Description

Tulips & Windmills – River Cruise Europe

10 days from Amsterdam to Antwerp

Tulips & Windmills – River Cruise Europe. From the canals of Amsterdam to the belfry of Bruges, you’ll discover the best of the Netherlands and Belgium. Stroll through colorful acres of tulips at Keukenhof Gardens to get a sense of the Netherlands’ extraordinary connection to these blooms.

Then visit the 19 UNESCO-designated windmills of Kinderdijk to better understand how these mighty structures have been used to protect the Low Country from ever-rising water levels for hundreds of years. Wander through the picture-perfect villages of Veere, Hoorn and Enkhuizen, and the enchanting outdoor Zuiderzee Museum. Uncover the rich treasures at Amsterdam’s world-class museums, including the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum.

Take in the dazzling skyline of Rotterdam as you cruise through the bustling harbor and drift along the canals of Bruges. All along the way, you’ll savor Dutch delights and Belgian treats as you sail the aquatic highways and byways of two amazing countries shaped by water.

Who will enjoy this cruise?

When you wish back in time may visit historic villages, medieval city centers and 20th-century battlefields. Art lovers will enjoy museum, while garden lovers will can be see the host of springtime blossoms.

Antwerp (Embark)

Arrive at Brussels International Airport. If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship.

It may be the diamond capital of the world, but she is also known for a number of other sought-after cultural gems. Including Golden Age art and Belgian beer, waffles and fries.

Belgium’s largest port, the city is home to trendsetting fashion designers and a mecca for chocolate lovers, Antwerp is lively and historic, lovely and legend-filled.

Visit Antwerp’s striking Cathedral of Our Lady, with its UNESCO-designated belfry and its historic surroundings, or, if you’re feeling adventurous, hop on the metro and experience the city like a local.

A special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.

Ghent (Bruges or Ghent)

Your next day in Belgium offers you the chance to visit a national gem: beautiful Bruges, the capital of West Flanders and one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe. Bruges is a place, where boats and swans float down canals and under stone bridges that gave the city its name.

Veere

Remember the tale of the Dutch boy who saved a town by plugging a dike with his finger? The life in this country is complicat, as you’ll learn today during your visit to the Delta Works.

Rotterdam, Kinderdijk

Windmills are such an iconic symbol of Holland. It’s easy to overlook their marvelous engineering and their role in changing the course of Dutch history. You may never look at a windmill in quite the same way after today’s outing to historic Kinderdijk. 

The second-largest city in the Netherlands and the largest port in Europe.

As your ship cruises through the port, you’ll soon understand, why it’s sometimes called “Manhattan on the Meuse”: The Maas Tower, the Montevideo, the Millennium Tower and the spectacular Erasmus Bridge make for a dazzling skyline.

You’ll have some free time to explore this exciting modern city on your own.

Take a look at the amazing cube houses and stop by Groos for unique pieces by Rotterdam designers.

Check out the new market hall or visit one of Rotterdam’s many museums

Nijmegen

Visit the Kröller-Müller Museum, which is home to 97 works by native son Vincent Van Gogh and other artists and sculptors.
Enjoy a bike ride in the Hoge Veluwe National Park.

Hoorn, Enkhuizen

Today offers you a chance to discover the Netherlands’ maritime history, and to learn a little about the daily lives of the seafaring Dutch in the 19th century.

The tip of South America—Cape Horn—is actually a misspelling of “Hoorn,” which tells you a lot about the town of Hoorn and its seafaring past.

The swash-buckling derring-do of Dutch explorers comes to life today on a guided walking tour of this historic locale.

Haarlem

Keukenhof is the world’s largest and most famous flower garden. Spend all day amongst millions of brilliantly colored flowers, or mix it up a bit with a shorter garden visit plus a stroll through Haarlem.

Amsterdam

The laid-back, forward-thinking Dutch capital is as celebrated for its artistic masterpieces as it is for its canals, narrow houses, bicycles and vibrant nightlife.

Discover the “Venice of the North” in two iconic ways today—a private visit to the Amsterdam Hermitage, plus a canal cruise or walking tour with a native of the city.

The Netherlands’ largest city, Amsterdam has been an international port and financial center for 400 years, endowing it with a lively cosmopolitan feeling to match its historic architecture.

Here, even the simplest shop has a distinctive charm, and every street has a story to tell. Your day begins with a morning tour of a rare collection of art—an extra special perk reserved solely for Uniworld guests.

Amsterdam (Disembark)

Disembark the ship.

You can transferred from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to your flight home. This is possible, when your cruise package includes a group departure transfer or a private departure transfer.