Essence of Holland & Belgium

Day 1

London – Calais – Brussels – Holland (Distance: 550 Kms)

Today morning join up with your coach and depart towards Dover for your crossing to Calais or Dunkerque; you will require your passports at hand as we will cross the UK and French immigration, as well as security. The crossing on the ferry will last approx. 90 Minutes; 40 minutes if the crossing is from the Euro Tunnel train. Once we are in mainland Europe, we make our way towards Belgium.

On arrival in Brussels, we depart the coach and make our way on foot through the charming cobbled streets of Brussels to the Old Town. Here marvel at the “The Grand Place” or Grote Markt, which is the central square of Brussels. The Square provides wonderful opportunities to photograph the opulent guildhalls and the two larger and imposing edifices of the city’s Town Hall, and the King’s House or Breadhouse building containing the Museum of the City of Brussels. You can then continue down the adjacent street to see the Manneken Pis, an iconic 17th-century bronze fountain, depicting a naked little boy urinating into a fountain’s basin. The Manneken Pis can often be found dressed in costume during festivals. Before departing Brussels, we board the coach and do a photo stop at a giant stainless steel atom, known as the “Atomium”; originally constructed for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair.

We then proceed towards our hotel and restaurant in the Netherlands. Depending on the hotel location we either go to the restaurant for our Indian dinner, or we head towards the hotel, where dinner will be served in one of the conference rooms by our very own caterers.

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Day 2

Keukenhof Tulip Gardens or Madurodam – Amsterdam (Distance: 190 Kms)

Today morning after breakfast, we visit the world renowned Keukenhof Tulip Gardens; famed for its breathtaking displays of flowers, Keukenhof has over 7 million bulbs that form a sea of flowers, between March and May, it is spread amongst 32 Hectares and is one of the world’s largest flower gardens, situated in Lisse, South Holland. (After 12h May departures Keukenhof will be closed for the season, and instead will be replaced by Madurodam model village – Madurodam is a miniature park and tourist attraction. It is home to a range of 1:25 scale model replicas of famous Dutch landmarks, historical cities and large developments).

In the early afternoon we make our way North of Amsterdam heading towards the Cheese and Clog farm. At the Cheese and Clog farm enjoy a briefing on the cheese making process and the uses of clogs in Dutch history and modern times from a local.

Later afternoon we head towards Amsterdam, the capital of Netherlands. Famous for its artistic heritage, and elaborate canal system and narrow houses with gabled facades. Enjoy this magnificent city from the Canal as the cruise that will take you through the intricate canal networks of Amsterdam.

We will then proceed in the evening to enjoy our Indian meal before we settle down for the final night in Holland, as the following day we check out.

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Day 3

Holland – Madurodam or Bruges – Calais – London (Distance: 530 Kms)

Today morning after breakfast, we check out of the hotel and depart towards Calais/Dunkerque for our channel crossing back to Dover.

Depending on the time of year you are travelling the day’s itinerary will be different. If you are travelling within the Keukenhof season then today you will head towards Madurodam model village, which is a miniature park and tourist attraction. It is home to a range of 1:25 scale model replicas of famous Dutch landmarks, historical cities and large developments. It is located in Scheveningen district of The Hague in the Netherlands.

If you are travelling after the closure of Keukenhof in mid-May, then we will proceed towards Bruges. Once we reach Bruges, we will be meeting up with our local guide at the Bargeplein. The tour will commence on foot as Bruges is a UNESCO heritage site that is not accessible by commercial vehicles. The guide will immerse you in the rich history of Bruges and explain the key sights of what is regarded as the “Venice of the North”. You will see the “Markt” of Bruges, which is a bustling plaza in the heart of the city, featuring historic buildings & the Belfry of Bruges. Admire, the capital of West Flanders, distinguished by its numerous canals, cobbled streets and medieval buildings.

Later enjoy a short stop at P&J Chocolates where you can purchase Belgian chocolates.The lunch services throughout this tour will only sell continental food, and there will be no fast food restaurants located within the services so make sure you are prepared.

To summarise during Keukenhof season today will be Madurodam, followed by Keukenhof on day two. During the non-operation of Keukenhof, today will be Bruges and Madurodam will be done on day two.

We will then proceed in the afternoon to Calais. Once we reach Calais, we cross over back into Dover. We continue our journey towards Wembley and dropping passengers off at their respective drop-offs.

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Important Note

On occasions, due to large events, traffic, logistics and availability of reservations, it may be necessary to change the above itinerary. However, all aspects of the itinerary will be covered. Please note on occasions during peak season maximum occupancy per room will be 2 persons, in which case an alternative room configuration will be provided.