Country Roads of Belgium, Luxembourg & the Netherlands (Classic, 11 Days)
Description
Summary
Description
Embark on an unforgettable 11-day journey through the heart of Europe, exploring the rich history, diverse cultures, and stunning landscapes of Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. This multi-day tour offers a unique blend of guided sightseeing and free time to explore at your own pace. From the bustling metropolis of Brussels to the charming canals of Amsterdam, you'll discover iconic landmarks, sample local delicacies, and immerse yourself in the vibrant local cultures. Along the way, you'll stay in centrally-located hotels, enjoy delicious meals, and have the opportunity to participate in optional experiences to further enhance your European adventure.
Included
4 Dinner with Wine (DW)
10 Breakfast (B)
Brussels: Your delightful first evening also includes a Welcome Dinner with wine at a local restaurant in the heart of the Old Town with an opportunity to mingle with your fellow travellers.
Maredsous Abbey: Visit the late 19th century abbey, surrounded by the lush greenery of the Molignée valley. Then, learn about the production secrets of the Maredsous Benedictine beers and cheeses before sampling freshly brewed beer along with a taste of creamy, golden-crusted cheese.
Luxembourg City: At restaurant Les Écuires du Parc, savour a freshly prepared Farm-to-Table meal of locally sourced, seasonal produce.
Monnickendam: Enjoy a Celebration Dinner with wine in an elegant restaurant in the quaint village of Monnickendam.
Accommodation as stated in the itinerary
Choose between two carefully selected activities
Brussels: Join a private chocolate truffle-making lesson and tasting with a master chocolatier to get up close and personal with the decadent flavours of Brussels. Then enhance your discovery exploring Brussels with your Local Expert. Visit the cobbled square of the Grand-Place, home to the Town Hall and other buildings of political significance. This 12th century, Gothic architectural gem also hosts many concerts, fairs and folklore events and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
Brussels: No visit to Belgium is complete without a trip to the site of the historic Battle of Waterloo. Your Local Expert reveals how the Battle of Waterloo was fought at this very spot between Napoleon’s French Army and a coalition led by the Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blücher, ending a 23-year war and Napolean’s imperial power. Step inside the museum and the underground Visitor Centre to enhance your discovery through a 3D film and monumental panoramic painting depicting the battle.
Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
Monnickendam: Journey through the polder landscape to visit Monnickendam. Along the way, visit a rustic cheese workshop to learn the secrets of the dairy industry and witness the ancient art of clog making.
City tours of Ghent, Bruges, Luxembourg City, and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam all with Local Experts.
Old Town in Luxembourg City an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
St Bavo's Cathedral, Ghent.
Brussels: Visit the Grand Place and view the Mannekin Pis.
Brussels: See the Atomium, and the Chinese and Japanese Pavilions.
Ghent: Visit St. Bavo's Cathedral with a Local Expert, former home of the Van Eyck masterpiece, and see the Castle of the Counts.
Bruges: Visit the Market Square and famous belfry of the Market Hall with your Local Expert. See the Gothic town hall in Burg Square and the frescoes on the walls of the Holy Blood Chapel.
Luxembourg City: With your Local Expert, enjoy views over the Petrusse Ravine and walk through the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the cathedral, the Palace of the Grand Duke and visit the grave of U.S. General George S. Patton. Lookout from the Pont Adolphe.
Bastogne: Experience a fascinating insight into the history of the World War II at the modern Bastogne War Museum. Visit the Mardasson Monument, dedicated to those who fell during the Battle of the Bulge.
Rotterdam: Witness the impressive market hall and Erasmus Bridge on your orientation of this modern city.
Delft: Visit one of the manufacturers of original Delft blue pottery and see the potters at work on your guided tour.
The Hague: See the Binnenhof courtyards and the Peace Palace.
Amsterdam: Cruise along the waterways, discovering the architectural gems of the old city, including mansions dating from the Golden Age of the 17th Century.
Amsterdam: Explore the Rijksmuseum, the Dutch national museum and largest art museum in the Netherlands, with a local art historian. Witness famous works by Van Gogh, Vermeer, and Rembrandt.
Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
Amsterdam: Led by your Travel Director, wander the city to see the floating flower market, Dam Square and the Royal Palace.
Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
Destinations
Map
Attractions
Daily Itinerary
Day 1 – Day 1: Arrival in Brussels
- Brussels - Arrival day
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- Grand-Place
- Fonske (statue)
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Upon arrival at Brussels airport, you'll be transferred to your centrally-located hotel. After settling in, join your Travel Director for a visit to the iconic Manneken Pis statue and a leisurely stroll around the Grand Place, voted the most beautiful square in Europe. In the evening, enjoy a Welcome Dinner with wine at a local restaurant in the heart of the Old Town, where you'll have the opportunity to mingle with your fellow travellers.
Day 2 – Day 2: Exploring Brussels
- Waterloo
- Brussels
- Antwerp
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- Antwerp Zoo
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Spend the day exploring Brussels with Insight Choice. Learn about Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo or join a private chocolate truffle making lesson and tasting with a master chocolatier. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. You may choose to join an Optional Experience to the lively city of Antwerp.
Day 3 – Day 3: Brussels to Ghent and Bruges
- Ghent
- Bruges
- Brussels
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- Atomium
- Saint Bavo's Cathedral
- Belfry of Bruges
- Musée royal de Mariemont
- House Of Giants
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In the morning, admire the contrast of the Chinese and Japanese Pavilions and the impressive, metallic spheres of the Atomium. Your journey then takes you to Ghent, the City of Flowers, where you'll explore its historical streets and visit St. Bavo's Cathedral and the Castle of the Counts. Continue to Bruges, where you'll stay for the next two nights. Explore the city's cobbled streets, visit the Market Square dominated by the medieval bell tower, The Belfry of Bruges, and explore Burg Square with its ornate Gothic town hall and glorious frescoes on the walls of the Holy Blood Chapel.
Day 4 – Day 4: Free Day in Bruges
- Bruges
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- Yper Museum
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Enjoy a relaxed start and leisurely morning to explore the city of Bruges at your own pace. With your free afternoon, you may choose to join an Optional Experience to visit the historic town of Ypres, explore the market square and attend the famous Last Post Ceremony, commemorating the fallen Allied Forces on the surrounding Flanders Fields.
Day 5 – Day 5: Bruges to Luxembourg via Maredsous
- Luxembourg
- Bruges
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- Clervaux Castle
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Travel into the French-speaking region of Wallonia, where picturesque country roads lead you to the late 19th century Maredsous Abbey. Here, you'll sample freshly brewed beer and creamy, golden-crusted cheese. Continue on to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to arrive at your 18th century château home for two nights. In the evening, enjoy a fresh and delicious Farm-to-Table Dinner at restaurant L'Écurie du Parc. After dinner, take a stroll to see the 12th century Clervaux Castle illuminated.
Day 6 – Day 6: Exploring Luxembourg
- Luxembourg
- Trier
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- General Patton Museum
- Pétrusse Casemates
- Grand Ducal Palace
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Your travels continue to Luxembourg City for sightseeing with your Local Expert. Visit the grave of U.S. General George S. Patton, admire the view over the Petrusse Ravine from the Pont Adolphe, and stroll through the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see the cathedral and the Palace of the Grand Duke. The afternoon is free for you to explore at your leisure. You may choose to join an Optional Experience to the ancient Roman city of Trier, home town of Karl Marx, to explore with a Local Expert.
Day 7 – Day 7: Luxembourg to Rotterdam via Bastogne
- Bastogne
- Rotterdam
- Luxembourg
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- Bastogne War Museum
- Battle of the Bulge Monument
- More
Head for Bastogne to visit the Mardasson Monument, a star-shaped memorial dedicated to the U.S. troops who died during Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Visit the Bastogne War Museum, a fascinating modern and interactive memorial centre highlighting the causes, events and consequences of WWII. Travel through the centre of Belgium as your journey continues to Rotterdam, the world's largest port rebuilt after wartime devastation. During your orientation with your Travel Director, see the impressive market hall and its radical modern design and the Erasmus Bridge.
Day 8 – Day 8: Rotterdam to Amsterdam via The Hague
- Delft
- The Hague
- Rotterdam
- Amsterdam
- More
- Keukenhof Forest
- Amstelpark
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Visit one of the manufacturers of original Delft blue pottery before moving on to the Hague, the elegant governmental centre of the Netherlands. See the Binnenhof courtyards where the Parliament is situated and the impressive Peace Palace. Select departures visit Keukenhof Gardens one of the world's largest flower gardens, an unforgettable experience not to be missed. Pass through picturesque villages and windmills of the Dutch countryside to Amsterdam for three fabulous nights.
Day 9 – Day 9: Exploring Amsterdam
- Amsterdam
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- Royal Palace of Amsterdam
- Marker Wadden
- Magere Brug
- Dam Square
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After a leisurely start today, you explore Amsterdam, a living museum of the 17th century, yet still a vibrant metropolis and port. The best way to see this remarkable city is from the water as you cruise through the canal district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admire the elegant merchants houses from the 16th and 17th centuries, their facades are a reflection of when trade flourished during Amsterdam's Golden Age. Relax as you pass stunning gables, beautiful churches and the iconic Magere Brug, better known as the Skinny Bridge. Disembark your cruise to wander the city and see the floating flower market, Dam Square and the Royal Palace. The rest of the day is at your leisure. With your free time, there's the opportunity to venture out to the Dutch Countryside to the village of Marken.
Day 10 – Day 10: Amsterdam to Monnikendam
- Amsterdam
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- Rijksmuseum
- Moco Museum
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If you choose, you could start the morning by visiting the world's largest flower auction at Aalsmeer. Later, in Amsterdam, visit the newly refurbished Rijksmuseum with a Local Expert, Amsterdam's famed treasure trove of Dutch art, housing Rembrandt's 'Night Watch.' Journey to the village of Monnikendam, learn the secrets of the Cheese Maker's craft, from milk to the finished product. Then witness a traditional Shoemaker turn a block of wood into clogs. In the evening, join your newfound friends and Travel Director at a beautiful restaurant in Monnikendam to enjoy your Celebration Dinner.
Day 11 – Day 11: Departure from Amsterdam
- Amsterdam - Departure day
- More
Bid farewell to Amsterdam as you transfer to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport for your onward journey.
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