Hidden Waterways of Flanders & Holland

Begin your journey today by flying or boarding the Eurostar from London to Amsterdam. On arrival, you will be privately transferred to your Tauck river cruise ship for check-in in the late afternoon. The first of your included dinners is served onboard this evening.

Stay: Tauck River Cruise ship

Holland’s capital is known for its network of canals framed by pretty houses as well as important historical sites such as the Anne Frank House, and its rich artistic heritage. The city’s acclaimed museums include the Van Gogh Museum, chock-full of this iconic painter’s finest works, and the Rijksmuseum, where you can view masterpieces such as The Milkmaid by Vermeer, Self-Portrait by Van Gogh, The Merry Family by Jan Steen, and Night Watch by Rembrandt. Bicycles and canal boats are key to the city’s character, and colourful gardens bloom to bursting with Dutch bulbs.

After a tour, enjoy time to explore on your own. This evening, return to your riverboat for a musical performance and dinner.

Stay: Tauck River Cruise ship

Choose from shore excursions as you dock in Rotterdam. Stay in town to explore with a local guide, including time at leisure. Rotterdam was founded in the 13th century and was a living monument to Holland’s Golden Age until it was razed during World War II. Today, the city features world-class urban architecture, though traces of Old Rotterdam still exist in Delfshaven (Delft Harbour) and Oude Haven (Old Harbour).

Alternatively, visit Leiden, a haven of charming architecture and canals famous for being Rembrandt’s birthplace and home to the country’s oldest university. Enjoy a fabulous Tauck exclusive – a dinner at Slot Loevestein. This 14th-century castle is set in a nature reserve on a private island. Tonight, its doors open for Tauck guests only.

Stay: Tauck River Cruise ship

Join your local guide for a walking tour of Gorinchem, voted ‘the most beautiful fortified town in the Netherlands.’ It dates to 1,000 AD and was fortified in the 13th and 14th centuries. It was originally part of the Dutch Waterline of defence, and the city centre is still a well-preserved walled fortress, featuring the largest fully intact fort in the Netherlands. During your tour, take in the history along with the quintessential Dutch feel, flowers and windmills dotting the green landscape where cows graze. You’re sure to be charmed by its historic heart, charming canals, medieval architecture, and lovely green spaces.

Stay: Tauck River Cruise ship

Dock in Ghent, Belgium, this morning and ride a luxury coach to Bruges. Your local guide takes you on a walking tour of this storybook town, known as one of Europe’s best-preserved cities. You’ll learn of Bruges’s storied past as you stroll cobblestone lanes and market squares, spotting medieval towers, churches, and whitewashed almshouses as you go. The Old Market Square in the centre of town is particularly enchanting, its 13th-century belfry soaring over the rooftops.

Enjoy lunch wherever tickles your fancy and explore Bruges further on your own this afternoon. For something active, join your local guide for a bicycle ride into the Belgian countryside. Back onboard, enjoy cocktails and dinner as your riverboat glides toward Antwerp.

Stay: Tauck River Cruise ship

Antwerp was once one of Europe’s most important cities when merchants traded sugar and diamonds here. Home to famous Golden Age artists such as Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony Van Dyck, and Frans Snyders, its architecture is just as impressive, with Renaissance monuments and a still-unfinished 13th-century cathedral on display.

Today, choose a shore excursion to fit your interests. Join a local guide on a sightseeing tour to explore Antwerp’s historic gems, from Grote Market to medieval guild houses, Baroque churches, lively squares, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Alternatively, visit the recently re-opened and renovated Royal Museum of Fine Arts to view its impressive collection, spanning from the 14th to the 20th century. Or, visit a brewery for a tour and tasting of those famous Belgian beers. 

Stay: Tauck River Cruise ship

Your local guide welcomes you to Brussels with anecdotes of life here, past and present, and a choice of shore excursions. An overview tour takes you to landmark sites that speak volumes of Brussels’ history and its blend of Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture, along with the Guild Houses lining Grand-Place, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Alternatively, engage your inner foodie with a culinary tour including tempting tastes of chocolate, waffles, and beer, perfected in Brussels throughout the ages. You’ll have free time to explore on your own after either excursion. For your final night onboard, enjoy a farewell reception and dinner.

Stay: Tauck River Cruise ship

Enjoy breakfast onboard this morning before disembarking your riverboat. Afterwards, you will be privately transferred to the airport or train station for your onward travel arrangements back home to the UK.