Tulip Time in Holland!

Fly into Amsterdam Airport (AMS). If you’re traveling overnight to get to the Netherlands, you may want to consider arriving a day or two early to rest, relax, and adjust to the local time zone. You can purchase an Arrive Early option in the Add-Ons section of this page. 

Once you collect your luggage and clear customs, grab a taxi or an Uber - they are clean, safe, and plentiful at the airport - and head to our home base in Amsterdam, the Hotel Estherea. This boutique hotel, situated in a beautiful seventeenth-century building along Amsterdam’s oldest canal, has been run by the same family for over 80 years.

We’ll meet in the lobby at 1:30 pm for a private boat tour of the Amsterdam Historical Canal with a glass of bubbly in hand. It's a fantastic way to explore the city via its iconic waterways.

Later in the afternoon, we'll visit the Anne Frank House, which is always a profoundly moving experience. The preserved rooms and Anne's poignant diary entries vividly convey the fear, hope, and humanity that she embodied. 

Tonight, we’ll head to one of the historic, traditional brown bars in town, such as The Pantry, to sample some typical Dutch cheese and sausages washed down with a local beer or two.

After breakfast at the hotel, we'll head to the famous Rijksmuseum with a knowledgeable guide to view its collection of Dutch masterpieces, which illustrate 800 years of Dutch history.

Lunch will be on your own at one of the many charming cafes before we visit the renowned Van Gogh Museum. Here, we’ll wander through the refurbished museum and pick out our favorite Van Gogh masterpiece.  

After a rest at the hotel, we’ll meet in the lobby to walk to Restaurant Ambassade for a lovely 3-course dinner specializing in French Bistro cuisine.  

Today is our BIG tulip day! We’ll explore the Tulip Bulb Fields and meet with local tulip growers. Our first stop is a greenhouse, where we'll learn how to cultivate these beautiful flowers indoors. 

We’ll pause for lunch at a country cafe, then stop to pick our own tulip bouquet. 

After a brief break back at our hotel, we’ll dine on classic rijsttafel this evening, a medley of small plates accompanied by rice from Indonesia. This is a type of meal every self-respecting Dutch person adores. 

Why Indonesian food in the Netherlands, you ask? The Dutch colonized Indonesia in the 17th century. Among mostly horrible things, one bright spot of this colonial era is this elaborate meal, as interpreted by the Dutch—a never-ending parade of small Indonesian dishes arranged into a proper feast.  

Eet Smakelijk! (Bon Appétit!)

Today, we leave Amsterdam and head for Delft, a small city famous for its porcelain and its small but beautiful canals. 

On the way to Delft, we’ll stop to visit the largest formal display of bulbs in Holland at the Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse, established back in the 15th century. You'll have time to wander the gardens and admire the beauty and variety of the humble yet magnificent tulip species. 

Next, fill up on lekker broodjes (tasty sandwiches) for lunch in Leiden at Lot En De Walvis on the central canal.   

Once we arrive in Delft, we’ll check into the stylish, minimalist Hotel Arsenaal. The hotel is a short 10-minute walk from the center of darling Delft.  

This afternoon, we’ll take a guided historical tour of this charming city and learn about one of its most famous residents, Johannes Vermeer. Vermeer was a renowned Golden Age Dutch painter and art dealer, an essential part of the country's history.

Dinner tonight will be at a popular local Dutch spot, Huszar. The menu offers traditional Dutch dishes with a contemporary flair. 

Today, we’re heading to a UNESCO World Heritage site approximately 40 minutes away. The village of Kinderdijk, near Rotterdam, is renowned for its iconic Dutch windmills. Twenty windmills were built here in the 1700s and have kept this waterside town dry for hundreds of years. We’ll tour the mills and museum, take a boat ride, and learn about life here during a guided tour. Afterward, we'll enjoy a hearty lunch with a riverside view.  

This afternoon in Delft, you’ll have free time to explore and shop on your own.  

We'll gather again for dinner at a modern, lively café called T' Postkantoor, which means The Post Office in English. The colorful decor and delicious food will be a perfect way to celebrate our time in Delft. 

Today, we’ll travel to Utrecht, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, which is known for its rich history, charming canals, and vibrant cultural scene. 

Just a short distance from the city lies Castle De Haar, the largest and most luxurious castle in the country. Originally built in the 14th century, the castle was extensively restored in the late 19th century. Today, it provides insight into the splendor of Dutch aristocracy and continues to attract both history buffs and casual tourists.

We'll meet for lunch at the Restaurant Laverie on the castle grounds. Hopefully, the weather will be lovely, and we can dine on the terrace. After lunch, spend time wandering and admiring the elegant flower beds and century-old trees.

We’ve had a big day. Once we're back at the hotel, relax and enjoy dinner on your own tonight. We're happy to point you in the direction of some of our favorite spots. 

We'll spend our last day together in the capital of the Netherlands, The Hague, where we’ll tour the town’s parliamentary buildings, the Binnenhof, first built for the Counts of Holland in the 13th century. These buildings are among the oldest parliamentary buildings in the world still in use and are a top Dutch historic site. 

We’ll have lunch at the charming bistro of Luden Den Haag, known for its quaint interior and delicious variety of lunch dishes.

Later, we’ll pop in to see the unspeakably famous painting, the Girl with a Pearl Earring by Vermeer, as well as works by Rembrandt, housed in the small but lovely Mauritshuis Museum.

After some shopping, we'll head back to Delft and prepare for our final dinner together. We've shared such a lovely week among the tulips; it's worth celebrating!

After an early breakfast at the hotel, we'll provide two group transfers to Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, depending on your departure time. Typically, we'll depart at 6 am and 10 am for the 40-minute drive. Please book your onward travel no earlier than 10 am to ensure you have enough time to clear security and customs. 

All good things must come to an end, but we'll always cherish the memories that we have made until we meet again.

For those joining the trip extension to Belgium, onwards!

After breakfast, we'll drive 90 minutes south to Antwerp, the diamond capital of the world and the hometown of the influential Flemish Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens. 

We'll hop out at Grote Markt, Antwerp's main square, featuring a tremendous fountain surrounded by a variety of stunning guild houses. Take a moment to appreciate the grand beauty of the City Hall to the west, one of Northern Europe's earliest Renaissance civic buildings, constructed in 1565. 

A short walk away, we'll enter the Cathedral of Our Lady to admire four of Rubens' masterpieces that hang within the church. 

Afterward, we'll head to the trendy South district (Zuid) to browse the shops, fashion boutiques, art galleries, and museums. The Antwerp Six, including fashion designer Dries Van Noten, started their careers in this very area. 

Take some time to shop, grab lunch at a local cafe, and explore the city’s three large museums: the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Photo Museum.

After a lovely day spent in Antwerp, we’ll drive a little more than an hour to the fairytale city of Bruges and check in to our hotel for the next two nights, the Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce. After some time to relax, we'll set sail on a boat ride through the canals of Bruges, an ideal introduction to this magical small city!

For dinner, we'll walk over to Koen en Marijk for wood-fired fare paired with the best Belgian beers. 

Start your day with a warm breakfast before we set out to discover Bruges a bit more. In the 14th century, this was a major trading hub and one of Europe’s wealthiest cities. Today, it’s celebrated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Europe's best-preserved historic towns. 

Let's spend our day exploring the canalside city's many charms on a guided walking tour. We’ll see Flemish masterpieces at the Groeningemuseum and visit the Begijnhof, a quaint village built around a church and courtyard that dates back to the 13th century.  

Bruges is home to an array of beautiful streets and alleyways, making it a perfect place to stroll and stop in at one of the many lace, linen, or artisanal chocolate shops on your own time this afternoon.

Tonight, we’ll enjoy a tasting menu at the extraordinary Bistro Bruut, which focuses on Flemish food and wine and is considered one of the best restaurants in Europe. 

After breakfast, we’ll say “tot ziens” to Bruges and set off for Ghent, just a 45-minute drive away. Ghent is one of Belgium’s hidden gems, a lively, historic city that combines medieval charm with a youthful, creative vibe. 

Once we arrive, we'll take a guided walking tour to marvel at the grand Gothic architecture, the 12th-century Gravensteen Castle, and Saint Bavo's Cathedral, home to the 15th-century Flemish masterpiece by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. Along the way, we'll pop into some of Ghent's boutique specialty shops and enjoy a lovely local lunch.

In the late afternoon, we're off to Brussels, Belgium’s capital, where we’ll check into the Hotel Amigo. Take some time to rest and relax before we take a stroll around the scenic Grand Place, Brussels' massive central square, that's mere steps from our hotel. 

Dinner tonight is at Restaurant Vincent, a beautiful French-Belgian restaurant with intricate tile frescoes covering the walls. 

After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, we'll visit the Royal Museum of Fine Arts to learn more about the work of influential surrealist artist René Magritte. Magritte began his career designing advertising posters, a discipline that shaped the crisp, direct imagery that defines his surrealist work.

We'll pause for a light lunch before trying our hand at chocolate making! Brussels is renowned as the chocolate capital of the world, and it's about time we discover why. We'll explore cacao's origins and the "bean-to-bar" process. Most excitingly, we'll get to create our own customized chocolate bars, mendiants, and truffles.

Tonight, we'll enjoy an exceptional farewell dinner and toast to the extraordinary experiences we've shared on this journey through Belgium.

It's time to bid farewell to this wonderful country and our new friends. Book your return flight from Brussels, or, if it's more cost-effective, book a round-trip flight to/from Amsterdam (AMS). There are regular 50-minute flights from Brussels to Amsterdam, as well as high-speed trains from Brussels direct to Amsterdam Airport, which take about 2 hours. 

Until we meet again!