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Brussels is well connected via the Eurostar from London and TGV rail services from most major European cities. We are happy to assist you with international air or rail services. Please ask us for details.
This tour begins and ends in Brussels with pick-ups from select Central Brussels hotels and from the Eurostar Midi Station. Current Eurostar trains arrive at approximately 10.00.
TENTATIVE ITINERARY
Day 1
You will be picked up from the rail station or from your Brussels hotel this morning. We will explore a bit of the rich art nouveau heritage of the capitol city with a visit to the Belgian Centre for Comic Strip Art. This fine museum is housed in an art nouveau masterpiece designed by Victor Horta and pays homage to a particular Belgian passion, cartooning. Tintin and the Smurfs are the most famous creations but the museum displays artwork from over 670 cartoonists. Displays detail the stages of putting together a comic strip, from initial ideas and pencil sketches through to final publication. Arranged over three levels, this museum also has a library and an art nouveau brewery.
Later today, the charming city of Antwerp, known for numerous architectural highlights, most of which date from the 16th (the golden era of Antwerp) and the 17th centuries. This fantastic place has much to offer visitors! We’ll see the Grote Markt and stunning cathedral, considered the most important gothic cathedral in Belgium, offering several works by Peter Paul Rubens. This is Ruben’s city and we’ll step back in time, into his world, focusing our attentions on Rubenshuis, his home where he lived for 29 years. This is a rare insight into Renaissance daily life as it has been faithfully restored using detailed engravings.
During your free time, there are several fascinating museums to visit. The Fine Arts Museum here houses Flanders' largest art collection, over 7000 pieces. Antwerp is also the fashion capitol of Belgium and is Europe’s diamond capitol - a true shopper’s paradise, if you prefer!
This evening, a welcome dinner together featuring local favorite dishes, perhaps you’ll choose mussels and frites, a hearty Antwerp stew or a dish featuring locally grown white asparagus. There is the local pale ale De Koninck to sample too, if you wish.
ACCOMMODATION: Antwerp
Day 2
Heading north, we’ll make our way through the scenic countryside, across the border into Holland. We’ll have a stop at the impossibly pretty windmills of Kinderdijk. It’s a beautiful example of land reclamation by means of windmills. Yes, it’s a bit touristy, but lovely for all of that!
Rotterdam is the first of the ‘Holland Art Cities’ that we will visit. This is one of Europe’s largest seaports and the city is home to some of the most important buildings of modern architecture, due to the city being completely decimated by bombs in WWII. There is just one ‘nook’ of old Rotterdam that has been faithfully reconstructed, Delfshaven. This charming area lined with gabled houses along the historic waterfront comes complete with a still working mill and several galleries and cafes. After an orientation, you will have some leisure time here to explore independently.
This afternoon, our focus is the fine shrine to European art, Museum Bijman van Beungen, where we’ll find everything from the 14th Century through to modern day including the Flemish Masters. Here, enjoy works by Van Eyck, Rembrandt, Mondriaan, Kandinsky and Dali to name a few.
Upon arrival into Delft, we will enjoy a brief walking tour. The town is popular with tourists but, by arriving late in the afternoon, we can miss the main and maddening throng. During our time here over the next few days, a place almost unchanged since Vermeer painted it in the 1600s, we will visit the Vermeer Museum and the famed Blue Porcelain Museum.
ACCOMMODATION: Delft
Day 3
Our first stop of the day is Gouda. This is everything you’d expect of a Dutch country town. We’re in for a special treat as the cheese market is on Thursday mornings (July/August only!) Over 100 local farmers descend on the market with cheeses to be weighed, tested and graded for moisture and texture. There are also some exhibitions of local professions such as clog making and buttermilk production plus the wonderful stained glass of St Janskerk to see.
Medieval Utrecht is our next port of call, a compact city that was the epicenter of politics and religion in the Middle Ages. After an orientation tour with your guide, you’ll have time to explore as you wish. Now a university city, the well preserved grand houses along the scenic canals feature regional ‘wharf cellars,’ many of which are nice eateries, so a good choice for our lunch stop. Perhaps you’ll choose the popular Dutch snack of soused herring from a vendor instead?
Another of the ‘Holland Art Cities,’ Utrecht offers three museums. Which one will you choose? Museum Catherjine is a converted monastery that houses a collection of art and artifacts charting the history of Christianity in the Netherlands. Centraal Museum hosts a collection that includes pieces influenced by the Italian Renaissance plus the Old Masters of the Dutch Golden Age. Also here, the home of Dick Bruna, now opened as a museum to his rabbit character Miffy, for those with a comic art interest.
Time permitting, we may have a stop in Leiden, also a beautiful Dutch town with charming canal lined streets and lovely architecture. The birthplace of Rembrandt and the current home to the oldest university in the country, this was also home to the original Pilgrim Fathers for 12 years prior to boarding the Mayflower across to the New World.
Tonight, if the group is so inclined, we may choose to try an Indonesian rice table dinner, now considered a typical Dutch dinner. A rice table consists of rice served with approximately 10-15 different spicy vegetables, pork, fish, chicken and beef dishes to sample.
ACCOMMODATION: Delft
Day 4
The Hague is home to the Royal Family, the seat of Dutch government, the international criminal court, the Peace Palace and another of the ‘Holland Art Cities.’ On an orientation panoramic tour, we will see the fabulous medieval Parliament buildings, the ‘Lange Verhoot’ area with its spectacular homes and the almost hidden former servant houses.
Our highlight today is certain to be Mauritshuis. We’ll spend ample time here to explore the famous works including Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’ and ‘View of Delft,’ Rembrandt’s ‘Dr Nicolas Tulp’ plus works by Rubens, Jan Steen, Holbein and Jan Brueghel the Elder.
Alas, this time of year is the wrong time for the fields to be bursting with tulips but we can discuss the history of the bulb growing region as we pass through the area. Our night stop location for the next two nights is Haarlem. Often overlooked by travelers, this pretty cobbled city of historic buildings and discreet oases (former monastery gardens now private courtyard gardens) is a lovely place. Here was the final home of the artist Frans Hals.
ACCOMMODATION: Haarlem
Day 5 (ND)
What better way to continue our discovery of the lowlands than spending a day in the city of Amsterdam? And what fun to travel there on the local transport! Enjoy a short waking orientation tour of the city with your guide and then you’re free to explore the city at leisure. Your guide will provide you with a brief history of the city, maps and practical advice on how to use the city's easy-to-understand tram system. Those who would prefer to accompany their guide during the day will be able to do so.
There’s simply so much to see and do - the Anne Frank Museum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum for the finest collection of Dutch old masters such as Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Vermeer among others; there’s the flower market, Dam Square, Rembrandt House, where the man himself lived, the Resistance Museum dedicated to the local culture and resistance movement during the occupation of WWII... Garden fans may enjoy the immaculate eighteenth-century garden at the Willet-Holthuysen Museum. Where to begin?! This is very much a walking city but there is also the option of a canal barge tour too.
Dinner is not included tonight for flexibility’s sake. Amsterdam is a great place to experience a uniquely Dutch meal such as hutspot (a stew,) pea soup or pancakes.
ACCOMMODATION: Haarlem
Day 6
Our first destination today is the National Park, “de Hoge Veluwe”, the largest national park in the country. Here we will visit the Kröller Müller Museum, with its impressive collection of impressionist works including Van Gogh and Mondriaan. The sculpture park next to the museum is marvelous, with its impressive works of Rodin, Legere and Henry Moore. One guide book claims this to be the most spectacular museum of the Netherlands!
In Apeldoorn, you will visit Palace Het Loo with its beautiful gardens; the palace was designed in the 17th century for William III and his Queen Mary. No longer used by the Dutch royal family (they moved out in 1975,) it was opened as a national museum, illustrating three hundred years of history of the House of Orange-Nassau. We will experience the opulence and play royalty for a while!
ACCOMMODATION: Apeldoorn/Arnhem area
Day 7
Today will be spent in and around Arnhem. Firstly, we’ll learn a bit about the ill-fated Operation Market Garden and can visit the airbourne museum in Oosterbeek to get some idea of the conflict and its effect on this part of Holland.
The bulk of our day will be exploring the wonderful ‘Nederlands Openluchtmuseum,’ The National Open Air Museum, where we can step into more than 80 historic houses, farmhouses and mills recreating the rural Dutch life spanning two centuries. See how local farmers, mill workers, blacksmiths and fisherman lived and plied their trades.
ACCOMMODATION: Apeldoorn/Arnhem area
Day 8
This morning, we head south and can visit a few reminders of Operation Market Garden as time and group interest permits. Our destination is one of the oldest cities in The Netherlands, Maastricht.
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. We’ll enjoy a guided walking tour of the city, seeing the Stokstraat Quarter, Our Beloved Lady Church, the old city walls, the churches at the Vrijthof and the beautiful St. Servaas Basiliek.
Also today, in the beautiful valley of the Jeker on the south side of Maastricht, lies the monumental 15th century farm Apostelhoeve, the oldest and largest winery of The Netherlands. We’ll enjoy a visit to the vineyards, the wine cellars and an opportunity for some wine tasting.
Our accommodation for the next few nights (subject to availability) is adjacent to the largest beguinage in Belgium, Groot Begijnhof, and offers a lush garden setting, perfect for relaxing evenings.
ACCOMMODATION: Leuven
Day 9 (ND)
Today is a day at leisure to explore Leuven. For those looking to find the most beautiful medieval buildings in the world, look no further - the magnificent 15th century town hall alone is worth the trip!
After breakfast, we will enjoy a walking tour of Leuven’s Groot Begijnhof, founded by a unique order of women in 1292 and now deemed a Unesco World Heritage site. We will wander the narrow cobbled streets and admire the homes, gardens and the church of this walled community within the city. The rest of the day is opened for you to explore as you wish.
There are many styles of architecture to be found in and around the town, from the flamboyant Gothic Saint Peter's Church (with the famous 15th century painting of Dirk Bouts, 'The Last Supper') to the impressive Romanesque Gate. On our culinary theme, here is also a lovely botanical garden with the oldest medicinal herbery in the country plus the Stella Artois brewery, opened most days for tours to learn about the brewing process and to enjoy a sample from the source.
Dinner is not included tonight for flexibility’s sake.
Leuven is home to a lively Grote Markt with many restaurants, cafes and pubs; a perfect place for some relaxing time sampling the local cuisine, world famous beers and to savor your surroundings.
ACCOMMODATION: Leuven
Day 10
Hasselt is a charming town with a few buildings remaining from the 11th Century. Here we’ll discover the local specialty, a juniper berry flavored type of gin, “National Jenever,” with a tour of the distillery and a tastings.
Also available in the Hasselt area is the Bokrijk Flemish open air museum, dedicated to Flemish rural architecture of the past and Flemish country life. If you prefer, we may choose to spend a bit of time in the Japanese Gardens instead, said to be the most authentic of its kind in Europe.
This afternoon, we will make our way to the village of Hoegaarden. Known for its famous white beer, (the brewery is available for touring on most Thursdays,) this place also offers a lovely roomed Flemish show garden.
ACCOMMODATION: Leuven
Day 11
Gent/Ghent is one of the country's noted art cities, and the capital of East Flanders. Yet another place that we are spoilt for choice as to what to see! Gent/Ghent is a university city, a port city criss-crossed by waterways and canals, home to two castles and dozens of museums featuring the works of the ‘Flemish Primitive’ Artists. Nowhere else will you find so much history per square metre in a pedestrian historical city centre. We will spend the majority of our day here so we’ve ample time to explore, viewing a stunning city view from St Michael’s Bridge and a walking tour together through the Grote Markt and St Bavo’s Cathedral featuring the VanEyck masterpiece, the ‘Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.’
Our walking tour will include the local market, so we may focus on the sights, smells and tastes of the local culinary experience - freshly baked breads, cheeses, herbs and juicy stories about foods and their uses. The locals of Gent/Ghent take the enjoyment of food very seriously!
The rest of the day is free for you to visit the sites of your choice. There’s the Museum of Fine Arts “Museum voor Schone Kunsten” hosting a noteworthy collect of Flemish Primitive works including Hieronymus Bosch. Perhaps the modern art gem SMAK would be more to your liking? There is also a Folklore Museum, Industrial Archaeology and Textiles Museum, a Natural History Museum, the city views from atop of the 300 foot high Belfry Tower and many cafes serving local treats.
Tonight, we will enjoy dinner together by the river in our picturesque night stop, the nearby village of St Martens-Latem (subject to availability.)
This is our final evening together to sample some local favorite meals such as waterzoï (salt & fresh water fish in bouillon and veg,) Belgian Blue Beef, rabbit with prunes or beer, eel “in green” (with sorrel & spinach) or with pale ale, hennepot (lemon soup with chicken, rabbit and veal,) or classic vegetable dishes featuring endives, white asparagus or hop shoots.
ACCOMMODATION: St Martens-Latem
Day 12
We've saved perhaps the most famed of all Flanders cities until last, Bruges/Brugge. This medieval gem with its scenic canals and cobbled streets, beautifully decorated houses, old guild halls and churches never fails to surprise and delight its visitors. We will spend much of the day exploring the best of what the town has to offer.
After a walking tour with your guide, there'll be free time to take an optional horse drawn carriage ride around the city, for shopping in the famous lace shops or for simply wandering the cobbled streets, soaking up the lovely atmosphere, munching a waffle or some frites.
There are a staggering 40 chocolateries with enticing shop windows full of authentic Belgian chocolates, plain and filled with a wide range of ingredients. There is even a Chocolate Museum showing the history from the Mayans, a factory tour, demonstration and, yes samples!
We'd most definitely recommend the Flanders Folk Museum where daily life has been wonderfully recreated. Also available, Groeninge art museum featuring the Masters; Gruuthusemuseum, a former medieval merchant’s house with an interesting collection of tapestries and musical instruments and the Memling Museum, part of the St. John's Hospital chapel. Hans Memling is considered one of the most important 'Flemish primitives', although he was born in Germany. Yet again, spoilt for choice!
This afternoon, en-route back to Brussels, we’ll have a stop in Beersel. This place is famous for the brewing of gueze, lambic & kriek (a cherry beer) and for a special dish 'boterham met plattekaas en radijzen' - a slice of bread with white cheese and radishes served with a lambic. There are two artisan breweries that still operate in the traditional method, opened most Saturdays for tours. Since gueuze is made by blending lambics from wild yeasts, it tastes different from traditional ale or lager style beers and is sometimes called Brussels Champagne.
Our tour will finish this afternoon in Brussels, where you can extend your stay in the city or make your way via rail/Eurostar connections. Eurostar trains currently 19:00.
Please note: All 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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