The cities of the Low Countries are a delight to experience. Beginning in Brussels, your Rick Steves guide will take you on story-filled walks through the hearts of Brussels, Bruges, Delft and Amsterdam. You'll also visit medieval Ghent, a traditional Belgian brewery, historic Flanders Fields, a nostalgic Dutch open-air museum, a high-tech sea-barrier project, and the world's largest flower auction — ending in Amsterdam with the poignant Anne Frank House, Rijksmuseum, and the Van Gogh Museum. Join us for the Heart of Belgium & Holland in 11 Days!
You'll get all this!
- An extra-small group, limited to 20-24 people — less than half the size of most tour groups
- Full-time services of a professional Rick Steves guide and local experts who will make the fascinating history, art and culture of Belgium and Holland come alive for you
- All tours and admissions — at no extra cost — covering at least 20 group sightseeing events • Brussels walking tour • Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium tour • Belgian beer tasting • Ghent orientation tour • Ghent canal boat tour • Brewery tour • Bruges walking tour • Bruges Memling Museum tour • Chocolate shop visit & tasting • Tour of Flanders Fields WWI sites • Netherlands Museum Card, allowing free admission to museums throughout the country • Deltaworks and tour of Maeslant sea barrier • Delft walking tour • Delft New Church • Aalsmeer Flower Auction • Zuiderzee Open-Air Museum • Red Light District tour • Rijksmuseum tour • Historic Amsterdam walking tour • Anne Frank House...and more
- All group transportation from Brussels to Amsterdam
- 10 nights accommodations in memorable, centrally-located hotels
- All breakfasts and half your dinners
- All tips for guides and driver
- Free stuff including Rick Steves' Amsterdam, Bruges & Brussels guidebook, map, moneybelt and earplugs
- Guaranteed tour price, locked in the moment you make your deposit
- Optional single supplements — this tour has a limited number of private rooms for solo travelers for an additional fee
- Tour alum discount of $50 for each tour you've taken prior to 2013
- 50% discount on a consulting appointment with our in-house experts to assist with your pre- or post-tour travel plans
- Flexibility should you need to transfer, or cancel/interrupt your tour
- Fine print: You are responsible for the cost of your drinks and free-time sightseeing. See our Tour Conditions Agreement for important details regarding everything listed above
Daily itinerary
Walking Key
- Light = 2-4 miles of mostly level walking throughout the day.
- Moderate = 2-6 miles walking throughout the day with some hills and stairs.
- Strenuous = 2-8 miles walking throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs and uneven terrain.
Day 1: Welcome to Belgium
We'll gather at our hotel around 4 p.m. for a brief introduction meeting, followed by an evening stroll through our Brussels neighborhood and a traditional Belgian dinner together. Sleep in Brussels (2 nights). No bus. Walking: light.
Day 2: Historic Brussels
Today we'll learn about this happening city. With a local guide, we'll explore Brussels' Grand Place (considered the grandest square in Europe) with its splendid medieval guild halls, freshly-fragrant waffles and the quirky Mannekin Pis statue nearby. We'll complete our morning with a guided tour of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, home to dazzling Flemish and Belgian masterpieces, before setting you free for the afternoon. We'll regroup this evening for an informative tasting, learning from a local expert why Belgian beer is world renowned. No bus. Walking: strenuous.
Day 3: Medieval Ghent and Beautiful Bruges
This morning it's a short drive to Ghent. We'll get oriented with a stroll through the picturesque historic center and a fascinating cruise along Ghent's canals. Then you'll have free time to visit the city's design museum, the Gravensteen Castle, or ponder Van Eyck's Adoration of the Mystic Lamb — the spellbinding 24-panel altarpiece of St. Bavo's Cathedral. This afternoon we're off to the canal-laced and ivy-draped town of Bruges. We'll have an orientation walk of town followed by dinner together, and sleep in Bruges (3 nights). Bus: 2 hrs. Walking: moderate.
Day 4: Gothic Bruges
With a savvy local guide, we'll explore the pedestrian-friendly streets and alleyways of Gothic Bruges including a tour of the Memling Museum — showcasing several of Hans Memling's masterpieces all housed within one of Europe's oldest medieval hospitals. Our morning continues with a visit to one of Bruges' oldest chocolatiers, where we'll learn about the artistry and traditions of Belgium's most mouth-watering export. Then you'll be on your own for the afternoon and evening. Armed with your Bruges Museum Pass, you'll have free entry to any four museums — including the masterpiece packed Groeninge Museum. No bus. Walking: moderate.
Day 5: Flanders Fields
We'll board our bus this morning and drive to the WWI battlefields around Ypres. Half a million soldiers were killed here, making it one of the deadliest — and today the most hallowed — stretch of land along the Western Front. With the aid of a local expert, we'll tour the monuments, visit a thought-provoking museum, and see "the fields where poppies grow." After lunch together, we'll return to Bruges and take a tour of the Bruges Brewery to learn about what makes Belgian beer famous around the globe. Bus: 4 hrs. Walking: moderate.
Day 6: Challenging the Sea
Today we'll discover how a country stays dry when nearly half of its land is below sea level. Over centuries, the Dutch created an immense system of dams, barriers and dikes for protection from the North Sea — the Deltaworks. We'll explore these feats of modern engineering culminating with a tour of one of earth's largest moving structures — the Maeslant storm surge barrier — and gain a better appreciation of the fragility of the Low Countries. We'll continue on to the traditional Dutch town of Delft for an orientation walk and dinner together. Sleep in Delft (2 nights). Bus: 5 hrs. Walking: light.
Day 7: Delectable Delft
This morning an in-depth walking tour with a local guide will give us a personal introduction to Vermeer's hometown including the massive Gothic New Church, where generations of the ruling House of Orange are buried and revered. We'll also visit a workshop to discover the qualities that make Delftware so dear. The rest of your day is free to explore the many other charms of Delft or take a short tram ride to The Hague, where you can get up close and personal with paintings by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Gemeentemuseum, or travel back to an 1880 seaside at the Panorama Mesdag. No bus. Walking: light.
Day 8: Tulips, Countryside and Amsterdam's Red Lights
We'll begin our day in Europe's biggest building — filled with acres of flowers — learning about the worldwide distribution of beauty that begins each day at the Aalsmeer Flower Auction. Then we're off to the Zuiderzee open-air museum to see, feel, and smell what everyday life was like in 19th-century Holland. After lunch, we'll make our way to Amsterdam, where we'll take an orientation walk and enjoy a traditional Rijstafel dinner together. After dinner, we'll window-shop the Red Light District and learn about how the Netherlands regulates the world's oldest profession. Sleep in Amsterdam (3 nights). Bus: 3 hrs. Walking: strenuous.
Day 9: Vibrant and Historic Amsterdam
This morning get chummy with this great city's gabled houses, bridges and canals learning why the Golden Age glimmered so brightly here. We'll take an historic walk through the heart of the city stopping to visit the Anne Frank House for a thought-provoking look at the hideaway of Anne and her family during the Nazi Occupation of the Netherlands. We'll continue our lessons on Dutch tolerance stopping at a local "coffee shop" to learn about this nation's creative, pragmatic approach to drug policy. This afternoon, armed with your Netherlands Museum Card, you'll have the rest of the day free to tackle any number of Amsterdam's wonderful museums. No bus. Walking: moderate.
Day 10: Amsterdam's Art
We'll start the day with a thrill: getting up-close and personal with Rembrandt and Vermeer on our tour of Amsterdam's remarkable Rijksmuseum. You can continue your encounter with artistic genius at the nearby Van Gogh Museum, home to 200 of Vincent's works, with your included museum pass. This evening we'll enjoy our farewell dinner, where we'll share memories and toast new friends. Proost! No bus. Walking: moderate.
Day 11: Tour Over After Breakfast
Amsterdam's Schipol Airport is an easy train ride away. Your guide will help you with any post-tour planning, leaving you well prepared for the road ahead. Tot ziens!
Itinerary specifics subject to change.
Rick Steves tours are physically active!
This is an integral, essential part of the Rick Steves tour experience. On our Heart of Belgium & Holland in 11 Days tour — among other things — you'll need to happily...
- Carry/roll your luggage over uneven pavement (several blocks possible) and up stairways to reach your hotel; then up several flights of stairs to reach your room.
- Be on your feet, walking and standing for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions.
- Sleep with street noise and no (or weak) air conditioning.
- After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own.
Pre Tour
We've put together some specific information on what you should know about this tour before you go. You'll also find more general information about "Getting Ready for Your Tour" on our
Tour FAQ.
Sightseeing On Your Own
If you arrive in Brussels before your tour begins, use Rick Steves' Amsterdam, Bruges & Brussels guidebook to get oriented. Ride the public transportation, try out a few words of French (although many locals speak English well), and get over your jet lag with fresh air and exercise.
Here are suggestions for sightseeing in Brussels that we will not be doing as a group (see your guidebook for details): BELvue Museum; St. Michael's Cathedral; Magritte Museum at Royal Museums of Fine Arts; Musical Instruments Museum; EU District and European Parliament.
Staying on after the tour ends? Amsterdam is a city of museums and you can find one to suit every taste. We'll see the biggies together, but you may also want to check out the Amsterdam History Museum or Dutch Resistance Museum. Consider touring an elegant 17th-century canal house or see what it would be like to live in one of the many canal boats. You may wish to take a short day trip to explore more of the Netherlands. Renting a bike is easy and the countryside is not far away. Haarlem is a charming town to visit....a pleasant half-day trip by bike or an easy 30-minute train ride away.
Transportation
Most tour members arrive a day or two before the tour begins — and those who don't, wish they had. This allows you ample time to get over jet lag and make the most of the first few days of the tour.
There is more than one way to get to and from your tour. We recommend talking to your travel agent about "open jaw" airline tickets (flying into and out of different cities). It's easiest to fly into Brussels and home from Amsterdam. You may also want to look into roundtrip flights in and out of Brussels or Amsterdam and then taking the train to or from the tour. However, these options may require an additional overnight stay.
Flying within Europe can be reasonable. Ask your travel agent or check Rick's list of European budget airlines. For links to helpful rail and air websites, go to www.ricksteves.com/plan/links and look under "Transportation."
Read Rick's Guide to Eurail Passes and decide if your travel plans merit a railpass (or contact our Rail Department for advice at rail@ricksteves.com or 425-771-8303 ext. 214).
Prior to your tour departure, you will receive detailed directions on how to get from the airport to your first tour hotel, as well as contact information for your first and last hotels in case you wish to book pre- or post-tour hotel accommodations.
If you need more information about additional European travel or for specific questions about your tour, contact the Tour Department at 425/608-4217 or email tour@ricksteves.com.
Weather
See a chart with monthly rain and temperature information for this tour.
Packing
The Low Countries are aptly named and the lack of elevation means that wind often blows off of the North Sea. It is a good idea to bring a waterproof wind breaker and lightweight clothes for layering.
For ideas on what to pack, check Rick's Packing List and our Women's Packing List.
Tour Guide Raves
Rolinka Bloeming
"Rolinka was absolutely fabulous and helped to make our trip a wonderful experience. She was friendly, sensitive to others, attentive to everyone's needs, fair, enthusiastic and a wonderful resource and guide to the region. She did a great job as a city guide through each of the cities we visited as well as the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. She gets five stars from my standpoint! What a great person; we were lucky to have her as our guide."
— Marilyn in Highland, CA
"Hilbren was just simply the best. He was so smart and knowledgeable. Beyond that, he was the classiest, most approachable person imaginable. We wanted to bring him back to America."
— Robert in Dudley, MA
Favorite tour memories from recent alums:
"I especially enjoyed a free afternoon that my husband and I used to take a pleasant bike ride (on free bicycles provided by the hotel) along the canal between Bruges and Damme. We rode past a windmill, farm fields, ducks and storks, and stopped halfway through for a relaxing drink at a sidewalk cafe."
— Jennifer in Deerfield, IL
"The Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam was my 'WOW.' This is a must for Van Gogh (and Impressionist) fans. I especially enjoyed the handwritten letters from Vincent to Theo with his sketches of his current paintings. Walking the streets at night in Bruges and Delft was an experience in itself."
— Geoffrey in Kalamazoo, MI
"I really enjoyed the day we spent visiting the WWI sites and hearing the stories."
— Rose in Indianapolis, IN
To see more comments on Rick Steves' tours, read through our tour member reviews.
Videos & More
This region is rich in history, art and culture. To help you get the most from your trip, we've put together this collection of travel resources from Rick's TV shows, radio interviews and articles, as well as recommended books, films and music.
Watch
Rick Steves' TV Clips & Shows
(For more Rick Steves' TV clips on this region, visit Rick on YouTube.)
Films
- Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
- Guns of August (1965)
- A Bridge Too Far (1977)
- Vincent and Theo (1990)
- The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)
Listen
Rick Steves' Radio Interviews
(For more radio interviews on this region, see Rick's Audio Europe™ files for iPod, PC & MP3.)
Rick Steves Audio Europe™
Music
- Classical: Guillaume Dufay; Willem Pijper
- Jazz: Django Reinhardt; Toots Thielemans; Han Bennink; Elmore D
- Pop/Rock: Bobbejaan Schoepen; Rocco Granata; Boudewijn de Groot; Shocking Blue; George Baker Selection; Golden Earring
Read
Rick Steves' Articles
(For more articles on this region, see Rick's Best Destinations)
Books
- Rick Steves' Amsterdam, Bruges & Brussels
- A Tall Man in a Low Land: Some Time Among the Belgians — Harry Pearson
- The Undutchables: An Observation of the Netherlands, Its Culture and Its Inhabitants — Colin White & Laurie Boucke
- The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age — Simon Schama
- Amsterdam: A Brief Life of the City — Geert Mak
Tour Reviews
Tour Weather
Five Ways to Save
Free Tour DVD & Catalog