Worldfamous

I’M pretty much an Instagram influencer now, don’t you know.

I’ve spent the day snapping more than 330 photos — I won’t tell you what ­proportion of those were selfies — among the tulips.

And my grid is now filled with brightly-coloured buds below a stunning blue sky.

It’s thanks to Amsterdam’s tulip season that I’ve found this new calling.

The flowers are impossible not to take photos of, and each colour is more beautiful than the last.

I’m here at Tulip Farm De Tulperij, a family attraction that has been around for almost 100 years and sits about an hour’s drive out of central Amsterdam.

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It’s a busy day tour that I’m on: a stop at the farm, a canal trip and a visit to Keukenhof, the tulip gardens in Lisse — a veritable floral feast.

Arriving first at the farm, we are given a tour around the fields by owner Daan Jansze — and he certainly knows his tulips.

In his welcome, he tells us that the soil at this farm is extremely moist, with the water table just 60cm below the surface.

The tulips love this moist soil, and rows upon rows bloom each spring after being planted just before winter.

Daan is the third generation farmer of the land, and he points out his youngest son — hauling soil nearby — who will become the fourth generation to run the farm.

But before letting us loose in his field, Daan gives us some ground rules.

No walking through the beds, you’ve got to walk up and down.

And no picking the flowers. “Ok,” he says in his thick Dutch accent. “Now you can go take pictures for your Instagram.”

And we’re off.

My fellow tourists and I fling ourselves into the fields, fanning out between line after line of reds, pinks and yellows.

I won’t lie to you, it wasn’t quite fields as far as the eye could see.

But the long lines were definitely enough to keep us busy, and I got shot after shot of the bright flowers.

There were people of all ages in the field around me — mothers and daughters, couples, families and friends, all keen to make the most of the colourful setting.

And when we got tired of taking pictures of ourselves, we headed to the farm’s little cafe that sold everything from apple pie to tiny clog keychains.

It also led to a second shock of tulips, all lined up in a manicured garden.

Two hours later and we were back on the bus, heading off to board a canal boat.

Surrounded by about 50 other tourists, we lapped up the sunshine for an hour as we floated past the windmills, geese and their goslings, and Dutch locals who had also hit the water to make the most of the stunning May weather.

We then piled on to the bus again to head to our final stop — the Keukenhof Gardens.

Like a botanic gardens on steroids, this tourist attraction is only open from March to May, completely dependent on the budding whims of the tulips.

This year, the season kicks off on March 19 and continues until May 10.

With the droves of tourists, it almost felt like an adventure park.

And while it was certainly busy, I would heartily recommend going there.
Jaw-dropping displays

Even though we couldn’t quite get into the tulips like we did at the farm, the sheer effort it took to plant SEVEN MILLION bulbs to create this flower haven is impressive, to say the least.

The rows of tulips across the park are complemented by the stunning flower shows, with everything from orchids to ­lilies creating jaw-dropping displays.

By the end of the day, my photo reel is an explosion of colour and I’m almost (only almost) sick of flowers.

But I manage to summon up some energy and upload my pictures — and the “likes” come flooding in.

It might be too late for your own Insta career to take off, but now is the time to plan and book a trip like this.

The tulip season is short, so tours sell out pretty quick. Happy snapping!

ONE of the UK’s most famous streets is getting a massive glow-up.

Portobello Road Market in London, which is well-known for its thriving market with curiosity shops, attracts millions of visitors a year.

And now it will be undergoing a £4.4million makeover.

As part of the upgrade, there area will be getting wider pavements, new lights, better accessibility, more greenery and parking bays.

There will even be a new draining system to prevent flooding, which the area is prone to.

Portobello Road’s concrete anti-terror barriers will also be replaced with sliding bollards.

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Work is expected to begin in January 2027.

Portobello Road Market, found in the Notting Hill area, features a lot of antique shops, restaurants and independent boutiques.

And the market is one of the most famous and historic in the world, dating back over 160 years.

Visitors can explore hundreds of stalls, full of different curiosities, bric-a-brac, jewellery, antiques, clothing and more.

On Fridays and Saturdays – which tend to be the busiest days – the market stalls actually stretch over a mile long from start to finish.

And then on Sundays, there are less stalls, but still plenty to explore and the shops remain open as well.

One recent visitor said: “Lots of interesting stuff, the vintage market section was the best, but the main road itself was insane with people even early in the morning.

“Worth a visit at least once.”

Another added: “Portobello Road and its market is fun to experience.

“It is located in the charming residential neighborhood of Notting Hill.

“Interesting mix of touristy and local shops, eateries, and temporary booths/stalls. Highly recommended!”

A third said: “The market is full of life, colours, and unique finds.

“I especially enjoyed browsing the small stalls with handmade and vintage jewellery — I found some truly beautiful and one-of-a-kind pieces.

“A must-visit spot in London if you enjoy local art, antiques, and something different from the usual shops.”

Portobello has also featured in a number of films, perhaps most notably Notting Hill, starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.

And you can actually visit the bookshop that inspired the bookshop in the film.

Called the Notting Hill Bookshop in real life, the store features the same façade and interiors today that the original shop did which was used in Notting Hill as The Travel Book Co.

There is a lot to do in the surrounding area as well.

For example, you could head to the Museum of Brands to see how household products have changed their look over the years.

It costs £11.50 per person to visit.

Or perhaps wander to Kensington, where you can explore Kensington Palace and Gardens, which costs from £20.60 per person to visit.

In other travel news from London, the city’s most underrated attraction is the best place for families on a budget.

Plus, London’s best family attraction that ‘feels like it was created for kids’ to get a huge new nature playground.