The Netherlands & Belgium: A 5-Day Luxury Small-Group Tour with Incredible Insider Experiences

Combine the charm of The Netherlands with the romance, history and good food of Belgium on this five-day tour. While on your tour, you will be able to explore The Netherlands’ quaint villages and windmills, and taste their delicious cheeses. In Belgium, take in the beauty of Bruges’ UNESCO protected medieval core, experience the romance of the bridges and canals by boat and taste the fantastic beer and chocolate Belgium is known for.

What You’ll Love…

The Luxury Accommodation – The finest hotels in the heart of Amsterdam and Brussels

Located in prime positioning in Amsterdam’s city centre, the luxury boutique Kimpton De Witt Hotel exudes a modern approach to luxury through fresh, refined rooms and imaginative spaces steeped in inspired Dutch design - including a wall of flowers at the entrance, a nod to the country’s famous tulip fields.

The hotel is home to the funky House Bar, specialising in craft cocktails, and Miss Louisa Café, a speakeasy serving espresso coffee and traditional Dutch beignets, delicious small doughnuts dusted with icing sugar. The courtyard provides an excellent respite from a day of exploring.

All rooms boast Gaiam yoga mats, Marie-Stella-Maris natural body and skin care amenities, Frette robes, Tube Audio Bluetooth speakers by LEFF Amsterdam, and Nespresso coffee machines.

Your base in Belgium is the Warwick Brussels Hotel, where you will be treated to the feel of Old World elegance with the added convenience of modern facilities. Located in the heart of Belgium’s awe-inspiring architecture and culture, this hotel is a perfect base for exploring. Comfortable rooms await at the end of the day and feature luxury antique touches, rich coloured decor, large flat-screen TVs, luxurious bedding, high-speed internet and contemporary bathroom facilities.

On site you will also find Chutney’s Restaurant, serving Belgian specialties, and Bubbles Bar, offering an extensive cocktail list. The Chutney’s menu is full of traditional delights, including the ‘Best Seller Plate’, which features local delicacies, fresh mussels and Chateaubriand steak.

The Experiences & Sights – A four-course dinner cruise, city walking tours, windmill visit, Belgian beer tasting and more

Your tour begins in Amsterdam, a city rich with culture, culinary delights and bustling food and flower markets.

Here, enjoy an evening cruise on the beautifully lit canal. Included is a delectable four-course dinner for you to savour as you pass the colourful picture-book houses that line the water.

Experience a walking tour of Amsterdam, taking you to some of the city’s most interesting sites, including the Mint Tower, Rokin street and canal, the floating flower market, Dam Square, the Royal Palace, the Nieuwe Kerk church and the National Monument, the Beurs van Berlage, Central Station, St. Nicholas Church and the Jewish quarter of the 17th century.

Swap the city for the countryside with an exclusive insider tour of Zaanse Schans, the picturesque windmill village, with its typical green-timbered houses and warehouses. Immerse yourself in Dutch culture with a visit to a working windmill, a stop at a local cheese farm for a cheese-making demonstration and tasting, and a look inside the shop of a traditional clog maker.

Experience more of Holland with a trip to The Hague, the seat of The Netherlands’ Parliament and Peace Palace, housing the International Court of Justice. Enjoy a traditional lunch at a farm in Delft, before visiting a factory producing Delftware, the blue-and-white pottery the city is famous for. Rotterdam is next on the list, with a tour here taking you past the banks of the Meuse, to the old port and the city’s striking yellow cube houses.

The Belgian half of your tour begins with a trip to Bruges and the dreamy Lake of Love. Embark on a walking tour here, taking in Saint John’s Hospital, Our Lady’s Church with the statue by Michelangelo (optional), the Market Square with the Belfry, and the medieval Chapel of the Holy Blood.

Refuel with an included lunch and a stop at one of Belgium’s renowned chocolatiers, with a chance to try some of their famous bonbons and pralines.

Enjoy a three-hour walking tour of Brussels, a place best discovered on foot. Tick off iconic sites including the majestic Grand Place, the famous Manneken Pis, the murals of Tintin, the Royal Palace, stroll through the elegant Sablon, admire the majestic courthouse and much more.

A sumptuous three-course farewell dinner with your new-found friends marks the end of your tour, with two glasses of wine, beer or soft drink included.

Your Package Includes:

• Four nights of luxury accommodation, including two nights at the chic Hotel Kimpton de Witt in Amsterdam and two nights in the luxurious Warwick Hotel, located in the heart of Brussels
• Daily breakfast plus select dining experiences
• Welcome dinner cruise through Amsterdam’s picturesque canals
• Visit to the beautiful Dutch countryside to see traditional windmills, clog making and local markets
• Special tastings, including traditionally produced Dutch cheeses, local Belgian beers, and a stop at one of Bruges’ renowned chocolatiers
• Tour The Hague, home of the Dutch Parliament and stunning gothic-style architecture
• Visit the miniature city of Madurodam - home to a range of 1:25 scale model replicas of famous Dutch landmarks and historical sites
• Tour the Royal Delft factory, famous world over for its great blue-and-white pottery
• Tour Rotterdam, famous for its modern architecture, the old port and the striking yellow cube houses
• Visit the historic town of Bruges, including a cruise on the canals
• Walking tour of Brussels including beer tasting
• Private return airport transfers
• Expert local guides, insider experiences, private transportation, sightseeing and entrance fees throughout the tour itinerary

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The tour begins in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and ends in Brussels, Belgium.

Please ensure you arrive in Amsterdam before 12pm on Day 1 and out of Brussels at any time after breakfast on Day 5.

Your international flights are not included in your package. Flights to Amsterdam from Australia will typically take a minimum of one stop and approximately 23 hours, departing from most major cities with Qantas, Emirates, Singapore Airlines and more.

Private return airport transfers are included in your tour on the first and last day of set tour dates only. Early arrivals and late departures must arrange their own airport transfers.

You MUST complete your booking form within 48 hours of booking. Following its completion, our Tours Concierge will be in touch to assist with any additional arrangements you may wish to make, including assistance with international flights, with no booking fee to you.

A visa may be required to the destination you are visiting. It is each traveller’s responsibility to ensure they are holding a current visa. Please take the time to visit our preferred vendor website Visa Direct to assist you with any visa application requirements and processes. If you require any supporting documentation when applying for your visa please let us know and we would be more than happy to assist. Click here to visit the website.

Day 1: Amsterdam

Welcome to Amsterdam, the Dutch capital known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses with gabled facades, legacies of the city’s 17thcentury Golden Age.

You will be met on arrival to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) by a local representative and transferred to your stunning boutique hotel, located in the very heart of this vibrant city. A chic and stylish property that features elements of a 17th-century poet’s home and local art, The Kimpton De Witt Hotel offers swanky accommodations and a gastropub allowing for an authentic Amsterdam stay.

Enjoy a guided walking tour to discover some of Amsterdam’s most interesting sites, including the Rokin district, the floating flower market, Dam Square, the Royal Palace, the impressive 15th-century Nieuwe Kerk cathedral, Beurs van Berlage – the former stock exchange – Amsterdam’s grand Central Station, the Basilica of St. Nicholas church, and the Jewish quarter. This evening you be treated to a welcome meal, and enjoy a delicious four-course dinner while cruising the beautifully lit canals.

Accommodation: Hotel Kimpton de Witt

Meals: Dinner

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Day 2: Dutch Countryside

After breakfast at the hotel, we venture out of the city on an excursion that will give you a complete picture of this land and its people. Visit the Zaanse Schans, the picturesque windmill village, with its typical greentimbered houses and warehouses, where we will stop to visit a working windmill. Continue to the famous and lively fishing village of Volendam, where you will have free time to explore the quaint antique stores, colourful markets and seafood vendors. A highlight today is a stop at a local cheese farm, where you will learn the century-old technics of cheese making, followed by a tasting of some of the country’s finest cheeses. We also stop at a traditional clog maker and see these skilled craftspeople at work, before retuning to Amsterdam in the early afternoon.

This afternoon is free to further explore the city on your own. Why not visit one of the city’s many museums, such as the Van Gogh and the Rijksmuseum, which houses some of the most important works of the great Dutch artists, or spend time visiting Anne Frank House - a moving museum dedicated to Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank? Or simply spend the afternoon in a café overlooking one of the city’s beautiful canals.

Accommodation: Hotel Kimpton de Witt

Meals: Breakfast and Cheese Tasting

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Day 3: The Hague, Delft, Rotterdam & Brussels

Following breakfast, we travel to Rotterdam, The Hague and Delft, ending in Brussels. A great impression of Holland, which will begin with a visit to The Hague and see the intricate Gothic-style Binnenhof (or Inner Court) complex, the seat of the Dutch parliament, and 16thcentury Noordeinde Palace - the king’s workplace. The city is also home to the U.N.’s International Court of Justice, headquartered in the Peace Palace, and the International Criminal Court. Following this we visit the miniature city of Madurodam, home to a range of 1:25 scale model replicas of famous Dutch landmarks, historical cities and large developments.

We will stop for lunch en route at a farm house near Delft, then tour the Royal Delft factory. Famous world over for its great blue-and-white pottery, Royal Delft is the country’s oldest where you can watch true Delft pottery artists at work as they paint the delicate delftware. You will have time to admire the Royal Family Chamber and visit the extensive showroom, which includes the full collection of Royal Delft as well as many unique souvenirs. Our last visit is Rotterdam, famous for its modern architecture. We will take time to drive along the banks of the Meuse, the old port and the striking yellow cube houses before we continue to the Belgium capital and your luxury hotel in the heart of Brussels.

Accommodation: Warwick Brussels Hotel

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

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Day 4: Bruges & Brussels

Today, we journey approx. 1.5 hours to Bruges, the capital of West Flanders in northwest Belgium. This pretty, historic town is bursting with UNESCO sites and is famous for its picturesque canals, cobble-stoned streets and medieval buildings. Tucked away at the southern end of Bruges is the beautiful area known as “Minnewater”, our first stop to see the “Lake of Love” and” Lovers Bridge”. From here we take a walking tour to discover the best this city has to offer, including the 800-year-old Saint John’s Hospital, the 13th-century Our Lady’s Church, the Market Square with the Belfry, and the medieval Chapel of the Holy Blood. We will also enjoy a cruise on the canals, then stop at one of Bruges’ renowned chocolatiers to taste a few of their bonbons and pralines.

Before we head back to Brussels, we enjoy lunch in one of Bruge’s favourite local restaurants.

When we return to Brussels in the afternoon you will enjoy a guided tour of the historic city centre. Beginning at the majestic Grand Place, we will wander the small streets to discover the most beautiful corners and a city that is full of history at every turn. Visit the famous Manneken Pis, the murals of Tintin, the Royal Palace, stroll through the elegant Sablon, admire the majestic courthouse and much more. This tour of Brussels is the best way to really discover and enjoy the city that is home to the most important institutions of the European Union. A highlight is a visit to one of the city’s local beer halls, where you can enjoy a tasting of one of the famous Belgian artisanal beers. This evening we celebrate with a farewell dinner in one of the city’s quaint restaurants with a glass of local wine or two.

Accommodation: Warwick Brussels Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Chocolate Tasting, Beer Tasting and Dinner

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Day 5: Departure

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then a private transfer will take you to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).

Meals: Breakfast