10 Days in the Netherlands: Canals and Culture
The Netherlands
10 days / 9 nights
$3,110 /person
$3,110 /person
Your trip at a glance
Day Trip to Haarlem: A City of Painters
Overview
Now that you have a well-rounded depiction of Amsterdam, you’ll experience some of the city’s best surroundings by way of a day trip. After breakfast this morning, you’ll take a 15-minute train ride to the charming city of Haarlem, where you’ll have the day entirely free to explore. As for what makes this city so appealing? You can visit the Frans Hals Museum, which displays artworks from one of the greatest Dutch painters, known for genre scenes and portraits in his signature free brushstroke. You can alternatively or additionally explore the Netherlands’ oldest museum: the Teylers Museum, which dates back 1784. In addition to museums, Haarlem presents the perfect blank canvas for a walking tour, so while here, you can embark on a self-guided stroll through the city. The route will start you off in the main square and take you to the city’s most impressive monuments. Make sure to stop at a fresh market if your schedule aligns; these weekly outdoor markets bring an array of vendors and produce stalls, so you can pick up ripe fruit and vegetables, fresh fish, colorful flowers, and local cheeses. If you’re visiting in the spring, you can also partake in a colorful bike tour to Keukenhof, passing through the blooming tulip fields. When you're satisfied with the sites of Haarlem, you’ll take the train back to Amsterdam, with the night at leisure to enjoy your dinner, the city's canals, and the community's culture. (Breakfast)
Highlights
Haarlem Walking Tour
See the landmarks and legacies of Haarlem at your own pace during today’s self-guided walking tour. On this route of about an hour and a half, you’ll be your own expert guide, leading yourself to the City Hall, the waterside, the Teylers Museum, and the Dutch Bavo Church. In between these landmarks, you’ll enjoy charming streets bordered by historic houses that elucidate the history of Haarlem. The route will end back at the main square again, which has many options for a drink or a bite.
Frans Hals and Teylers Museums (optional)
Sample the culture of Haarlem with a duo of famous museums. The first option, the Frans Hals Museum, depicts the works of Francs Hals, who, together with Rembrandt and Vermeer, ranks among the greatest painters of the Dutch Golden Age. He worked in Haarlem from 1603 until his death in 1666. If you are interested in seeing even more art in Haarlem, the Teylers Museum displays a collection focused on science and art — most of which was originally part of a laboratory collection to encourage new discoveries. The building itself is also akin to a museum piece, magnificent in design and history.
Self-Guided Bike Ride to Keukenhof (optional, springtime)
During this springtime bike tour, you’ll cycle out of the city and into the countryside to visit the famous Keukenhof flower park. This greenspace boasts artfully landscaped flower plots that, come spring, display a glorious seven million flowers. Before you even reach the park, however, you’ll get your first taste of the colorful world of tulips as you cycle through the agricultural land.
Accommodations
Hotel des Arts (or similar)
History in the heart of Amsterdam! This 18th-century townhouse boasts 22 rooms, chock full of character and warmth. Hotel des Arts includes rooms large enough for a family of four or five, as well as romantic double suites with marvelous views of the Amstel River. Regardless of your suite type, you’ll spend the night in a beautifully decorated room in a central location; you’re staying close to the city’s main sights but in a quiet area, with the metro mere steps away.
Location:
Rokin 154-156, 1012 LE Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone:
+31206201558
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What's included
Included in the final price
- Roadbook with local tips and expert recommendations
- 24/7 on-the-ground support
- On-trip concierge service
- Personalized trip crafting
- COVID entry and exit information and assistance
- All experiences, activities, and tours mentioned in the itinerary
- Nine nights of accommodations, with daily breakfast included
- All meals mentioned as included in the itinerary
- All guides mentioned in the itinerary
Not included in the final price
- International arrival and departure flights
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Anything else not mentioned or listed as optional in the itinerary