exit 3 from the highway A4 (Amsterdam to Den Haag) towards Aalsmeer. Follow the signs for “FloraHolland / Bloemenveiling”. Once at the auction center, follow the signs to parking lot P23 or “Bezoekers/Tourist”.

2024: Visit the Aalsmeer Royal Flora Holland Flower Auction near Amsterdam (11)

Parking lot 23 is on the roof of the complex – park in the white (wit) zone. Parking is free. From the parking lot, take the elevator down to the ground floor and follow the “Tourists” signs to the adjacent building.

The Aalsmeer flower auction may also easily be reached on public transportation as bus stop Aalsmeer, Bloemenveiling Hoofdingang (Floraholland) is directly at the Tourist Center entrance.

From central Amsterdam, the three simplest options are:

  • Bus 357 (direction Amstelveen) from Leidseplein, Rijksmuseum, or Museumplein) is direct and takes around 45 minutes.
  • From Metro Station Amstelveenseweg use bus 357 (direction Aalsmeer via Amstelveen), or
  • from Metro Station Zuid, Amsterdam, use bus 358 (direction Aalsmeer via Amstelveen).

The buses take around 40 minutes from the metro stations to Floraholland. For the return to Amsterdam, use the same bus numbers but with Amsterdam as the final destination.

2024: Visit the Aalsmeer Royal Flora Holland Flower Auction near Amsterdam (12)

From Schiphol Airport, the simplest option is touse bus 300 (direction Bijlmer Arena) to stop Amstelveen, Busstation, and change here to bus 357 or 358 (direction Aalsmeer Hortensiaplain). Traveling time is around 45 minutes.

Use9292for live timetables for all public transportation options in The Netherlands. For more options from Schiphol, check the walking maps at bus changes, as some stops are in different streets! Bus 300 is the simplest option.

A pre-booked transfer should be around €60 fromSchiphol Airport, driving time around 20 minutes.

Day-Trip Tours to Visit Aalsmeer Flower Auction

The Aalsmeer flower auction is a good excursion trip and due to the early start combines well with any day-trip schedule taking visitors south of Amsterdam to for example Keukenhof, Avifauna bird park, Gouda, Kinderdijk or Utrecht. Aalsmeer is also a great option if on a long early morning stopover at Schiphol Airport. Some day trips, e.g. Get Your Guide, include Aalsmeer in excursions to other destinations in The Netherlands.

2024: Visit the Aalsmeer Royal Flora Holland Flower Auction near Amsterdam (2024)

FAQs

Can you visit the Aalsmeer flower auction? ›

Royal FloraHolland in Aalsmeer is open to visitors and offers a unique glimpse into the bustling world of the largest flower auction. The auction operates early in the morning, from Monday to Friday, with public visiting hours from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM, except on Thursdays when the auction ends at 9:00 AM.

How does the Aalsmeer flower auction work? ›

The auction is set up as a Dutch auction in which the price starts high and works its way down. Bidders get only a few seconds to bid on the flowers before they are sold and passed on to the new owner. On 1 January 2008, the auction company merged with its biggest competitor Royal FloraHolland.

How to visit Royal FloraHolland? ›

The floriculture marketplace can be easily reached by car via motorway A4 (exit Aalsmeer/Hoofddorp), N201 and N231. Parking is free for visitors (roof parking P23). Once you arrive at Royal FloraHolland drive past the round security building and turn right.

How big is the Aalsmeer flower auction? ›

In 1972, the present-day complex opened. Today, Aalsmeer hosts the largest flower auction in the world, with over 40 million plants and flowers from all over the globe traded here. The building in which the trades take place is the second largest in the world – 10.6 million square feet of pure flower power.

Is Aalsmeer worth visiting? ›

Aalsmeer is known as the flower village on the water and there is always plenty to do there. There is so much to do that you can easily spend a day in Aalsmeer and not be bored. For you to get the most out of your trip, we are sharing our top tips for a 12-hour visit to Aalsmeer.

Is it worth visiting the flower market in Amsterdam? ›

Is it worth visiting? The flower market is pretty much a right of passage when in Amsterdam. Located right in the centre, just a stone's throw from Muntplein, this colourful, picturesque beauty dates back to 1862 and remains just as important to the city.

What is the famous flower market in Amsterdam? ›

Founded in 1862, Bloemenmarkt is a beautiful and touristy flower market floating on the Singel canal in central Amsterdam. During the nineteenth century, when the market was first built, hundreds of boats full of flowers and plants would sail to the Bloemenmarkt to sell their goods.

Why is it called Dutch auction? ›

The Dutch auction is so-named because it is used to sell cut flowers in Holland, in the enormous flower auctions. A strategy in a Dutch auction is a price at which the bidder bids. Each bidder watches the price decline, until it reaches such a point that either the bidder bids or a rival bids, and the auction ends.

Where are 70% of roses grown? ›

According to Petra Baranová from the EcoHero portal, Kenya is the largest producer in the rose trade. More than 70% of the roses sold in Europe come from there (2). For this country, the cultivation and export of roses is an important economic sector that employs many of its inhabitants.

How do you get a royal visit? ›

Invitations should be submitted one year in advance for a specific date or six months for a general request. When issuing an invitation, be sure to be specific about why you believe your organisation would be ideal for a Royal visit.

What does Royal FloraHolland do? ›

Royal FloraHolland is the largest international floriculture marketplace for flowers and plants, operating as both an association of growers and a business entity.

Can you visit the Queen's Castle? ›

Witness the grandeur of the British monarchy and on selected dates during the summer and from November to December and at Easter, visitors can tour the 19 State Rooms, which form the heart of the Palace.

What is the most sold flower in the world? ›

Roses are perhaps the most popular cut flower for floral displays. They feature a tight coil of petals that range in color from white to tones of yellow, pink, and dark crimson and have a delightful fragrance.

How does the Dutch flower auction work? ›

The auctioneer begins each sale with a predetermined highest asking price, lowering it until a bid is made or a reserve price is reached. Prices are shown on a clock and buyers typically have mere seconds to make a decision. They would often have to rely solely on their intuition to make these decisions.

Where is the floating flower market located? ›

Bloemenmarkt in Amsterdam is the world's only floating flower market. Founded in 1862, this unique market sits on the Singel Canal Koningsplein and the Muntplein and is made up of a series of houseboat greenhouses.

What is the most famous flower market in the world? ›

  • Columbia Road Flower Market in London, United Kingdom. ...
  • Pak Khlong Talat flower market in Bangkok, Thailand. ...
  • Janskerkhof Bloemenmarkt in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. ...
  • The flower market in Cuenca, Ecuador. ...
  • Mong Kok flower market in Hong Kong, China.
Jun 19, 2023

Where can you find the rarest flower? ›

The Middlemist Red Camellia, or Camellia japonica 'Middlemist's Red,' is an exceptionally rare flower with vibrant pinkish-red petals. With only two known living specimens in the world, both located in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, it holds the title of the rarest flowering plant on Earth. 7.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Ray Christiansen

Last Updated:

Views: 5923

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (69 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Ray Christiansen

Birthday: 1998-05-04

Address: Apt. 814 34339 Sauer Islands, Hirtheville, GA 02446-8771

Phone: +337636892828

Job: Lead Hospitality Designer

Hobby: Urban exploration, Tai chi, Lockpicking, Fashion, Gunsmithing, Pottery, Geocaching

Introduction: My name is Ray Christiansen, I am a fair, good, cute, gentle, vast, glamorous, excited person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.