Bruges, Medieval Flanders, Amsterdam & The Dutch Bulbfields

Fly to Amsterdam from a choice of regional airports or take the Eurostar from London St Pancras International, arriving in Brussels approximately two hours later, where you change trains connecting to Amsterdam. On arrival, a coach transfers you to your five-star cruise ship moored near the city centre and railway station.

The dedicated crew welcomes you aboard, ensuring you settle in to your extremely comfortable and well-appointed cabin. There’s time to familiarise yourself with your first-class floating hotel before experiencing the chef’s specially chosen menu for your first dinner on board.

Breakfast is an on-board institution and you’re always assured of an enticing range of choices. We’re moored in the heart of delightful Amsterdam, and there’s no better way to explore than taking a classic glass-topped boat tour through the network of canals that infuse every aspect of life here.

The tour brings a real insight into the history and everyday life of Amsterdam, a maritime, financial and cultural powerhouse uniquely located facing both the sea and the heartlands of Europe. As we glide over the calm canal waters, you’ll see a fascinating variety of typically Dutch narrow gabled buildings, bustling streets and historic bridges immortalised by the great artists, and learn about its famous canalside residents, from the tragic Anne Frank, who wrote her diaries hidden in a merchant’s house, to Rembrandt, the Dutch Old Master.

A splendid buffet lunch awaits our return as we slip away from the quayside towards the IJsselmeer, the enormous inland lake created when the Zuiderzee was cut off from the North Sea by a series of dykes and dams. Our port of call is Hoorn, once a prosperous port of the Dutch East India Company.

Reminiscent of another age, it’s a charming mix of imposing buildings dating from the 15th century onwards, brick-built warehouses, cobbled squares and twisting alleys. Hoorn’s ships traded the world over, with one sailor even naming the southern tip of South America after his home town – Cape Horn. There’s time to explore this intriguing spot and its boat-filled harbour, dominated by the distinctive 16th-century Head Tower, before returning to our cruise ship to enjoy dinner and maybe a nightcap in the lounge.

One of the delights of river cruising is the enchanting experience of waking somewhere new, the water gently lapping as the ship glides almost imperceptibly along. We’re now deep in the heart of Holland, passing flower-bedecked houseboats, flocks of wildfowl and, of course, windmills!

We soon arrive in Arnhem, synonymous with the ill-fated 1944 aerial assault depicted in the film A Bridge Too Far. We visit the battle HQ of the British 1st Airborne Division at Oosterbeek, now an excellent museum, and the Commonwealth War Cemetery, the final resting place of so many.

Back on board, we continue our passage along the mighty River Rhine, one of Europe’s most important arterial waterways, before enjoying another sumptuous dinner on board, as distant lights glint on the waterfront as we silently slip by.

This morning there’s a chance to marvel at the Captain’s skill as he calmly navigates the busy River Scheldt and moors in Antwerp, birthplace of the Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens. This morning we enjoy a tour led by a local guide taking in its numerous highlights and lesser-known features.

Once part of the Spanish Empire, Antwerp grew wealthy during its 16th-century Golden Age, when it was Europe’s largest port north of the Alps, with profits invested in the city’s Flemish art and architectural heritage, and later it became the world’s diamond trading centre. At its heart is the captivating main square – the Grote Markt – dominated by ornately gabled guildhouses, the Renaissance town hall and opulent Brabo Fountain.

This afternoon is free to explore as you wish, perhaps visiting Rubens’ extravagant former home and studio, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts with over 7,000 paintings, including works by Rubens, Jordaens and Van Dyck, the magnificent Gothic cathedral or even the painstakingly restored train station, of such architectural splendour it is often called the ‘Railway Cathedral’.

After breakfast we drive to Bruges for a guided walking tour. The historic centre is made up of serene canals, narrow cobbled streets, romantic gabled houses and exquisite churches.

The main square is dominated by the soaring Belfry, whose 47 bells chime to create an idyllic atmosphere. After lunch at your leisure, the afternoon is free for you to explore. Tonight, the chef prepares superb dishes for you to enjoy at the Captain’s Dinner.

Today we awake in picturesque Ghent and we explore this medieval gem in the company of local guide. Highlights include the gorgeous waterfront and van Eyck brothers’ Adoration of the Mystic Lamb in Saint Bavo Cathedral.

After lunch you are free to spend your afternoon in Ghent. Alternatively, you can join our tour to Ypres, synonymous with the horrors of the Great War and now a place of reflection.

Early risers discover the ship making effortless progress along the delightful waterways and you experience the somewhat surreal effect of cruising above the surrounding reclaimed polders – it’s almost like flying! Today we visit Keukenhof, the heart of the glorious Dutch bulbfields.

On arrival, nothing prepares you for the dazzling spectrum of colours stretched out before you in the world’s largest flower garden, covering nearly 80 acres. The art of flower planting reaches breath-taking heights at Keukenhof, a gardener’s heaven created by more than seven million tulips, daffodils and other blooms set among a beautiful landscape of shimmering lakes, ancient trees, flowering shrubs and water gardens.

We re-join our ship in Amsterdam and after lunch you’re free to explore as you wish. Amsterdam is an art-lover’s dream. The Rijksmuseum is an architectural marvel itself, but it holds a magnificent collection of works by Dutch masters such as Rembrandt and Vermeer, while admirers of post-Impressionism might prefer the Van Gogh Museum, housing the world’s greatest collection of works by this genius of a man. Or relax in a pavement café, absorbing Amsterdam’s special atmosphere over a rich Dutch coffee, browse the many shops or perhaps just stay on board to catch up on some reading. After dinner tonight retire to the lounge to enjoy some well-known melodies during a guitar performance.

After breakfast, your friendly crew bid you farewell, then we transfer to the railway station or airport for our return journey.