Great Rail Journeys
Springtime Tulips & Keukenhof Gardens
8 daysfrom $2,937
Great Rail Journeys · Escorted River Cruise
Springtime Tulips & Keukenhof Gardens - Fly
Explore historic Amsterdam, Ghent and Antwerp, plus the Keukenhof tulips, on an Amsterdam river cruise. Book with Great Rail Journeys for five-star service.
Day by day
- Day 1overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (Amsterdam)
Flying to Amsterdam to board our luxurious ship
Your springtime holiday begins today at London Heathrow. Meet the Tour Manager and your group of fellow travellers, then board the flight to Amsterdam. On arrival, transfer to the luxury cruise ship and be welcomed by the crew. Free time to settle into your cabin, familiarise yourself with the ship's amenities and soak up the new surroundings provided by Amsterdam's skyline. This evening, enjoy the first dinner together in the panoramic restaurant before a Dutch sea shanty choir provides evening entertainment.
Meals: Dinner
- Day 2overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (en route to Ghent)
Exploring Amsterdam on a canal boat cruise
After breakfast onboard, enjoy a scenic canal cruise of Amsterdam, admiring views of the city's picturesque waterways and architecture. Crossed by more than a thousand bridges and lined with elegant gabled houses, the canals reveal the history and charm of Amsterdam. Enjoy lunch back on board before a free afternoon to explore Amsterdam at your own pace – wander charming side streets, enjoy a canal-side café, or visit world-class museums such as the Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum. Set sail towards Ghent later this afternoon and enjoy dinner onboard. Note: on the 29th April departure, Days 2 and 7 will be swapped, and Keukenhof Gardens will be visited today.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 3overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (Ghent)
Excursions to beautiful Belgian cities
Wake up on the water and enjoy breakfast on board as the ship arrives in Ghent, a historic city in Flemish Belgium. Battlefield expert Piers Storie-Pugh joins on board to deliver a fascinating talk about the region's battlefields. After a relaxed lunch, choose between two excursions: an afternoon coach tour to Bruges (an enchanting medieval town with winding streets, stately townhouses and grand squares) or a guided sightseeing tour of Ghent including a chocolate tasting. Return to the ship for dinner and drinks this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 4overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (en route to Arnhem)
The battlefields of Ypres or at leisure in Ghent
This morning, choose to take an optional excursion to the Ypres battlefields, including entrance to Sanctuary Wood – a key battlefront during World War I with an original trench layout dug by British troops. Alternatively, explore the attractive town of Ghent at your own pace, visiting St Bavo's Cathedral and the Belfry. Return to the ship for lunch, then set sail towards the Netherlands. Spend the afternoon relaxing amongst the ship's facilities or in your cabin before dinner this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 5overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (Arnhem)
Hartenstein Airborne Museum or Netherlands' Open-Air Museum
Breakfast and lunch are served on board as the ship continues sailing to Arnhem. Piers Storie-Pugh delivers a presentation on the Battle of Arnhem, providing insights into the Allied offensive of September 1944. On arrival in Arnhem, choose between two excursions: a guided tour of the Hartenstein Airborne Museum in Oosterbeek (focusing on Operation Market Garden, the story later told in the 1977 film A Bridge Too Far) or a visit to the extensive Netherlands' Open-Air Museum (a 44-hectare museum park with authentic buildings, farmhouses and mills, plus demonstrations of traditional crafts). Return to the ship for dinner and drinks this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 6railovernight: MS Amadeus Amara (Amsterdam)
Hoorn & the Medemblik Steam Railway
Arrive at Hoorn, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands. Enjoy a guided tour of Hoorn's historic centre after breakfast – Hoorn grew rapidly during the Dutch Golden Age as a centre for trade and base for the Dutch East India Company. Sights include the 15th-century Hoofdtoren and the charming main square. Later, embark on a nostalgic journey through the countryside aboard the Medemblik steam train, admiring Dutch landscapes of tulip fields, windmills and charming villages. Board the ship later this afternoon and begin sailing to Amsterdam, where the ship docks for the night. Note: trains are steam-hauled where possible; heritage diesel locomotives may run instead due to timetable changes or weather conditions.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 7overnight: MS Amadeus Amara (Amsterdam)
Charlie Dimmock talk & Keukenhof Gardens
Renowned horticulturist Charlie Dimmock joins on board after breakfast to deliver a presentation about her time at the BBC and her tips on horticulture and garden care, followed by a Q&A session. Then set off to visit the incredible Keukenhof Gardens – also known as the 'Garden of Europe'. Open only from the end of March to the beginning of May, the gardens present an astonishing display of more than seven million daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and other spring-flowering bulbs, as well as scented freesias, chrysanthemums and roses. Tonight, enjoy the last night onboard with an elegant gala dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 8
Homeward bound
After a leisurely breakfast, disembark and say goodbye to the ship's crew. Transfer to Amsterdam airport by coach and fly back to London Heathrow, where the holiday comes to an end.
Meals: Breakfast
Included
- Escorted throughout by experienced Tour Manager/Cruise Director team
- 7-night cruise onboard MS Amadeus Amara
- Five-star service onboard
- Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi
- Standard Class rail travel
- All rail and coach travel throughout the tour
- Return flights from London Heathrow to Amsterdam
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner each day of the cruise including a spectacular gala dinner
- Drinks package with dinner every night of the cruise
- Superb excursions included
- Canal boat cruise of Amsterdam
- Guided tour of Hoorn's historic centre
- Medemblik steam train journey
- Full-day guided tour of Keukenhof Gardens
- Onboard talks by Charlie Dimmock and Piers Storie-Pugh
- Choice of excursion in Ghent: coach tour to Bruges or guided sightseeing tour of Ghent (with chocolate tasting)
- Choice of excursion at Arnhem: Hartenstein Airborne Museum or Netherlands' Open-Air Museum
Not included
- Cancellation & Travel Insurance
- Optional excursion to Ypres battlefields (Day 4)
- Bar costs (drinks outside dinner drinks package)
- Personal expenses
