Tulips of Northern Holland

Travel to Amsterdam where you will met and transferred to your cruise ship in Haarlem. Explore the former North Sea trading port with its medieval features, gabled houses, and leafy courtyards. Return to the ship to meet your crew at the welcome reception.

Enjoy a free morning to explore Hoorn at your own pace, perhaps take a bike ride or walk. Re-join your ship for lunch and sail to Enkhuizen, situated at the most easterly point of North Holland. Enkhuizen is a quintessential fishing town with cobblestone streets, a quaint town centre, and one of the largest marinas in the Netherlands. This afternoon, visit the Zuiderzee Museum, which focuses on the past and present of the IJsselmeer, and features living history, heritage, and crafts combining works from the past with works from the present. Tulip fields abound in this part of the country, as an alternatively you may prefer to join an excursion which takes you along the growing areas that look from afar like carpets of colour. Learn more about these flowers and how they were introduced into Holland from the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century.

This morning you have a choice between an included guided walk of Enkhuizen or a ‘Dutch Experience’ tour, to meet some locals. Later, cruise across the IJsselmeer to southwest Friesland, a province rich in history and legends. As you sail, enjoy the scenic rural landscape along the river. Dock in Lemmer, from where our Friesland excursion departs. Primarily an agricultural region with a long history, Friesland is best known internationally for its famous black and white Friesian cattle and black Friesian horses. Visit the 18th-century Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium, which has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rejoin your ship in Sneek, where you dock overnight.

Today, enjoy a peaceful morning of cruising through this delightful area of Friesland. After docking in Lelystad, visit the Batavia Shipyard, where ships that were important to the Netherlands’ maritime industry during the ‘Golden Age’ are faithfully reconstructed by hand. Then, board the Batavia itself. Originally built in 1628 to sail to and from the East Indies, the Batavia was wrecked on its maiden voyage on June 4, 1629 off the coast of Western Australia. It took 10 years, from 1985 to 1995, for a crew to reconstruct the ship using traditional construction materials. Back on board, we’ll introduce you to local cheese and Genever, traditionally drunk neat from a shot glass, as you sail to Kampen, where you dock overnight.

Another relaxing morning on board as you sail along the IJssel River, also known as the Gelderse IJssel, which is a branch of the Rhine River. Learn more about Holland at an on board lecture and taste a sweet local speciality. After lunch, visit the Airborne Museum Hartenstein, dedicated to the Battle of Arnhem, one of the major tragedies of World War II. Alternatively, you may prefer to visit the Kroller-Muller Museum. Later, re-join your ship in Arnhem.

This morning, sail through Rotterdam Harbour, said to be the world’s busiest port. Levelled by German bombs in World War II, Rotterdam now has a modern, high-tech look. After an early lunch choose either a guided excursion to Gouda, famous for its gouda cheese, syrup waffles, clay pipes, and elaborate city hall. It is a typical Dutch city with many old buildings and pretty canals, or, you may wish to visit the gardens of Keukenhof near Lisse, that covers over 70 acres of parkland with lakes, sculpture gardens, greenhouses, and a windmill to explore. Every year, 7 million flower bulbs are planted, and you have the opportunity to see the spectacular display of colours not only from the tulips, but also from hyacinths, daffodils, and more. If you’re a garden enthusiast, you may opt for an extended visit to Keukenhof, with lunch on your own in the gardens.

After breakfast, arrive in Amsterdam where guided sightseeing is by canal boat. Cruise along elegant grachten, lined by stately homes dating back to Amsterdam’s Golden Age. This afternoon is at leisure to explore on your own or choose from a selection of optional excursions.

Disembark and transfer to the airport for your flight to the UK where you will be met and taken by private car back to your home.