Belgium & Holland in Spring - Northbound Aboard ms Inspire

Historic windmills and flower gardens, world-famous art museums, inside looks at medieval architecture, and an exclusive dinner with live music and a tour of Dutch Golden Age art at the Mauritshuis in The Hague highlight this memorable springtime river cruise aboard.



In the Netherlands, flowers are a way of life... You'll see flower boxes abloom with tulips and an array of colorful potted plants in villages and towns all over Holland. Gardens grace the landscapes everywhere you look, paying homage to an economy which is largely horticultural based... Everywhere you look, a kaleidoscope of colorful images... on walking tours and bicycle rides... in the seasonal pageantry of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths abloom in Keukenhof Gardens... in Kinderdijk windmills and coastal villages steeped in cultural treasures... at a Tauck Exclusive dinner in a palace museum rich with Old Dutch art masterpieces... in gabled houses dressed in maritime lore along Amsterdam's tree-lined canals... on walking tours of cobblestoned Ghent and the fairy tale streets of Bruges... during discoveries about immigrant voyages and local brew in Antwerp and sculpted monuments and chocolate in Belgium...

In the Netherlands, flowers are a way of life... You'll see flower boxes abloom with tulips and an array of colorful potted plants in villages and towns all over Holland. Gardens grace the landscapes everywhere you look, paying homage to an economy which is largely horticultural based... Everywhere you look, a kaleidoscope of colorful images... on walking tours and bicycle rides... in the seasonal pageantry of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths abloom in Keukenhof Gardens... in Kinderdijk windmills and coastal villages steeped in cultural treasures... at a Tauck Exclusive dinner in a palace museum rich with Old Dutch art masterpieces... in gabled houses dressed in maritime lore along Amsterdam's tree-lined canals... on walking tours of cobblestoned Ghent and the fairy tale streets of Bruges... during discoveries about immigrant voyages and local brew in Antwerp and sculpted monuments and chocolate in Belgium...

Traveling Well Includes:
  • TAUCK EXCLUSIVE - Private gala dinner and tour at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague
  • All gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director
  • All private Tauck shore excursions - $2,505 Value!
  • Visits to Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse
  • A scenic cruise along the beautiful 17th-century canals of Amsterdam and a visit to the Rijksmuseum or a visit to the Dutch countryside

  • Day 1 - Arrive Brussels / Embark Riverboat

    Tour begins: 4:00 PM, Brussels. A transfer is included from Brussels Airport directly to your riverboat, where embarkation begins at 4:00 PM. Settle in aboard ship and then meet your fellow river cruisers this evening at a welcome cocktail reception followed by dinner.



    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: D

    Day 2 - Exploring Brussels

    Morning guided sightseeing today in Brussels, Belgium's capital and a key center of European trade and culture since the 13th century, begins with a city tour that takes in the Atomium, a 338-foot-tall structure resembling atoms, built for the 1958 World's Fair and winds up at Grand-Place, one of Europe's loveliest city squares, boasting a Gothic town hall surrounded by Renaissance-era guildhalls. Alternatively, you can choose an Art Nouveau tour in Brussels this morning. Return to the riverboat for lunch; this afternoon, you might choose to participate in a demonstration by a local chocolatier or enjoy additional time to explore Brussels. Then, cruise to Antwerp this evening.



    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 3 - Discover Antwerp's Specialties

    Antwerp is Belgium's second largest city, the capital of the province of Flanders, also known as the Low Countries, where Dutch is the official language. Go on an orientation tour of the city and take a guided walk through the historic center. As you stroll along the cobbled streets, hearing stories and insights from your local guide, discover Grote Markt, the old market square... and numerous restored merchants' houses, harkening back to the days of the 16th-century Age of Exploration when Antwerp - at the time a powerful center of international commerce - was the richest city in Europe. After lunch aboard ship, you'll have some free time to explore more of Antwerp on a choice of excursions. One option offers you a visit to the Red Star Line Museum, sharing the stories of the over two million passengers who traveled to America on Red Star Line ships. Your other choice is a history lesson and beer tasting at one of Antwerp's local breweries. Tonight, your riverboat sets off for Ghent.



    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 4 - Flemish Treasures in Ghent & Bruges

    Cruising through Flanders overnight, your ship arrives this morning in the historic city of Ghent, arguably Belgium's most beautiful city. From here, you're off to Bruges, known to many as the Venice of the North, for its canals and tiny medieval streets; have lunch in town. On your walking tour in cobblestoned, fairy tale-like Bruges, you'll feel like you've walked into a painting by Jan Van Eyck, who captured life in the city during its heyday in the 15th century. The hike up the stairs of the medieval bell tower is well worth the effort; you'll be rewarded with wonderful panoramic views. You'll be back in Ghent this afternoon for an Old Town walking tour; the pedestrian-friendly cobblestoned town center feels like an outdoor museum of early Flemish architecture. Think about climbing to the top of the 14th-century belfry, crowned with a dragon, for the view - Ghent laid out before you is a visual feast of castles, churches, and historic merchants' houses. Be sure to try the local specialty, Ghent noses, a traditional raspberry candy sold at stands on the street - or a warm waffle with sugar or honey. Continue on Return to the riverboat for the chef's Signature Dinner tonight, as the ship charts a course for Dordrecht in the Netherlands.



    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 5 - Dordrecht, Kinderdijk's Windmills & The Hague

    Today you'll dock in Dordrecht, a historic island city bordering no less than five rivers in the South Holland province of The Netherlands. Reflecting the definition of the Dutch word for harbor - haven - the city's charming harbor district preserves many historic warehouses, merchants' mansions and quays, and its role as a major port city from the 15th to 18th centuries. A walking tour reveals Dordrecht's notable architecture and monuments in its medieval inner city, as well as the surrounding ring of 19th-century buildings. Have lunch aboard the riverboat; then you're off to the nearby village of Kinderdijk, where 19 original 18th-century windmills - preserved today as a UNESCO World Heritage Site - create an iconic polderscape that's better than any picture-postcard, which you'll enjoy on a boat cruise. There's no other place in the world besides Kinderdijk where can you see so many historic windmills together in an authentic setting. During your visit, discover how a windmill works both inside and out, and explore the quintessentially Dutch history of windmills. Alternatively, you can choose a bicycling excursion amidst the Kinderdijk windmills. Return to the ship and sail to Rotterdam, where you'll disembark and drive to The Hague (the royal city of Den Haag to the Dutch), for a sparkling Tauck Exclusive evening featuring dinner, live music and a tour showcasing Dutch Golden Age paintings at the Mauritshuis, a renowned art museum housed in a historic 17th-century building.



    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 6 - Magical Keukenhof Gardens

    You're off this morning for a flower-filled visit to Keukenhof Gardens in nearby Lisse, where you will discover the most beautiful spring garden in the world. A rolling carpet of color, Keukenhof is one of Europe's most iconic - and fragrant - places to witness springtime in all its glory. For eight springtime weeks every year, more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths blanket the 80-acre landscape with color and fragrance unequaled anywhere. Your visit here offers you a choice; One option has you explore the illustrious gardens on foot; the other takes you on a bike ride around the gardens (Note: this bike ride does not take place in the gardens) finishing with a bit of time to walk the gardens. Spend the morning here and have lunch. Return to your ship this afternoon, now docked in Utrecht, and cruise on to your final destination, Amsterdam.



    Lodging: ms Joy

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 7 - Amazing Amsterdam

    Awaken on your riverboat today in Amsterdam - a vibrant blend of the historic and the contemporary, from its medieval core to the bustling shops, cafes and rich cosmopolitan life of a 21st-century European metropolis. After breakfast aboard ship, begin your exploration of this nearly car-free city of flower-rimmed canals, gracious gabled mansions, and people on bikes on a choice of excursions! One option takes you on canal boat cruise through the network of 17th-century canals at the core of the old city, that offers a refreshing perspective of the Netherlands' capital city. As you'll discover, Amsterdam boasts more canals than Venice... and, as it happens, more museums per kilometer than any other European capital. One of the most famous is the matchless Rijksmuseum - filled with myriad works by the Dutch Masters, including Rembrandt's The Night Watch and Vermeer's The Milkmaid - which you'll visit following your canal cruise. Your other option is a full-day excursion to the Dutch countryside, complete with a guided tour of a tulip and vegetable nursery. Return to your riverboat for your final evening afloat, which includes a farewell reception and toast, followed by dinner and onboard entertainment.



    Lodging:

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 8 - Journey home

    Tour ends: Amsterdam. After disembarking and bidding captain and crew adieu this morning, a transfer is included from the riverboat to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport or Centraal Train Station; all guests must disembark the ship by 9:00 AM. Fly home anytime; allow 3 hours for departure flight check-in at the airport.



    Lodging: ms Treasures

    Meals: B

    Day 9 - Rotterdam - the Gateway to Europe

    Arrive this morning in Rotterdam, the second-largest city in the Netherlands and a centuries-old seaport that's among the largest and busiest in the world. After most of its historic center was obliterated during World War II, the city rose from the ashes to become the thriving commercial and transportation center it is today; renowned for its cutting-edge architecture and vibrant cultural life, 21st-century Rotterdam has been called the Gateway to Europe. You can explore Rotterdam's stunning 21st-century Markthal (Markethall) and its contemporary culinary culture on your food-focused walking tour, or visit The Royal Delft pottery factory where generations of craftsmen have been making Delft Blue pottery by hand since 1653 for a painting workshop with master tile painters that includes high tea. Lunch today is aboard the riverboat followed by an afternoon to explore Roterdam at your leisure.



    Lodging:

    Meals: B, L

    Call (508) 668-2636 for more information or to book today! Mention code 18851503

    Cruise Line
    Tauck River Cruising
    Offer
    Offer valid through 12/31/2024
    Duration
    9 Days
    Cruise Ship
    ms Inspire

    Click for more information on this ship.

    DayPortArriveDepart
    Day 1Brussels  
    Day 2Brussels  
    Day 3Antwerp  
    Day 4Bruges  
    Day 5Dordrecht  
    Day 6Rotterdam  
    Day 7Amsterdam  
    Day 8Amsterdam  
    Day 9Rotterdam  
    Disclaimer
    * Land / cruise price per person in U.S. dollars, based on double occupancy, includes cruise fare, most meals, port charges, shore excursions, applicable fuel surcharges, and gratuities to Tauck Directors, Tauck Cruise Director, ship staff, local guides & drivers, and on all included meals.

    Itinerary Changes - Although not expected, Tauck reserves the right to alter the sequence of ports or omit or substitute scheduled ports or attractions at any time without prior notice. Further, museums and attractions may be subject to closure due to state, local or religious holidays.

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