© 2010 Intimate France
5 November 2010
Tour price $3,895 per person sharing accommodation * single travelers add $450
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Day 1 (Sunday, September 4) The tour group gathers today in the lobby of the Hotel Dephi, Amsterdam. After an orientation to our tour and the amazing, historic countries of Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium, we set out to explore Amsterdam. On foot and by tram, we get to know this exciting, civilized and lovely city. In the afternoon, join us for a signature Amsterdam experience -a boat tour of its extensive canal network. In the evening, we have DINNER. OVERNIGHT - AMSTERDAM Day 2 (Monday, September 5) Amsterdam is a cultural, artistic and archeological gem, and we have three days to discover its riches. On our agenda today is a visit to the moving memorial to Anne Frank, whose tale of hiding from the Nazis still resonates today; and the magnificent Rijksmuseum, home to an exceptional collection of Dutch masters, including Rembrandt and Vermeer. LUNCH today. OVERNIGHT - AMSTERDAM Day 3 (Tuesday, September 6) Join us today for an optional day trip to Haarlem, only 20 minutes from Amsterdam by train. Here, stroll the streets of the delightful Dutch town, which enjoys an atmosphere of tranquility and elegance. Admire the architecture and visit the outstanding Frans Hals Museum, boasting paintings by the Dutch master Frans Hals as well as furnishings, silverware, drawings and a large collection of modern art. OVERNIGHT - AMSTERDAM Day 3 (Wednesday, September 7) Let's make the most of this, our last day in Amsterdam. Come along as we visit the Van Gogh Museum, which has the largest collection of Van Gogh paintings in the world. After LUNCH, enjoy free time to explore some of the attractions we haven't had time for. Your Intimate France guide will be happy to make suggestions based on your interests. OVERNIGHT - AMSTERDAM Day 5 (Thursday, September 8) Today we leave Amsterdam, headed east. In mid-morning we arrive at the magnificent royal palace of Het Loo, beautifully furnished and ornamented. After visiting this palace, we move on to the small town of Hoenderloo, where we check into our hotel, the Buitenlust. After lunch itís off to Hoge Veluwe National Park and one of the art treasures of Western Europe - the Kröller-Müller Museum, home to a remarkable collection of 19th- and 20th-century paintings, including the second largest collection of works by Van Gogh. Returning to our hotel, we enjoy DINNER. OVERNIGHT - HOENDERLOO Day 6 (Friday, September 9) By motorway today we arrive in the southern Dutch town of Maastricht, full of authentic medieval architecture and an exuberant character due to its many university students. After lunch we enter tiny Luxembourg, making our way to the picturesque town of Vianden, its old houses clinging to the slopes above the Our River and overlooked by a 12th century castle. There will be time late in the day to enjoy the views and the medieval ambiance. OVERNIGHT - VIANDEN Day 7 (Saturday, September 10) On a day trip, we visit Luxembourg City, the capital of this vest-pocket country, built on a wooded plateaux crisscrossed by ravines. Wander the old town, perched atop a sandstone bluff high above two rivers, and explore the Casemates du Bock, a defensive labyrinth created in the 1700s. LUNCH in Luxembourg City. OVERNIGHT - VIANDEN Day 8 (Sunday, September 11) From Vianden we head into Belgium. By noon we have arrived in bustling Brussels, the nation's capital and a center of European Union activity. If you wish, visit one of the city's fine museums, such as the Musee d'Art Ancien, with an outstanding collection of Flemish paintings, including works by Brueghel the Elder and Rubens. Whatever you do, don't miss the central square, the Grand'Place, lined with baroque guildhalls. Later we arrive in Brugge (we know it as Bruges), our home for the next three nights. After checking into our centrally located hotel, we enjoy DINNER. OVERNIGHT - BRUGGE Day 9 (Monday, September 12) This morning, we set out to explore Brugge, considered Belgium's most beautiful town and one of the most magnificent and well-preserved medieval cities in Europe. Let's start with a boat ride on the shady canals, lined with stately mansions. Later, there will be time to visit two repositories of priceless art: the Bruggemuseum Onze Lieve Vrouwekert, a church boasting a Madonna and Child sculpture by Michaelangelo (as well as other works); and the Groeninge Museum, sheltering an outstanding collection of Flemish primitive paintings (van Eyck, Memling, Pourbus and Bosch). You'll have plenty of free time to experience Brugge's many other delights. OVERNIGHT - BRUGGE Day 10 (Tuesday, September 13) We take the train today to Gent (Ghent), steeped in history and rich in sumptuous architecture. We explore the city on a canal cruise; admire the magnificent cathedral, with its enormous Adoration of the Mystic Lamb Altarpiece by Jan van Eyck; and wander the medieval streets lined with fine houses. If you like, climb the lofty town belfry for a panoramic view of the city. LUNCH today. OVERNIGHT - AMSTERDAM Day 11 (Wednesday, September 14) Leaving Brugge, we arrive in Antwerp, one of Belgium's most beautiful cities. In our three hours of free time, have lunch and visit the cathedral, the largest in Belgium, studded with many priceless works of art, including several paintings by Rubens. In mid-afternoon we move on to pretty Delft and check into our canalside hotel. After a short walking tour and free time to enjoy the peaceful streets and squares, we have DINNER. OVERNIGHT - DELFT Day 12 (Thursday, September 15) Today, after morning free time in Delft, we make our way back north, soon arriving in the Dutch capital, Den Haag (The Hague). Here we find the renowned Mauritshuis museum, home to a collection of paintings considered among the finest in the world. Enjoy works by Rembrandt, Rubens and Vermeer (his Girl with a Pearl Earring hangs here). After lunch and a visit to the handsome Dutch town of Leiden, we at last come to our comfortable hotel near Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. OVERNIGHT - AMSTERDAM AIRPORT Getaway day (Friday, Sept. 16) It's time to say goodbye to the Benelux countries as you fly home from Amsterdam. Notes MEALS – Tour includes breakfast every day, as well as eight other meals (lunches and dinners), as indicated in BOLD CAPS on the itinerary. OUR HOTELS Hotel Delphi, Amsterdam, Netherlands Hotel Buitenlust, Hoenderloo, Netherlands Hotel Victor Hugo, Vianden, Luxembourg Hotel Biskajer, Brugge, Belgium Hotel Emauspoort, Delft, Netherlands Hotel Herbergh, Amsterdam airport HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS – Subject to change according to availability. * TOUR PRICING – Price of $3,895 is an estimate only as fluctuations in foreign currency rates may make a surcharge necessary. Call us for details- (800) 676-1247. ITINERARY – Details of this preliminary itinerary could change. A final itinerary will be issued closer to trip departure. SIGHTSEEING – All sightseeing listed in itinerary is included as part of the tour. |
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