Holland & Belgium
Fabulously historic, filled with the cutting-edge art, both old and new, the cities of Amsterdam and Bruges are full of unexpected riches: romantic canals, watery landscapes which inspired Vermeer and his contemporaries, imposing architecture and creative cuisine (topped with the world’s best chocolate!), and getting to know this part of Europe offers unforgettable rewards of having truly experienced the Old World.
Here is our suggested itinerary: Amsterdam, Edam, Haarlem, The Hague, Delft and Kinderdijk, Bruge, Brussels and Ghent
Check out our suggested itinerary below and let's get a group together! This itinerary can be scheduled for a tour led by Tour Director, Sandy Gregory or customized for independent travel with our Concierge Travel Services.
Please inquire
Fabulously historic, filled with the cutting-edge art, both old and new, the cities of Amsterdam and Bruges are full of unexpected riches: romantic canals, watery landscapes which inspired Vermeer and his contemporaries, imposing architecture and creative cuisine (topped with the world’s best chocolate!), and getting to know this part of Europe offers unforgettable rewards of having truly experienced the Old World.
Here is our suggested itinerary: Amsterdam, Edam, Haarlem, The Hague, Delft and Kinderdijk, Bruge, Brussels and Ghent
Check out our suggested itinerary below and let's get a group together! This itinerary can be scheduled for a tour led by Tour Director, Sandy Gregory or customized for independent travel with our Concierge Travel Services.
Please inquire
Day 1: Arrive Amsterdam and Welcome Dinner Cruise |
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Arrive at Schiphol Airport, transfer to the hotel.
4 nights with breakfast.
After you settle in and take a rest, we will start our exploration of the Netherlands with a morning orientation of Amsterdam, through the highlights of the Jordaan Neighborhood and Amsterdam. During this tour, we will take you to all of the must-see places, but will also show you some other spectacular, hidden locations that most rushed tourists don’t get to see! We will visit the picturesque Grachtengordel, or Canal Ring – a UNESCO World Heritage site - before taking a walk in the Jordaan neighborhood, famous for its beautiful old houses, tiny bridges, and hidden courtyards. You will be taken back in time on this walk. Your private guide explains to you how the city was built and how the Amsterdammers live in it nowadays.
Tonight: Private dinner cruise, where we will enjoy our own private boat with captain and crew, a three-course dinner by candlelight on a gorgeous wooden boat built in 1898, maneuvering the city via Amsterdam’s remarkable canals. Four concentric half-circle canals and parallel radii canals create the islands and bridges that give Amsterdam its unique style, evidence of Dutch planning, ingenuity, and hard work.
4 nights with breakfast.
After you settle in and take a rest, we will start our exploration of the Netherlands with a morning orientation of Amsterdam, through the highlights of the Jordaan Neighborhood and Amsterdam. During this tour, we will take you to all of the must-see places, but will also show you some other spectacular, hidden locations that most rushed tourists don’t get to see! We will visit the picturesque Grachtengordel, or Canal Ring – a UNESCO World Heritage site - before taking a walk in the Jordaan neighborhood, famous for its beautiful old houses, tiny bridges, and hidden courtyards. You will be taken back in time on this walk. Your private guide explains to you how the city was built and how the Amsterdammers live in it nowadays.
Tonight: Private dinner cruise, where we will enjoy our own private boat with captain and crew, a three-course dinner by candlelight on a gorgeous wooden boat built in 1898, maneuvering the city via Amsterdam’s remarkable canals. Four concentric half-circle canals and parallel radii canals create the islands and bridges that give Amsterdam its unique style, evidence of Dutch planning, ingenuity, and hard work.
Day 2. A Day in Amsterdam |
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The Van Gogh Museum. The museum houses the world’s largest collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh, and provides an opportunity to learn about the artist’s life and compare his paintings to works by his contemporaries.
This afternoon, we will enjoy a 3 hr. included private tour on a Rickshaw, including the Dam Square (de Dam), the Old Church, New Market (Nieuwmarkt), the old Jewish Quarter (Joodse Buurt), Portuguese Synagogue, Rembrandt’s House, the Amstel River, Rembrandt Square (Rembrandtplein), the Flower Market (Bloemenmarkt). We will finish at The Anne Frank’s House for a vivid, firsthand experience of her life while hiding in the Secret Annex during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. It’s pretty heavy, but a must-see. We’ll learn about the atrocities committed against the Jewish people during World War II. We’ll begin with a tour inside the Anne Frank Huis. We’ll then visit the original bookstore where father Otto Frank bought Anne her famous red plaid diary, walk by the house where she grew up, see where she went to school, and follow her footsteps from a young German Jewish immigrant to a Dutch adolescent in hiding.
Private tour of the Red Light District. Here’s your chance to ask the burning questions about one of the most infamous Red Light Districts in the world. We’ll learn all the sordid details, gossip, and little-known facts about this heady concentration of brothels. However, most people don’t know that this area isn’t just filled with prostitutes and soft drugs, but also with cute narrow canals and alleys. It is home to some of the oldest (from the 14th century) and most beautiful buildings in the city, such as the Old Church and De Waag.
Dinner: From rich tripels and fruity white beers to dark brown bocks and thirst-quenching pilsners, Amsterdam’s craft and specialty beer game is strong.
This afternoon, we will enjoy a 3 hr. included private tour on a Rickshaw, including the Dam Square (de Dam), the Old Church, New Market (Nieuwmarkt), the old Jewish Quarter (Joodse Buurt), Portuguese Synagogue, Rembrandt’s House, the Amstel River, Rembrandt Square (Rembrandtplein), the Flower Market (Bloemenmarkt). We will finish at The Anne Frank’s House for a vivid, firsthand experience of her life while hiding in the Secret Annex during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. It’s pretty heavy, but a must-see. We’ll learn about the atrocities committed against the Jewish people during World War II. We’ll begin with a tour inside the Anne Frank Huis. We’ll then visit the original bookstore where father Otto Frank bought Anne her famous red plaid diary, walk by the house where she grew up, see where she went to school, and follow her footsteps from a young German Jewish immigrant to a Dutch adolescent in hiding.
Private tour of the Red Light District. Here’s your chance to ask the burning questions about one of the most infamous Red Light Districts in the world. We’ll learn all the sordid details, gossip, and little-known facts about this heady concentration of brothels. However, most people don’t know that this area isn’t just filled with prostitutes and soft drugs, but also with cute narrow canals and alleys. It is home to some of the oldest (from the 14th century) and most beautiful buildings in the city, such as the Old Church and De Waag.
Dinner: From rich tripels and fruity white beers to dark brown bocks and thirst-quenching pilsners, Amsterdam’s craft and specialty beer game is strong.
Day 3. A Day in Amsterdam |
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Rijksmuseum, featuring many of the readily recognizable paintings: from Rembrandt’s Night Watch to Vermeer’s Milkmaid, and from extravagant costumes to complete, original 18th-century period rooms.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure in Amsterdam.
One of the best things about being abroad is getting to taste the local cuisine and discover new specialties. The Netherlands also has its share of culinary delights: erwtensoep (pea soup with ham and smoked sausage), stamppot (mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables, served with meat and gravy) and suddervlees (slowly braised meat). Thanks to its proximity to the sea, fish and seafood also feature heavily on Dutch menus, especially plaice, mackerel, eel, mussels and shrimp.
If you want to bring home a few Dutch tulip bulbs, you must do so through a vendor who sells tulip bulbs specifically for import back to the US. At the markets, you will see them packaged and labeled with a phytosanitary certificate from the government of the Netherlands addressed specifically to the US, and check the date. This certificate shows that the bulbs meet the US customs’ entry requirements.
The Heineken Experience, a wonderful Cheese Museum and Tulip Museum.
Get lost in the arty Jordaan neighborhood. Wandering into the Jordaan feels like stepping back in time. Originally a working class area, the Jordaan’s narrow streets and quaint buildings now make up one of Amsterdam’s most desirable quarters, dotted with independent art galleries, antiques shops, courtyard gardens and atmospheric bars and restaurants.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure in Amsterdam.
One of the best things about being abroad is getting to taste the local cuisine and discover new specialties. The Netherlands also has its share of culinary delights: erwtensoep (pea soup with ham and smoked sausage), stamppot (mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables, served with meat and gravy) and suddervlees (slowly braised meat). Thanks to its proximity to the sea, fish and seafood also feature heavily on Dutch menus, especially plaice, mackerel, eel, mussels and shrimp.
If you want to bring home a few Dutch tulip bulbs, you must do so through a vendor who sells tulip bulbs specifically for import back to the US. At the markets, you will see them packaged and labeled with a phytosanitary certificate from the government of the Netherlands addressed specifically to the US, and check the date. This certificate shows that the bulbs meet the US customs’ entry requirements.
The Heineken Experience, a wonderful Cheese Museum and Tulip Museum.
Get lost in the arty Jordaan neighborhood. Wandering into the Jordaan feels like stepping back in time. Originally a working class area, the Jordaan’s narrow streets and quaint buildings now make up one of Amsterdam’s most desirable quarters, dotted with independent art galleries, antiques shops, courtyard gardens and atmospheric bars and restaurants.
Day 4: The Dutch Countryside |
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As we head out to the countryside, we will be surrounded by fertile land, pristine towns, and lots of canals and lakes. With our driver and guide, we will drive to the most beautiful traditional villages in Noord-Holland, like the fishing village of Marken and the less touristy gems such as Broek in Waterland with its wooden houses at tiny waterways
The next stop will be a cheese and clogs farm, where you will learn about these traditional Dutch products and taste cheese of course!
To get to the windmills, we drive straight through the Beemster polder (a World Heritage site recognized by UNESCO due to the perfect design and water management improvement it had in the past). As a perfect ending for this tour, you will go to the fantastic windmills in Schermerhorn, where you will get to go inside a centuries-old working windmill. This will be one of those experiences you simply can’t capture in the picture.
We will then head back to Amsterdam for the evening.
Included dinner serving excellent traditional Dutch cuisine. Originally an antiques shop, this unique restaurant is spread across five 17th-century canal houses and is a maze of old wooden dining rooms.
The next stop will be a cheese and clogs farm, where you will learn about these traditional Dutch products and taste cheese of course!
To get to the windmills, we drive straight through the Beemster polder (a World Heritage site recognized by UNESCO due to the perfect design and water management improvement it had in the past). As a perfect ending for this tour, you will go to the fantastic windmills in Schermerhorn, where you will get to go inside a centuries-old working windmill. This will be one of those experiences you simply can’t capture in the picture.
We will then head back to Amsterdam for the evening.
Included dinner serving excellent traditional Dutch cuisine. Originally an antiques shop, this unique restaurant is spread across five 17th-century canal houses and is a maze of old wooden dining rooms.
Day 5. Delft and to The Hague |
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This morning we say “tot ziens” to Amsterdam, and continue our journey on to The Hague, the country’s administrative centre and its seat of government. The Hague is one of the most elegant cities in The Netherlands and home to some of its finest buildings and works of art.
Enroute, we will make a stop at the city of Delft, known for its distinctive blue and white ceramics. With its tree-lined canals, great museums and famous monuments, Delft is also one of Holland’s most charming towns. We’ll start with a private tour of the Porceleyne Fles, the Royal Dutch Delftware Manufactory, established in 1653, where the Royal Delftware is still hand-painted according to centuries-old tradition.
After we check in, you can enjoy one of their spa treatments or go to the Mauritshuis Museum for a viewing of Vermeer’s Girl with the Pearl Earring. This museum houses one of the best Royal collections in the Netherlands.
2 nights.
Included dinner at the hotel.
Enroute, we will make a stop at the city of Delft, known for its distinctive blue and white ceramics. With its tree-lined canals, great museums and famous monuments, Delft is also one of Holland’s most charming towns. We’ll start with a private tour of the Porceleyne Fles, the Royal Dutch Delftware Manufactory, established in 1653, where the Royal Delftware is still hand-painted according to centuries-old tradition.
After we check in, you can enjoy one of their spa treatments or go to the Mauritshuis Museum for a viewing of Vermeer’s Girl with the Pearl Earring. This museum houses one of the best Royal collections in the Netherlands.
2 nights.
Included dinner at the hotel.
Day 6. The Hague |
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Morning driving tour of the highlights of the Hague, including the Knight’s Hall and other governmental buildings.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure.
The Kunstmuseum, with largest Piet Mondrian collection in the world.
Panorama Mesdag. The museum is home to an astonishing panorama by the Dutch 19th-century marine painter Hendrik Willem Mesdag. The museum was purpose-built to house the cylindrical painting which is more than 14 meters high and around 40 meters in diameter, depicting the sea, beaches and village of Scheveningen in the late 19th century. The museum also houses some other lovely seascapes by Mesdag.
Louwman Museum. The museum houses a fine collection of historic cars, coaches and motorcycles. The collection was built by two generations of the Louwman family, beginning in 1934. With over 230 automobiles, it is the largest collection of cars from 1910 or earlier in the world. Highlights include a car owned by Winston Churchill, the Aston Martin DB5 used in the James Bond movie Goldfinger, and a Cadillac belonging to Elvis Presley.
Included dinner and musical performance.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure.
The Kunstmuseum, with largest Piet Mondrian collection in the world.
Panorama Mesdag. The museum is home to an astonishing panorama by the Dutch 19th-century marine painter Hendrik Willem Mesdag. The museum was purpose-built to house the cylindrical painting which is more than 14 meters high and around 40 meters in diameter, depicting the sea, beaches and village of Scheveningen in the late 19th century. The museum also houses some other lovely seascapes by Mesdag.
Louwman Museum. The museum houses a fine collection of historic cars, coaches and motorcycles. The collection was built by two generations of the Louwman family, beginning in 1934. With over 230 automobiles, it is the largest collection of cars from 1910 or earlier in the world. Highlights include a car owned by Winston Churchill, the Aston Martin DB5 used in the James Bond movie Goldfinger, and a Cadillac belonging to Elvis Presley.
Included dinner and musical performance.
Day 8. Guided Walk of Bruges, Brewery Tour. Canal Cruise |
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This morning, we’ll wake up in one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe, Bruges. We’ll start the day with a guided 2 hour walk through the historical city center, meandering along its narrow cobbled streets and contemplating its weathered beauty reflected in the dark mirror of its peaceful canals. During our tour, we will visit The Madonna of Bruges by Michelangelo, the Madonna and Child sculpture situated in the Church of Our Lady in Belgium and Michelangelo’s first sculpture to travel outside of Italy during his lifetime.
A visit to Bruges would not be complete without a boat trip on its canals, so we’ll take a short cruise on the picturesque waterways to admire the city’s beautiful buildings from a different view.
We will make an included lunch stop followed by a brewery tour. The journey begins in our brewing hall where all our beers are brewed. The tour continues and you’ll discover the many brewing installations that have been used over the past centuries. At our brewery’s rooftop you can enjoy a 360° view over the city center of Bruges. At the end of your journey, we offer you an unfiltered Brugse Zot Blond, Brugse Zot Dubbel or Straffe Hendrik Tripel.
Tonight is yours to enjoy Bruges at your leisure.
A visit to Bruges would not be complete without a boat trip on its canals, so we’ll take a short cruise on the picturesque waterways to admire the city’s beautiful buildings from a different view.
We will make an included lunch stop followed by a brewery tour. The journey begins in our brewing hall where all our beers are brewed. The tour continues and you’ll discover the many brewing installations that have been used over the past centuries. At our brewery’s rooftop you can enjoy a 360° view over the city center of Bruges. At the end of your journey, we offer you an unfiltered Brugse Zot Blond, Brugse Zot Dubbel or Straffe Hendrik Tripel.
Tonight is yours to enjoy Bruges at your leisure.
Day 9.Guided Walk of Brussels and the Belgaian Chocolate Village |
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Today, we depart Bruges and begin our day with a private walking tour of Brussels, a vibrant and diverse city that effortlessly combines history, culture, and modernity. As you stroll through the city, you’ll be enchanted by the harmonious blend of European charm and international influence. Brussels proudly hosts an impressive array of EU and international institutions, making it a hub of political and diplomatic activity. On our tour, we will delve into the cities’ captivating history as you explore its historic landmarks and cobblestone streets.
We are then on to the Belgian Chocolate Village. Immerse yourself in the rich history of chocolate-making, explore interactive exhibits, and savor the finest Belgian pralines, making it a delightful and educational experience for chocolate enthusiasts of all ages.
After visiting the Chocolate Village, we head to Gent.
2 nights
Included dinner in Ghent
We are then on to the Belgian Chocolate Village. Immerse yourself in the rich history of chocolate-making, explore interactive exhibits, and savor the finest Belgian pralines, making it a delightful and educational experience for chocolate enthusiasts of all ages.
After visiting the Chocolate Village, we head to Gent.
2 nights
Included dinner in Ghent
Day 10. Ghent |
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Today we’ll visit Ghent, a historic medieval city, yet with a youthful energy created by its renowned university. This is a city where a modern ambiance and contemporary daily life plays itself out against a gorgeous historical backdrop. After a guided tour of the city, including St. Bavo’s Cathedral, St. Michael’s Bridge, and the photogenic riverfront, we’ll enjoy some free time to enjoy the gorgeous architecture and the youthful atmosphere of this city.
Tonight: A Festive Farewell Dinner.
Tonight: A Festive Farewell Dinner.
Day 11. Ghent to Brussels Airport - Departures |