Belgium & Holland, Cobblestones and Windmills Tour

Your tour commences this evening in Belgium’s cosmopolitan capital city, Brussels. Join us tonight for a welcome drink before dinner in a local restaurant. This is an ideal chance to meet, and get to know, your Tour Manager and fellow travellers.

This morning we are joined by a local guide who takes us on a walking tour through the old city. From the Grand Place - Grote Markt, with its dominating tower, surrounded by beautiful 300-year-old buildings, we take you to the famous Manneken Pis & Jeanneke Pis, to Mary’s Chocolate shop in the beautiful Galeries Royales – a timepiece shopping centre recently nominated for UNESCO Heritage inclusion. After a tasting of Mary’s famous chocolate, the rest of the day is free. This evening make sure you stroll back to the Grand Place, which is right on your hotel doorstep; the evening illuminations are delightful. Time to discover your own

restaurant or lively pub in the nearby, winding cobblestoned streets.

We spend the morning outside of Brussels on the site of the Battle of Waterloo. We have included entrance to all three major attractions that commemorate the final defeat of Napoleon in 1815. For the energetic, take the stairs to the top of the Lion’s Mound topped by a massive cast iron lion. At the foot of the mound is the Rotunda with its huge 360 degree painting of the final battle. There is also a brilliant underground museum, filled with colourful uniforms, memorabilia of the time and a brilliant cinematic battle re-enactment. Early afternoon we arrive into the glorious city of Ghent, where we stay the next three nights. On arrival, a local guide will take us on a walking tour through this wonderful, historic city. Between the 11th and 16th centuries Ghent was one of the most important cities in Europe. The 900-year-old Castle of the Counts and the Graslei and Korenlei (Grass and Corn) riverside quays are surrounded by beautifully ornate, gabled merchant’s houses that are evidence of the massive wealth this trading city generated. In St Bavo's Cathedral you will find the famous 15th century ‘Ghent Altarpiece’, attributed to the van Eyck brothers. The Belfort (Belfry tower) is the tallest in Belgium. Scattered around the old town are alfresco cafés, lively bars and restaurants. Perfect for your ‘My Time’. Late afternoon, we have included a short boat cruise along the canal, followed by dinner in a local restaurant.

Your morning is free – ‘My Time’ to enjoy the beauty of Ghent. Your afternoon will be fascinating as we are joined by a specialist military historian who will immerse us into the battlefields, heartbreak and drama  that was the infamous Passchendaele. We have included entrance to the Passchendaele Memorial Museum, with its amazing exhibits and replica trenches. We will also visit the pivotal sites and cemeteries including Tyne Cot, with its endless lines of white grave stones and the 5th Australian Division Memorial at Polygon Wood. Contrasting this we pay our respects at the German war cemetery at Langemark, which sits in the shadows of old oak trees. Later you will have free time to explore the beautiful town of Ypres. Completely flattened in WW1, it has been lovingly re-built, exactly the way it was. The Cloth Hall, lording it over the main square, is an incredible piece of Gothic architecture. In the evening we will join the crowds gathering under the Menin Gate to witness the soulful, sounding of the Last Post, which is still commemorated every night. It will be one of the most moving experiences as you listen to… no… feel the haunting bugle echoing around and above you in the towering Menin Gate, whilst surrounded by the engraved names of 53,000 Commonwealth Soldiers – young men and boys, who died in just Belgium alone, and all who sadly have ‘no known grave’. Later, we return to Ghent.

A very leisurely start. Late morning, we visit the ‘Venice of the North’ - Bruges. So named because Bruges is riddled with canals, bridges and quiet back streets. On arrival we are joined by a local guide for a walking tour around the quaint and picturesque cobblestoned centre. Later, take time to relax in one of the pavement cafés on the glorious old market square. This evening, back in Ghent, your evening is free amongst the cafes, lively bars and restaurants near your hotel.

Heading into the Netherlands we take the dramatic western route – a fascinating journey across three enormous dykes that form Holland’s incredible Delta Project. The first one, the Peilerdam, is an astonishing 9 kms long, and our journey takes us along the actual top of the enormous flood barriers that hold back the North Sea. An extraordinary engineering achievement! On the second dyke, Brouwersdam, we will make a mid-morning coffee stop beside the broad sandy beach. On a windy day there are literally hundreds of kite surfers in action offshore. Reaching the dynamic city of Rotterdam, we board a cruise boat to follow the river with its city sights and gigantic, modern port – the world’s biggest. Lunchtime will be spent at leisure in the ultra-modern design Market Hall. The giant curved ceiling is one enormous mural of painted flowers, colourful butterflies, fruit and vegetables. Beneath are dozens of specialist food stalls, gourmet eateries and shops. Late afternoon we reach the historical city of Utrecht where we stay our final four nights. Utrecht is often called ‘Amsterdam without the crowds’. Beautiful, with canals, narrow gabled merchant houses, and humped back bridges it makes a superb base for our unique ‘hub and spoke’ style touring. After settling into our hotel, your Tour Manager will accompany you on a stroll into the quaint old town, to a local restaurant where we have included dinner.

 

 

We will spend the day in nearby Amsterdam. First up we board a glass roofed canal boat for a cruise through this amazing city. Later we are joined by a local guide who will take us by coach and on foot around all the major city landmarks. Your afternoon is entirely free to relax, with ‘My Time’ to shop, explore and visit some of the many world class museums. Your evening will be free back in Utrecht amongst the canal side cafés and restaurants, all so close to your hotel.

An early start as we visit the Aalsmeer Flower Market. Here you will see the speed of a genuine Dutch Auction as millions of flowers are bought and sold, and then speedily shipped across Europe. Walking on a raised gantry right down the middle of this massive market warehouse you will be astounded by its sheer size and buzzing energy. From above, you will watch the amazing daily dispatching process - thousands of crates and containers of gorgeous flowers and blooms of every variety are whisked around on literally hundreds of electric ‘flower trains’ and forklift trucks. Then it is off to explore Zaanse Schans. This historical ‘open air museum’ village was created by relocating and preserving 18th and 19th century wooden houses, barns, workshops, and of course a number of giant windmills! So much to see and enjoy. Perhaps visit the cheese factory or have lunch in the Pancake Restaurant De Kraai – once an 18th century Zaan granary? Later we enjoy an afternoon stroll through the pretty fishing port of Volendam.

This morning we will visit the gardens and stables of the Dutch Royal Palace of Het Loo. This afternoon, after ‘My Time’ relaxing back in historical Utrecht, we will visit the nearby moated castle of De Haar Castle. In a simply stunning setting, this gem of a palace is set romantically amongst waterways, parklands and beautiful gardens. Just around the corner, we also visit the quaint Dutch village of Haarzuilens. With traditional white and red painted window shutters you get the feeling you are strolling through a village of toy houses. Here we enjoy our farewell dinner.

 

Your tour ends today after breakfast with a morning group transfer to Amsterdam airport and city centre. We recommend you book flights that depart Amsterdam after midday. 
 

Interested in also travelling on our superb Rhine Castles, Moselle Vineyards and Ancient Cologne tour? It’s easy! Selected departure dates of these tours are designed to allow you to link these two tours. We have sensibly allowed you one night in between one tour ending and the other tour starting, to allow you time to travel between the cities where these tours start and end.