Brillant and opulent fun colours are everywhere. From the tulip gardens, the decorated bicycle stands to the picturesque historical buildings, canals and bridges, Amsterdam and Belgium are oozing with inspiration. Join us as we tour these two fairytale countries, visiting windmills, museums, and many Patchwork Quilt shops. Enjoy an entire day at the Netherlands largest quilt show and try your hand at a Belgium Chocolate Making workshop.
$ 4495 CDN / $3425 US per person double occupancy (includes all taxes)
$ 1250 CDN / $975 US per person single supplement occupancy (includes all taxes)
Tour starts & ends in Amsterdam, Netherlands
*Land Package Tour Includes:
• 10 days 9 nights deluxe hotel accommodation double occupancy
• Spend a full day at the Patchwork & Quiltdagen, largest quilt show in the Netherlands
• Visits to fabulous “Patchwork” quilt shops
• Includes 13 meals – 9 Breakfast & 4 dinners
• Tour of Amsterdam through the canals in a glass-top boat
• Visit the well-preserved windmill village of Zaanse Schans
• Explore Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum – museum of the great Dutch Masters
• A must see, the House of Anne Frank
• Visit and explore the biggest & oldest fabric & textile market in the Netherlands
• Enjoy a guided walking tour of the old city of Bruges
• Try your hand at a chocolate making workshop in Bruges.
• Demonstration of Lace making at the Kantcentrum (The Lace Museum) Bruges
• Visit the Royal Delft Pottery Factory
• Tour the world’s largest flower park, Keukenhof Tulip Gardens
• Admission to all venues
• ALL excursions as listed on the final itinerary
• Luxury coach transportation to all excursions
• Services of a Professional Dutch Tour Manager who will remain with the group for your entire tour
*Your Land Package Tour does not include:
- • Airfare (We can book the flight for you)
• Gratuities for the guides and bus driver.
• Lunches and some dinners (unless indicated)
• Insurance coverage, Medical and/or cancellation
• Telephone calls, souvenirs, additional snacks or drinks
• Excess baggage costs (overweight and over-sized luggage may have additional costs levied by the airline)
Itinerary*
Day 0 – Time to Fly
(Tues April 2nd) – Today board your overnight flight to Europe. Meals served on the plane
Day 1 – Tour of Amsterdam, Netherlands
(Wed April 3rd) – Meet your tour leader at the airport and pick up any early arrivals from their hotel. Your trip to Amsterdam would not be complete without a ride in a glass-top boat with spectacular views of the city of Amsterdam. Amsterdam is well known for its many canals and bicycles. Beware of the ringing bells on the bicycles, a main mode of transportation. After our relaxing boat ride, we will head to our hotel to check in where you can relax before our Welcome Dinner with the group.
Stay overnight in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Meal(s) – D
Day 2 – Zaanse Schans & Rijksmuseum
(Thurs. April 4th) – Following breakfast, we will head to the Zaanse Schans. Zaanse Schans is a working community where you will see and learn about the history of windmills in Holland and Dutch culture. This well-preserved village is a great place to experience many Dutch customs and traditions, like clog making and cheese making. After lunch on your own, we will head back to the city to explore Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. The museum of the Netherland, 800 years of Dutch history, with the great Dutch masters as Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh. In the late afternoon, you will have some free time in Amsterdam. You might want to visit the shop A. Boeken, the Bloemenmarkt (floating flower market) or the Albert Cuypmarket (street market.) Dinner this evening is on your own. So, lots of time to explore.
Stay overnight in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Meal(s) – B
Day 3 – Our first Dutch Quilt Shop & the House of Anne Frank
(Fri April 5th) – After breakfast, a visit to the House of Anne Frank is a must. Take a look around and explore the Secret Annex where Anne Frank was in hiding for more than two years during World War II, and where she wrote her diary. Let your imagination take you back to Anne Frank’s time and the silence. Feel Anne’s presence and experience what her family had to endure.
As we walk around Amsterdam, you can stop for lunch in any of the many shops or restaurants. After lunch, we will continue our walk to visit the Den Haan & Wagenmakers quilt shop. Known in English as Dutch Quilts, this company stocks an amazing range of Dutch reproduction fabrics. Next to Den Haan & Wagenmakers you will find Petra Prins shop, a quilt shop combining traditional fabric with fresh funny fabrics.
Stay overnight in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Meal(s) – B
Day 4 – Fabric, More Fabric and More Fabric!
(Sat April 6th) – After breakfast we will depart early to Utrecht. Here you will visit the biggest fabric and textile market in the Netherlands, it is also the oldest: the first linen market was organized there in 1597. Now, some 400 years later, the Lapjesmarkt has grown to a weekly market with dozens of stalls showcasing countless fabrics, ribbons, zippers, buttons, and anything else you can think of. After having lunch on your own in Utrecht, we will board the bus and continue our journey to the Unesco World Heritage Site of Bruges, Belgium where we will have a group dinner and stay overnight for the next 3 nights.
Stay overnight in Bruges, Belgium
Meal(s) – B, D
Day 5 – Yum! Bruges and Chocolate. What a great combination!
(Sun April 7th) This morning, we will meet a local guide for a walking tour through the old city centre of Bruges. Enjoying everything Bruges has to offer, stone bridges over canals, chocolate shops, lace shops and cafes. It is reminiscent of a fairy tale. After lunch we will explore the world of how delicious Belgium Chocolates are made. You will attend a workshop and learn the basics of Belgian Chocolate making and will head home with a nice box filled with the chocolates you have crafted yourself. After choosing a local restaurant for your dinner tonight on your own, you may want to take a walk around the square to explore.
Meal(s) – B
Day 6 – All things Lace
(Mon April 8th) – Today we will visit the lace museum called Kantcentrum. This museum shows a number of unique pieces of lace from Bruges collections. Displays include the basic techniques and movements, types of lace and their geographical origins, the lace industry then and now and lace teaching in Bruges. After our time at the lace museum, you will have a free afternoon in Bruges to visit some shops on your own like Veritas (Fashion Store), Gobelin Creatief, (Quilt Shop) or the Lace Jewel to name a few before heading back to our hotel. Lots of time to purchase special gifts for those at home.
Stay overnight in Bruges, Belgium
Meal(s) – B
Day 7 – Quilt Shops and Famous Delft Pottery
(Tues April 9th) – After breakfast, we will say goodbye to Bruges, check-out and continue our travels to the Hague/Delft area. This morning we will make stops at three different quilt shops; Quiltstoffen in Rijen and QuiltShop Etten-Leur and the quilt store Moni Quilt in a small place called Kethel. Along the way we make a stop for a lunch. In the afternoon we will visit the famous Royal Delft factory. The craftsmen have been creating this iconic distinctive blue and white earthenware pottery, Delft Blue, for almost 400 years. Royal Delft was established in 1653 and is the last remaining original Delftware factory that still produces hand painted Delft Blue according to centuries-old tradition. As well as a visit to the factory we will also visit the museum filled with collections of historic and modern pieces. This evening when we arrive at our new hotel, we will have a group dinner to discuss our adventures of the day. We will be staying in Delft, considered to be one of the prettiest towns in all of Amsterdam.
Stay overnight in The Hague, Netherlands
Meal(s) – B, D
Day 8 – Beautiful Tulips Everywhere!
(Wed April 10) – Enjoy a morning visit to the world’s largest flower park, Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, also known as the Garden of Europe. It is one of the world’s largest flower gardens with 7 million flower bulbs planted every year. After an early lunch on your own at the Keukenhof, we will visit some more shops, Elly Prins Quilting & Van Domburg Textile in Den Haag. The evening is yours to enjoy and relax after a busy day.
Stay overnight in The Hague, Netherlands
Meal(s) – B
Day 9 – Patchwork & Quiltdagen Show
(Thurs April 11) – After breakfast, you will attend and spend a whole day at the Patchwork & Quiltdagen. At the Patchwork & Quiltdagen beautiful quilts are exhibited, made in different styles and techniques. The show is entitled to call itself the Largest and Unique patchwork and quilt exhibition in the Netherlands. Be sure to shop in the marketplace for any last-minute items you might love to take home. We will spend our last night together at our farewell dinner.
Stay overnight in The Hague, Netherlands
Meal(s) – B, D
Day 10 – Tot Ziens & Tot Ziens
Goodbye and farewell as we check out of our hotel and head to the airport for our flights back home. Leaving this magical place with many new memories, many new friends, and many new projects to do and share with our quilt friends back home.
Meal(s) – B
- *Subject To Change