BELGIUM & HOLLAND IN SPRING
On day five you’ll have a choice of visiting either Bruges or Ghent, two of Belgium’s most beautiful cities; Bruges is pictured above.
1. ARRIVE AMSTERDAM Tour begins: 4:00 PM, Antwerp. A transfer is included from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport or Centraal Train Station to your riverboat in Antwerp, the second largest port in Europe, where embarkation begins at 4:00 PM. Settle in aboard ship and then meet your fellow river cruisers this evening at a fun welcome cocktail reception followed by dinner. Meals D
2. EXPLORING THE AGE OF EXPLORATION This morning begin exploring Antwerp, Belgium’s second largest city, the capital of the province of Flanders, also known as the Low Countries, where Dutch is the official language. Go on an orientation tour of the city and take a guided walk through the historic center. As you stroll along the cobbled streets, hearing stories and insights from your local guide, discover Grote Markt, the old market square... the lavishly decorated Flemish Renaissance City Hall... the Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady, a confection of lace stonework that dominates the skyline and houses works by native son Peter Paul Rubens, the Flemish Baroque painter... and numerous restored merchants’ houses, harkening back to the days of the 16th-century Age of Exploration when Antwerp – at the time a powerful center of international commerce – was the richest city in Europe. You’ll also visit the Red Star Line Museum; the interactive exhibits in the former warehouses of the Red Star Line shipping company tell the story of the more than two million immigrants from all over Europe whose long journey to a new life in North America
Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825
began here at the Red Star Line headquarters in Antwerp. Return to your riverboat for lunch or stay in town and have lunch wherever takes your fancy. If you like, enjoy some free time in the city center investigating at your own pace. Your Tauck Directors will have suggestions for places to see. Meals BLD
3. DISCOVER ANTWERP’S SPECIALTIES If diamonds are your best friend, you’ll be interested to learn that most of the world’s diamonds pass through the hands of the diamond merchants of Antwerp, still a center of commerce in Europe to this day. You’ll have time to explore such treasures today, if you like... and to discover some everyday Flemish pleasures with your Tauck Directors. Antwerp is known for its flourishing beer culture, the diversity of which stems from the city’s location near France, Germany, and the Netherlands – all three countries have had an influence. A visit to a local brewery may reveal some of the secrets of making local beer; wet your whistle with a tasting and savor some local delicacies. Later this afternoon, your riverboat charts a course for the Netherlands and you’ll arrive in Maastricht tomorrow morning. Meals BLD
4. MAASTRICHT & LUNCH AT A CHÂTEAU One of the Netherlands’ oldest cities, Maastricht is said to contain more than 1,400 historic buildings and monuments dating back to the 13th century. An Old Town walking tour with your local guide this morning takes you to the remains of the city’s medieval fortifications and Helpoort, a steep-roofed
tauck.com/river-cruises 97
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134