Historic windmills and flower gardens, world-famous art museums, inside looks at medieval architecture, and an exclusive dinner with live music and a tour of Dutch Golden Age art at the Mauritshuis in The Hague highlight this memorable springtime river cruise aboard.

In the Netherlands, flowers are a way of life... You'll see flower boxes abloom with tulips and an array of colorful potted plants in villages and towns all over Holland. Gardens grace the landscapes everywhere you look, paying homage to an economy which is largely horticultural based... Everywhere you look, a kaleidoscope of colorful images... on walking tours and bicycle rides... in the seasonal pageantry of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths abloom in Keukenhof Gardens... in Kinderdijk windmills and coastal villages steeped in cultural treasures... at a Tauck Exclusive dinner in a palace museum rich with Old Dutch art masterpieces... in gabled houses dressed in maritime lore along Amsterdam's tree-lined canals... on walking tours of cobblestoned Ghent and the fairy tale streets of Bruges... during discoveries about immigrant voyages and sculpted monuments and chocolate in Belgium...

In the Netherlands, flowers are a way of life... You'll see flower boxes abloom with tulips and an array of colorful potted plants in villages and towns all over Holland. Gardens grace the landscapes everywhere you look, paying homage to an economy which is largely horticultural based... Everywhere you look, a kaleidoscope of colorful images... on walking tours and bicycle rides... in the seasonal pageantry of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths abloom in Keukenhof Gardens... in Kinderdijk windmills and coastal villages steeped in cultural treasures... at a Tauck Exclusive dinner in a palace museum rich with Old Dutch art masterpieces... in gabled houses dressed in maritime lore along Amsterdam's tree-lined canals... on walking tours of cobblestoned Ghent and the fairy tale streets of Bruges... during discoveries about immigrant voyages and sculpted monuments and chocolate in Belgium...

Traveling Well Includes:

TAUCK EXCLUSIVE - Private gala dinner and tour at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague

All gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director

All private Tauck shore excursions - $2,028 Value!

Visits to Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse

A scenic cruise along the beautiful 17th-century canals of Amsterdam and a visit to the Rijksmuseum or a full day visit to the Dutch countryside

Day 1 - Arrive Amsterdam

Tour begins: 4:00 PM, Amsterdam. Upon arrival, a transfer is included from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport or Centraal Train Station directly to your Tauck riverboat. After settling into your cabin, attend a discovery briefing, then enjoy a welcome reception followed by dinner this evening aboard the riverboat.

Lodging: ms Esprit

Meals: D

Day 2 - Explore Amsterdam

Explore Amsterdam today, blending past with present, from its medieval core to the bustling shops, cafes and rich cosmopolitan life of a 21st-century European metropolis. Disembark for a guided canal boat cruise under the curved bridges and past merchants' homes along the 17th-century grachten (canals) of the city. The three main canals, dug during the Dutch Golden Age, form concentric belts around the city, and are resplendent with 1,550 monumental buildings. Your cruise ends with a guided tour of the Rijksmuseum to see works by the Old Dutch Masters, including Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh. Alternatively, enjoy a full day excursion to the Dutch countryside, complete with a guided tour of a tulip and vegetable nursery. Enjoy free time in Amsterdam to explore the sights as you wish. A shanty choir performance welcomes you back to your riverboat.

Lodging: ms Esprit

Meals: B, L, D

Day 3 - Magical Keukenhof Gardens & the Hague

Disembark the riverboat for an excursion to Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse, the home of famous show gardens and millions of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, in various stages of bloom and particularly beautiful at this time of the year. A rolling carpet of color, Keukenhof is one of Europe's most iconic - and fragrant - places to witness springtime in all its glory. Your visit here offers you a choice; One option has you explore the illustrious gardens on foot; the other takes you on a bike ride around the gardens (Note: this bike ride does not take place in the gardens) finishing with a bit of time to walk the gardens. After lunch ashore, return to the riverboat for an afternoon of cruising. This evening, travel to The Hague (the royal city of Den Haag to the Dutch), for a sparkling Tauck Exclusive evening featuring dinner, live music and a tour showcasing Dutch Golden Age paintings at the Mauritshuis, a renowned art museum housed in a historic 17th-century building.

Lodging: ms Esprit

Meals: B, L, D

Day 4 - Kinderdijk's Windmills & Dordrecht

Arrive this morning in the Dutch village of Kinderdijk, where 19 original 18th-century windmills - preserved today as a UNESCO World Heritage Site - create an iconic polderscape that's better than any picture-postcard, which you'll enjoy on a boat cruise. There's no other place in the world besides Kinderdijk where can you see so many historic windmills together in an authentic setting. During your visit, discover how a windmill works both inside and out, and explore the quintessentially Dutch history of windmills. Alternatively, you can choose a bicycling excursion amidst the Kinderdijk windmills. Cruise on to nearby Dordrecht, a historic island city bordering no less than five rivers in the South Holland province of The Netherlands. Reflecting the definition of the Dutch word for harbor - haven - the city's charming harbor district preserves many historic warehouses, merchants' mansions and quays, and its role as a major port city from the 15th to 18th centuries. A walking tour reveals Dordrecht's notable architecture and monuments in its medieval inner city, as well as the surrounding ring of 19th-century buildings. Return to the ship for dinner and evening activities as you sail on to Belgium tonight.

Lodging: ms Esprit

Meals: B, L, D

Day 5 - Flemish Treasures in Ghent & Bruges

This morning, your riverboat arrives in the historic port city of Ghent in Flanders, arguably Belgium's most beautiful city. Your day begins with a visit to Bruges, known to many as the Venice of the North, for its canals and tiny medieval streets. On your walking tour along Bruges' cobblestoned lanes, you'll feel like you've walked into a painting by Jan Van Eyck, who captured life in the city during its heyday in the 15th century. The hike up the stairs of the medieval belltower is well worth the effort; you'll be rewarded with wonderful panoramic views. After lunch and some free time to explore Bruges as you like, head back to Ghent for a walking tour of its Old Town; the pedestrian-friendly cobblestoned town center feels like an outdoor museum of early Flemish architecture. Think about climbing to the top of the 14th-century belfry, crowned with a dragon, for the view - Ghent laid out before you is a visual feast of castles, churches, and historic merchants' houses. Be sure to try the local specialty, Ghent noses, a traditional raspberry candy sold at stands on the street - or a warm waffle with sugar or honey. Enjoy dinner onboard tonight as you sail on to Antwerp.

Lodging: ms Esprit

Meals: B, L, D

Day 6 - Antwerp & the Age of Exploration

Your riverboat arrives this morning in the major port city of Antwerp for a day in the capital of the Belgian province of Flanders. Take an orientation tour of the city and a guided walk through the city's historic center. As you stroll and hear stories and insights from your local guide, take in Grote Markt, the old market square and numerous restored merchants' houses, harkening back to the days of the 16th-century Age of Exploration when Antwerp - at the time a powerful center of international commerce - was the richest city in Europe. After lunch aboard ship, you'll have some free time to explore more of Antwerp. Return to the ship and enjoy a special Chef's Signature Dinner and a musical performance this evening as the riverboat cruises to Brussels.

Lodging: ms Esprit

Meals: B, L, D

Day 7 - Discover Brussels

Morning guided sightseeing today in Brussels, Belgium's capital and a key center of European trade and culture since the 13th century, begins with a city tour that takes in the Atomium, a 338-foot-tall structure resembling atoms, built for the 1958 World's Fair and winds up at Grand-Place, one of Europe's loveliest city squares, boasting a Gothic town hall surrounded by Renaissance-era guildhalls. Alternatively, you can choose an Art Nouveau tour in Brussels this morning. Return to the riverboat for lunch; this afternoon, you might choose to participate in a demonstration by a local chocolatier. Then join us this evening for a farewell reception and dinner marking the end of this fabulous spring river cruise!

Lodging: ms Esprit

Meals: B, L, D

Day 8 - Disembark & Journey Home

Tour ends: Brussels. Fly home anytime; all guests must disembark the riverboat by 9:00 AM. A transfer is included from the riverboat to Brussels Airport; allow 3 hours for flight check-in.

Lodging:

Meals: B