This itinerary adds a contemporary flair to the classic tulip time experience, where you’ll find an ideal mix of old and new, historic and modern, in some of Europe’s liveliest cities. You’ll stay overnight in Amsterdam and Maastricht, allowing you more time to discover great shopping, countless active options and mouthwatering foodie destinations. Explore Belgium’s historical and contemporary capital city of Brussels, home of a rich and vibrant culinary tradition. Discover Antwerp’s penchant for tasty treats, including Belgian waffles, beer, pralines and chocolate on a walking discovery tour of the diamond capital of the world. In splendid Maastricht, a city with hundreds of national heritage sites, you’ll uncover why it’s known as one of the most beautiful cities in all of Holland. Follow in Van Gogh’s footsteps with a stroll through Nuenen, where you’ll wander through the sites that inspired much of his art. Or venture into the town of Heusden and marvel at a historic working mill, learn to make bread at a local bakery, or wander through the remnants of a 13th-century fortress. Delight in a visit to Kinderdijk to see it’s 19 well-preserved windmills that have stood the test of time. In colorful Amsterdam, you’ll be treated to an exclusive “Morning with the Masters” visit without crowds to the Amsterdam Hermitage Museum–the perfect ending to an unforgettable journey.
You will visit the following 5 places:
Antwerp
Belgium’s second largest and international port city with history dating to the Middle Ages, Antwerp is a major destination in Belgium in the region of Flanders. It has a beautiful historic city center, and is world-renowned for its fashion industry. Renowned for being the "world's leading diamond city", more than 70% of all diamonds are traded in Antwerp. Due to its long and culturally rich history, the city of Antwerp houses many interesting historical buildings from different historical periods, as well as a lot of interesting museums. Recently it has become a trendy city, attracting a lot of Flemish and foreign artists, writers, intellectuals, and actors.
Gemeente Maastricht
Maastricht is the southernmost city in the Netherlands, and is the capital of the province of Limburg. Situated on the Maas river, within walking distance of Belgium and cycling distance of Germany, it claims to be the oldest city in the Netherlands (a claim it shares with Nijmegen). A great place to spend some time, it contains some magnificent buildings and culture, taking the form of plenty of old houses and buildings, lovely cathedrals and a spectacularly cobblestoned town centre. The city is also well known for its fine cuisine, excellent shops and multicultural atmosphere.
The Convent Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is the country's largest city and its financial, cultural, and creative centre. Many large Dutch institutions have their headquarters there, and seven of the world's 500 largest companies, including Philips and ING, are based in the city. In 2012, Amsterdam was ranked the second best city in which to live by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and 12th globally on quality of living for environment and infrastructure by Mercer. Amsterdam derives its name from the city’s origin as “Dam” of river “Amstel”. In the past, the name was "Amstelredamme" which later changed as “Amsterdam”. The city is one of the most popular destinations in Europe, attracting over 7 million international travellers annually. The city is colloquially known as ''Venice of the North'' because of its lovely canals that criss-cross the city, its impressive architecture and more than 1,500 bridges. There is something for every traveller's taste here; whether you prefer culture and history, serious partying, or just the relaxing charm of an old European city!
Brussels
Brussels, is the de facto capital of Belgium and of the European Union. It is also the largest urban area in Belgium, comprising 19 municipalities, including the municipality of the City of Brussels, which is the de jure capital of Belgium, in addition to the seat of the French Community of Belgium and of the Flemish Community.
