Day 1: Depart for Amsterdam

Overnight flight to Amsterdam.

Day 2: Amsterdam

Navigate Amsterdam’s picturesque canals while discovering its cultural and architectural treasures. Witness the legacy of the Dutch Golden Age that lives on in the city’s gilded manses and stroll through the Jordaan district, passing historic sites such as Wester Church and the Anne Frank House.
The Anne Frank House is very popular. If you plan to visit it, we advise purchasing your tickets well in advance online at the museum’s website.

Day 3: Scenic Cruising IJsselmeer Hoorn

Journey across the Ijsselmeer, once known as the Zuiderzee. This remarkable artificial body of water, one of the largest lakes in Western Europe, formed after the inland sea here was closed off from the North Sea by construction of the 20-mile-long Afsluitdijk dam in 1932. As you sail, you may see to the east the province of Flevoland, made up of three polders of land that were reclaimed when the Ijsselmeer formed. To the west, fertile Dutch farmland hugs the lake, despite the shores’ proximity to the major metropolitan city of Amsterdam.

Day 4: Nijmegen

Perched on the south bank of the Waal River, vibrant Nijmegen is home to one of The Netherlands’ largest universities. Residents and students alike linger at sidewalk cafés and unique eateries and the city’s many shops offer items that reflect Nijmegen’s artistic sensibility. Nijmegen’s lower city is home to the charming Velorama, a bicycle museum, while the larger Valkhof Museum chronicles the city’s Roman and medieval past. Famously, Nijmegen was the site of a decisive three-day battle between Allied and German forces during World War II’s Operation Market Garden.

Day 5: Kinderdijk

Kinderdijk is a village community in the Alblasserwaard province. This corner of South Holland, part of the scenic Waal and Merwede regions, has long been shaped by Rhine Delta waters. Kinderdijk is most known for its 19 remarkably preserved 18th-century windmills. The charming hamlet is located amid low-lying polders, tracts of land reclaimed from the sea by the power of the windmills and enclosed by embankments, or dikes. This legendary place calls to mind the 1865 novel Hans Brinker, in which a heroic boy plugs his finger into a ruptured dike.

Day 6: Antwerp

A cosmopolitan city, Antwerp is one of the world’s major seaports. Its unique atmosphere comes from the contrasts between old and new, commerce and art. The Old Town and the expansive Grote Markt are filled with narrow, winding streets and medieval guild houses. The Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady, Belgium’s largest church, contains works by 17th-century painter Peter Paul Rubens; he lived in the city and is entombed in the Church of St. James. Antwerp is also renowned for diamonds and chocolate. Many diamond cutters can be found here alongside countless confectioners.

Day 7: Ghent

Day 8: Zeeland

The tranquil region of Zeeland is a fascinating blend of natural and human-made landscapes. Here, large swaths of land have been shaped by the tendrils of the delta where the Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt Rivers make their final sprint to the sea. Much of this land lies below sea level, protected from the tides of the North Sea by the vast Delta Works project and by the work of the classic windmills that grace the landscape. A number of islands dot this serene coastal region too. This archipelago of sorts gives this province its name: Zeeland, which means “sea land.” From September through April, restaurants in Zeeland offer oysters, farmed fresh from local waters. They are delicious served with a squeeze of lemon and paired with a crisp glass of wine.

Day 9: Amsterdam

Amsterdam is admired for its charming brick canal houses, with their distinctive stepped gables and forward slant. A stroll along the city’s waterways showcases the beautiful architecture of these properties and their interesting features. The houses are traditionally narrow but deep and tend to tilt forward. The lean serves two purposes: it provides additional living space in a house’s upper quarters; and, in conjunction with the hoist beam protruding from the peak of the roof, it allows heavy items to be lifted by pulley to top floors without breaking any windows.

Day 10: Amsterdam

Bid farewell to your fellow guests and journey home.