This itinerary gives you the opportunity to feel the sheer but different vitality of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Maastricht experience the absolutely splendid national parks and scenic Dutch countryside that inspired some of the Dutch master painters, as well as to explore some of the interesting sites in the less known picturesque Dutch towns and villages.
Overview
Day 1: Arrival in Amsterdam
Day 2 – 4: Amsterdam
Day 5: Transfer to Rotterdam
Day 6: Transfer to Maastricht
Day 7: Maastricht
Day 8: Transfer to Hoge Veluwe National Park
Day 9: Transfer to Amsterdam
Day 10: Departure
Day by day itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Amsterdam
Upon arrival you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel. Get a feel of Amsterdam with a private boat tour along the Amsterdam canals past major points of interest. The rest of the day your are free at leisure to relax or to explore the city.
Day 2: Amsterdam
After breakfast you will enjoy a half or full day private guided tour in Amsterdam. Walk around the less known Amsterdam areas like the Jordaan with its markets, many cozy restaurants and interesting shops or perhaps visit one of the many internationally renowned museums such as the Rijksmuseum, Rembrandt House and Anna Frank House to name just a few.
Day 3: Amsterdam – full daytrip to Keukenhof/Cruquius and Haarlem
In the months April and May after breakfast you will do a half day excursion to the world famous Keukenhof Gardens, where each year approximately seven million flower bulbs are planted turning an area of 322 hectares into the worlds largest flower garden. At other times of the year you will start your day with a visit to the national heritage site Museum de Cruquius. This museum occupies an old steam pumping station that became an internationally known engineering landmark when in 1751 it took three years to pump dry the area of Haarlemmermeer, which is where Schiphol Airport is located. After visiting this museum enjoy a taste of smoked eel, which is a Dutch delicacy, at a local smokery in Aalsmeer.
In the afternoon proceed to the medieval city of Haarlem for lunch and a city tour passing the square called Grote Markt, the Gothic Cathedral of Saint Bavo and the historical WWII-hiding place The Corry ten Boom House. In Haarlem you can also visit the oldest museum in The Netherlands, The Tylers Museums for art, natural history and science.
Day 4: Amsterdam – full day trip to Alkmaar and Broek op Langedijk
Today you will travel from Amsterdam to Alkmaar, a 750 year old city and the cheese capital of The Netherlands. Do a walking tour through the city centre and visit the secret courtyards. If you happen to be there on Friday then there is the famous cheese market to explore. From Alkmaar you continue through some wonderful scenery to explore Egmond on Sea and then on to lunch in Bergen, famous for its antique shops.
After lunch drive to Museum Broekerveiling in Broek op Langedijk, the oldest pass through vegetable auction in the world and nowadays a museum in this beautiful countryside area. On the way back to Amsterdam you drive along the North Sea Canal and then end up at the ferry where you will leave the vehicle behind and board the fast ferry in Velsen which will take you in approximately forty minutes to the center of Amsterdam.
Day 5: From Amsterdam via Delft to Rotterdam
After breakfast travel from Amsterdam to historical Delft where the assassination of Willem of Orange took place in 1584 and it is the hometown of the famous painter Johannes Vermeer. Here you visit the Vermeer Centre, which offers you voyage of discovery through the life, work and city of this 17th-century master of light. Enjoy a coffee on the square before making your way to the market past the statue of Hugo de Groot. Then visit the Royal Delft, the last remaining Delftware porcelain factory from the 17th century. The world famous Royal Delftware is still entirely hand-painted according to centuries-old tradition.
After lunch continue south to Rotterdam, where you will enjoy a boat tour of the second largest port in the world. Then visit the Boijmans van Beuningen Museum with its permanent collection of Dutch and European art. The evening you have free at leisure to enjoy Rotterdam’s vibrant nightlife.
Day 6: From Rotterdam via Kinderdijk to Maastricht
After breakfast drive to Kinderdijk, a village about 15 km from Rotterdam and situated in a polder between two rivers. To drain the polder, a system of 19 windmills was built. Now Kinderdijk is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the best known Dutch tourism sites and just a great place to wander along the dikes and roads.
Continue to the southernmost city of Maastricht, rich in history and culture. Visit the Vrijthof square with its St. Servaas Basilica and the Helpoort, the oldest town-gate in The Netherlands. Maastricht is a lively city with a kind of a Flemish flair and worth the approximately two and a half hours ride from Rotterdam.
Day 7: Maastricht – half day trip to Vaals
This morning you will travel in about a half an hour to the village of Vaals with its “Drielandenpunt”, the highest point in The Netherlands and the point where the three countries of The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium come together. Stroll over one of the many walking paths, find your way to the middle in the biggest labyrinth in Europe and pay a visit to the watch-towers called Koning Boudewijn Toren en Wilhelmina Toren.
In the afternoon you are free at leisure. Explore the city of Maastricht and have a drink on one of the terraces on the square, go to Sint Pietersberg Caves or do choose to go the Belgian City of Liège or the German city of Aachen, both just an half an hour away from Maastricht.
Day 8: From Maastricht to the Hoge Veluwe National Park
After breakfast transfer to the Hoge Veluwe. This national park covers approximately 5,400 hectares of woodland, heathland, peat bogs and drift sand providing a habitat to a wide variety of plants and animals including some rare Red List species. The Hoge Veluwe is a beautiful area to walk around or cycle around.. The park is host to the Kroller Muller Museum, with an extensive collection of paintings from Van Gogh as well as art work of. Pablo Picasso and Piet Mondriaan, visit the beautifully situated Jachthuis Sint Hubertus and the Sculpture Garden. The Hoge Veluwe National Park provides you with the wonderful experience of a combination of nature, art and architecture.
Day 9: From Hoge Veluwe via Utrecht to Amsterdam
After breakfast you head to the city of Utrecht, for a a leisurely walking tour in the city centre, passing canals and the cathedral area. A recommendable and unusual museum is the Museum Speelklok, with a collection of automatically playing music instruments, some over 600 years old and most of which are still working. Enjoy lunch along the canal, at one of the many different restaurants this city offers.
After lunch visit the enchanting Kasteel De Haar, a beautiful castle set in a 135 acre of lovely parkland and gardens. This is definitely a delightful place to wander around. Then return to Amsterdam where this evening you will have a farewell private gourmet canal cruise. A great way to end your Netherlands experience!
Day 10: Departure
Today you will depart from Amsterdam on your return or onward journey. – End of itinerary
More information
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