Day 1: Depart North Wales and travel to York. Enjoy some time at leisure in this historic city before we continue to Hull for our overnight ferry crossing to Rotterdam. Tonight enjoy your 5 course evening meal followed by on-board entertainment.
Day 2: After breakfast and arrival in Rotterdam we disembark the ferry and travel to Keukenhof Gardens (admission included), where floral arrangements are found in a picture book setting of old trees and waterways. Since opening to the public in 1950 Keukenhof has developed into one of the world’s finest bulbfield and flower parks. Tulips proliferate but there are daffodils, hyacinths, narcissi and crocuses to admire as well. Marvel at the hundreds of thousands of flowers artistically displayed. Finally take a relaxing drive along the ‘Bulbfields Route’ between Oegstgeest and Noordwijk. Then continue to our hotel in Amersfoort.
Day 3: This morning travel to the town of Enkhuizen. From here, you can see the remarkable Houtribdijk, a 17- mile dyke and dam completed in 1975 as part of the Zuiderzee land reclamation project. In Enkhuizen, we board the museum ship ‘Friesland’ for a relaxing cruise on the IJsselmeer to Medemblik.
There’s free time for lunch before we climb aboard the ‘Museumstoomtram’, a charming, historic narrow gauge, steam-hauled train that travels for 20km through the bulbfields to Hoorn. The train stops at stations along the route, each a little museum in its own right, with views of windmills and the fields of tulips.
Day 4: Today we spend the morning in Zaanse Schans the ’Windmill Village’, a living and working community whose origins date back to the 18th Century. Watch traditional clog and cheese making and visit the historic windmills and buildings.
We continue to Amsterdam, where there will be free time to explore the many facets of this vibrant city. Museum fans are spoilt for choice with great exhibitions at Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank’s House. For a slightly unusual museum experience, head to the interactive Heineken experience to tour the original brewery and sip perfectly chilled beer. For the energetic, explore this unique city on foot with its famous tree-lined canals and preserved 17th Century gabled houses. View the city from its famed canals by taking an optional 1-hour cruise along its historic waterways.
After a fantastic day out, we make our way back to the Europort in Rotterdam for our overnight sailing to Hull. Enjoy another 5-course meal this evening.
Day 5: Enjoy a final breakfast before we disembark our ferry in Hull and make the return journey to North Wales, stopping en-route in Manchester.