Southbound
* Indicates cruise day
* Day 1 - Welcome to Amsterdam and embark your riverboat
This most memorable of Belgium and Holland cruises begins at 4:00 PM in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Upon arrival, a transfer is included from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport to the ms Swiss Sapphire or ms Swiss Jewel. After settling into your cabin, enjoy a Dutch Gin tasting followed by our welcome dinner this evening aboard the riverboat. Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
* Day 2 - The blooms and art of Amsterdam
Journey to Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse this morning, where millions of blooming tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths create colorful carpets of flowers. Return to Amsterdam to take a luncheon cruise through the city's tree-lined 17th-century canals, then admire works by Rembrandt and other Dutch Masters at the world-famous Rijksmuseum. Later, your riverboat sets out from Amsterdam on your springtime cruise, bound for the historic port city of Hoorn. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
* Day 3 - Historic villages & windmills
Your discovery of Holland cruises to Hoorn, a centuries-old town on the IJsselmeer featuring 16th- and 17th-century houses from its heyday as a prosperous seaport; it's now a center of Holland's agricultural region. Choose either a town walking tour, or a journey to the Alkmaar region for visits to the Schermer Museum Windmill and the Zeezicht cheese farm for a cheese-making demonstration. Cruise to the picturesque seafaring town of Enkhuizen to visit the Zuiderzee Museum, a reconstructed 19th-century fishing village featuring costumed guides. Your riverboat docks in Kampen this evening. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
* Day 4 - WWII history in Arnhem or nature & van Gogh
The picturesque banks of the Lek and Rhine Rivers come alive through the commentary of your Tauck Director as this most enjoyable of Holland cruises continues to Zutphen; there, you'll disembark for a choice of two excursions. In Arnhem, scene of a massive World War II Allied airborne assault, you can tour the battlefields, view the 'John Frost Bridge' and visit the nearby Airborne Museum. Alternatively, you can choose to explore De Hoge Veluwe National Park - the country's largest nature reserve - and then view hundreds of works by Vincent van Gogh at the Kroller-Muller Museum within the park. Back on the riverboat tonight, your cruise to Nijmegen is accompanied by classical music performed by La Strada. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
* Day 5 - Maas River cruising & antiquities in Nijmegen
Your journey through Belgium and Holland cruises to Nijmegen, the Netherlands' oldest city. Explore the ancient ruins of the Valkhof, Charlemagne's 8th-century stronghold, and the artifact-filled Museum Het Valkhof. See Sint-Stevenskerk, a 14th-century church, and the well-preserved Grote Markt before resuming your cruise along the Maas River through the beautiful Dutch countryside. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
* Day 6 - Magic of Maastricht
Nearly as ancient as Nijmegen, the Old Town of Maastricht invites your exploration with some 1,400 historic buildings and monuments; a walking tour includes the 16th-century Spanish Government House, tree-lined Vrijthof Square, and Helpoort, an entry through the medieval town wall built in 1229. Visit 1,000-year-old Sint-Servaasbasiliek (the Basilica of St. Servatius); one of the oldest churches in the Netherlands, it's the latest in a series of churches that have stood near the site of the grave of St. Servatius since the sixth century. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
* Day 7 - Paying tribute to the past
Drive to Margraten to pay your respects at the Netherlands American Cemetery, final resting place of thousands of U.S. World War II soldiers. As a Tauck Exclusive, lunch today is a memorable interactive culinary experience at Chateau Neercanne, a castle whose terraced gardens are protected by UNESCO; you'll don a chef's hat, visit the kitchen where your meal is being prepared, and dig into an extraordinary lunch served in a Roman grotto within the castle. This afternoon, cruise the entire length of the Albert Canal from the Netherlands into Belgium, enjoying the views from the riverboat's sun deck or lounge. Arrive in the important port of Antwerp, and savor Belgian specialties at dinner. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
* Day 8 - A day in Antwerp
Antwerp is yours to discover on foot today, when you meet your local guide on the dock for a tour of sights including the grand 1905 Centraal Station, opera house, city park and Grote Markt, lined with centuries-old Guild houses. Visit the city's historic Jewish quarter, as well as the Rubenshuis (Peter Paul Rubens House) - a museum in the restored home of the renowned 17th-century artist, viewing his works and those of some of his contemporaries (may be subject to closure on some departures). Then discover the secrets of making Belgian chocolate - and sample this delectable handmade treat - at a local chocolatier. After some free time in the city, attend a farewell reception and Captain's dinner aboard the riverboat, marking the conclusion of this most remarkable of Belgium and Holland cruises. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
Day 9 - Bruges and Brussels beckon
Disembark the riverboat in Antwerp and journey to medieval Bruges, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring many treasures from its heyday between the 12th and 15th centuries. View Bruges' celebrated architecture on a tour through cobbled lanes, along quaint canals and over arched bridges; have lunch on your own in this city renowned as the birthplace of Flemish painting. The final leg of your most delightful of Belgium and Holland cruises takes you to Brussels, where you'll enjoy dinner at a popular local restaurant tonight. Your five-star hotel is adjacent to Brussels' Grand Place, one of the most beautiful market squares in all of Europe. Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Hotel Amigo, Brussels, Belgium
Day 10 - Say goodbye to Brussels
Tour ends in Brussels, Belgium. A transfer is included from the Hotel Amigo to Brussels Airport. Allow 2 1/2 hours for departure flight check-in. Meals: Breakfast
Note: Cruise of Apr 17 will not visit the Peter Paul Rubens House in Antwerp due to weekly closures; cruise of Apr 27 will not visit the Airborne Museum or Kroller-Muller Museum in Arnhem. |
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