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This tour begins and ends in Brussels. SGT recommends enhancing your garden adventure by spending some independent time exploring this wonderful capital city. Brussels is well connected with an international airport and via the Eurostar from London and TGV rail services from most major European cities including Paris and Lille. We are happy to assist you with incoming journey if you wish. Please ask us for details.
Brussels hardly requires an introduction as everyone at least knows the Manneken Pis! This famous statue of a little boy peeing in a fountain is a perfect representative of the irreverent Belgian humor. There is so very much more to this wonderful city, explore the Grote Markt and Grand-Place, La Monnaie, Saint Michael and Saint Gudula Cathedral, meander the cobbled streets, sampling the local chocolates and beers…cooking classes are available too, for those that have an interest.
Perhaps enjoy a special treat for garden lovers, visit the Koninklijke Serres (Royal Glasshouses,) which is only opened to the public for a few weeks each year! Part of the royal palace grounds, the Royal Glasshouses were built by King Leopold II to accommodate his collection of plants from the Congo. The series of eleven massive greenhouses contains a selection of rare plants, kept in peak condition by a team of 20 gardeners.
Tour Rate: $1999 USD per person; $200 single supplement
What your tour price includes: Your accommodation for 3 nights while on the tour including both full breakfasts and 2 dinners. Your price also includes all entrance fees to attractions, transportation, services of driver/guide-companion and all taxes and tips other than those you may wish to give your guide.
Contact us for availability or to hold space on the tour: specialgrouptours@yahoo.com
TENTATIVE ITINERARY
Day 1 Saturday, 12 May, 2012
We will depart from Brussels late morning to accommodate those guests arriving via rail this morning. Our destination today is to two premier Belgian gardens!
Royal Botanical Gardens of Belgium in Meise is first on the day’s agenda. This is one of the largest botanical gardens in Europe, set in the grounds of a historic castle with ample parklands, a lake and 14 inter-connected greenhouses featuring an overview of plants and flowers from around the world. On the grounds, weather permitting, we may be able to enjoy an afternoon picnic!
Kalmthout Arboretum has been described as the best example of the gardenesque style of garden design; its oldest trees were planted over 150 years ago. Strolling through this 12 hectare gem, expect to see flowering magnolias and cherries plus diverse flowering borders with over 7,000 varieties of plants. There is also a butterfly garden.
Later, we’ll make our way to the area around Venlo, host to the special events of Holland Floriade. The rolling Limburg countryside with its Burgundian towns and picturesque villages provides a perfect backdrop for this special event. Our accommodation for these few evenings is in a ‘retreat’ property in the scenic and secluded woods on the outskirts of lively Venlo.
NIGHT STOP: Bilderberg Hotel De Bovenste Molen, Venlo or similar http://www.bilderberg.nl/hotels/hotel-de-bovenste-molen/
DAY 2 Sunday, 13 May, 2012
Our full day will be spent enjoying the events at the Holland Floriade. A day ticket will be provided as part of your tour package. The Floriade 2012 Park is set into 5 special themes including Green Engine, Environment, Relax & Heal. Certainly something for everyone! Optional activities such as flower arranging classes, garden design workshops and ‘green’ gardening seminars also available (specific scheduled TBA http://www.floriade.com/) Local transportation is available in addition to your guide so you can come and go as you please if you wish.
Dinner is not included this evening for flexibility’s sake.
NIGHT STOP: Venlo area, as above
Day 3 Monday, 14 May, 2012
We will spend some time today in one of the oldest cities in The Netherlands. Maastricht, founded by the Romans, spans both banks of the River Maas and hosts a maze of old cobbled, hilly streets; it is often called the Crown Jewel of the South. This is a unique part of Holland, surrounded by the borders of Germany and Belgium. Here we’ll find an interesting Cosmopolitan flavor as we enjoy a guided walking tour of the city.
There are several private gardens around Maastricht and our little group will explore one or two of them. A great opportunity to meet the locals! There’s the quaint yet special rock garden of Bčr Slangen, begun in 1950 and the garden ‘rooms’ of de Heerenhof, which exhibit both formal and cottage style plantings of an English inspiration.
Later, we can nip across the border to see the nearby Kastell Alden Biesen. Here we’ll find a Renaissance style French garden surrounding an 18th Century moated castle built upon a structure originally constructed by Teutonic Knights in the Middle Ages.
Alternatively, for those participants that prefer, it is possible to spend another full day in the Floriade Park enjoying more of the gardening workshops and cultural events. Please discuss your choices with us.
NIGHT STOP: Venlo area, as above
DAY 4 Tuesday, 15 May, 2012
Today, we’ll head back into Belgium through the area of Hasselt, known for numerous parks and gardens. We will spend time in the Japanese Gardens here, said to be the most authentic of its kind in Europe and the “must see” garden of the area.
Next is the mediaeval town of Leuven with the magnificent 15th Century town hall and impressive Grote Markt. Leuven Botanical Garden is small at just 4 acres but is well worth some time. This is the oldest medicinal herb garden in the country, dating from the 18th century; there is also a water garden, an Alpine conservatory, a fruit garden and greenhouses of tropical plants to admire.
Our tour finishes this evening in Brussels. Extend your stay in this lovely capital or hop on the train to London, Paris or Amsterdam. Rail tickets and/or accommodation in the place of your choice is available for a supplemental fee. SGT is happy to assist you, please discuss your wishes with us!
Why Not Link It? Spend tonight in Brussels, maybe see the wonderful plants in the Royal Glasshouses (pending opening dates) then hop on the Eurostar to London to join our Chelsea Flower Show tour!
Prefer a Holland River cruise instead?
Please note: All show dates and garden opening times are correct at time of printing this website.
While we will do our utmost to include all of the properties mentioned as central visits, we reserve the right to change an attraction should it become impossible to deliver a planned visit due to changes in opening days or times that we could not have been aware of at the time of loading this tour to our website.
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