Bicycle through the Waterland, a classic Dutch landscape that is ideal for bicycling as it is flat and spectacularly scenic. A ferry will take you to the Waterland, where you will begin pedaling at a leisurely pace well suited to the area’s laid-back ambiance. You can expect to see farmers going about their daily lives, brightly painted wooden houses and an impossibly green countryside crisscrossed with canals and dotted with seemingly endless rivers and lakes. Almost half of the Waterland is water, held in check by a series of dikes, and the landscape couldn’t be more beautiful. Expect to pass cows grazing in fields, iconic windmills pumping water out of the lowlands and a number of seaside villages, one of which you will stop in for a drink. The Waterland is also a paradise for water birds, and you will likely see countless swans and geese and perhaps even a godwit, the national bird of the Netherlands.

Enjoy an insider’s look at life in Edam by visiting a local family and touring a cheese-making facility to see how Edam’s famed cheese is produced. An enlightening walking tour will introduce you to the city. Here, you will see from the outside, St. Nicholas Church and the Edam Museum; which occupies an 18th-century sea captain’s house. For a deeper understanding of life in Edam, you will stop by a centuries-old residence and enjoy coffee and cake with the owners. They will elaborate on the long history of their home, how Edam has changed just in their lifetimes and what the future may hold. Still, it is impossible to escape the draw of cheese in Edam. More than a quarter of the cheese produced in the Netherlands is the city’s namesake cheese, a soft variety made with less milk fat than most other cheeses. While touring a cheese-making facility, you will watch the process and then taste samples.

Holland is known for its white and blue pottery as well as the iconic windmills that dot the countryside.

Begin with a scenic drive through the Dutch countryside to Delft. On arrival, visit the Delft Porceleyne Fles, the manufacturer of the world-famous Delft Blue ceramics. While touring the factory you'll have a chance to observe the production process and have some time to browse the gift shop.

Join your guide for a short walk of Delft’s city center, followed by nearly 2-hours of free time for lunch on your own and independent exploration or shopping.

Then, your tour continues to The Hague for an orientation drive through the city. See the Dutch government buildings, the spectacular Peace Palace, where the International Court of Justice is situated, and numerous other interesting buildings and sights.

Snap selfies at the most photogenic spots in and around Amsterdam, many of them iconic attractions that define the city. To ensure the best possible results, a selfie tutor will offer tips so you can capture just the right angle, lighting and composition for every shot.

Selfie sticks are available and complemented by a convenient photo frame, enabling you to capture the best pictures.

As you walk and ride through Amsterdam, you will pause at designated selfie stops that include:

Selfie Spots:
• Zaanse Schans windmills.
• Dam Square, which the Royal Palace overlooks.
• 17th-century Canal Ring.
• Bloemenmarkt floating flower market.
• Heineken® brewery.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Take inspiring selfies at the most photogenic attractions in Amsterdam.
• Follow tips from your selfie tutor to ensure the very best pictures.
• Learn the historical significance of the locales while enjoying their dramatic settings.
• Enjoy a beer tasting after an immersive experience in the original Heineken brewery. The Heineken Experience is exclusively for individuals aged 18 years and older.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Explore landmarks from various centuries that show the architectural and cultural transformation of downtown Amsterdam and several neighboring areas. In the traditional residential area of Zaanse Schans, you will see windmills dating to the 17th century. These Windmills are an architectural masterpiece designed by Pierre Cuypers, opened in 1885. The structure combines Gothic and Renaissance elements, representing a 19th-century revival of Dutch architecture in the national Rijkmuseum, you will gain a deeper understanding of how the culture has changed over time throughout the Netherlands. A self-portrait by Rembrandt at age 22 is just one of the Dutch masterpieces there. You will also learn about the Wereldmuseum, an ethnographic museum that tells a similar story of urban evolution but through moving human experiences. The wonders of contemporary life are brilliantly depicted in the Eye Film Museum, discover the story behind this masterpiece the area was primarily an industrial and port zone, selected as part of an effort to revitalize and transform this industrial area into a vibrant cultural space. This prominent structure is considered one of the masterpieces of the 21st century.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Delve into the history of the windmill Town, perhaps the ultimate Dutch icon.
• Explore the exterior of the Rijksmuseum, a symbol of Dutch cultural heritage and national pride.
• Get a glimpse of Amsterdam’s vision for the future at the Eye Film Museum.
• Come away with a clear understanding of how Amsterdam’s urban landscape has evolved.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

See the inner workings of a functioning windmill within an open-air museum that recreates a Dutch industrial community in the 1700s. In its heyday, the area around the neighborhood of Zaanse Schans boasted as many as 600 windmills and Het Jonge Schaap – which means The Young Sheep – is an exact replica of one that was demolished in 1942. It relies on wind power to operate the sawmill inside to rough-saw beams and planks. Other windmills were used for industrial purposes such as grinding grains and spices and making paint pigments, oils and paper. Windmills also drained low-lying land knowns as polders. During free time at the Zaanse Schans museum, you will see a number of other windmills and craftspeople practicing trades such as wooden-shoe carving and cheesemaking. Zaanse Schans was considered the first industrial area in Europe and few experiences rival walking through this replica Dutch Golden Age community.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the inside of a replica windmill from the 18th century.
• Come away with an understanding of how windmills grind grains and saw wood.
• Browse an open-air museum with other windmills and workshops for artisans.
• Get a feel for what daily life was like in Europe’s first industrial area.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Follow our guide through three striking 21st-century icons that have altered the face of Amsterdam and discover how their design challenges were overcome. The Eye museum pays homage to the film industry and its geometric shape reflects the power of visual images. Like film, the building creates an interplay of reality and illusion. The Eye is particularly impressive in the way it has transformed a riverside area that was once an isolated wasteland. Similarly, The Eastern Docklands & Java Island showcase urban planning and architectural innovation, transforming industrial sites into vibrant, modern spaces blending with history. The Silodam is another architectural triumph as this waterside apartment complex is reminiscent of a fully laden container ship. Your guide will explain the design details such as how the different colors denote different “neighborhoods” within the village-like building.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Cruise through a labyrinth of lakes in a lush, eco-friendly area of Holland known as the Green Heart. On the panoramic drive south, you will get a genuine feel for this low-lying naturally beautiful landscape. The cruise will begin in Warmond, a popular village for boating as it lies on the Kagerplassen lake system. While navigating the canals that connect the lakes, you will pass idyllic villages and numerous polder islands created from reclaimed land that may have been underwater at one time. Flood control is always top of mind in this part of Holland and windmills are often used to continually drain the polders. While stopping at the windmill, you will see firsthand how it has been operating day in and day out since 1676. It is thought to be the first windmill with a screw pump, a device that was used until 1989, when electric was installed to power the windmill.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise through the countless canals that wind through the Kagerplassen lake system.
• Enjoy the scenery while snacking and sipping a jenever, a drink known as Dutch gin.
• Gain an understanding of how the land was originally drained, in part by windmills.
• Stop at a windmill that has been operating continuously since 1676.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Settle in for a panoramic drive through Amsterdam that provides a wonderful introduction to the city, which you will also view from a water perspective while cruising the canals. Enlightening commentary will add even more to your understanding of the capital of the Netherlands as it will describe the landmarks along the way in fascinating detail. You can expect to pass by the first Heineken brewery, the Jewish Museum, the ornate 19th-century Tropenmuseum and the Concertgeboux, whose acoustically perfect main concert hall was ironically designed by an architect said to have no musical talent. There are officially 165 canals in Amsterdam and cruising them is essential to gaining a full picture of the city. From the comfort of a glass-topped boat, you will view landmarks such as the original 17th-century town hall, and the National Maritime Museum.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See Amsterdam’s most recognizable landmarks on a panoramic drive through the capital.
• Cruise the iconic canals of Amsterdam in a glass-topped boat.
• Hear enlightening commentary about the history of Amsterdam.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Cruise the countless canals that crisscross Giethoorn, a small village that is largely free of vehicles as most everyone gets around by walking, bicycling or boating. Although there are only a few thousand residents, each year nearly a million people descend on Giethoorn to admire its fairytale-like setting and leisurely pace of life. Cruising the canals, some of which were dug by hand, will present a unique water perspective of the village, which is often referred to as the Venice of the Netherlands. Along the way, you can expect to see an abundance of 18th- and 19th-century farmhouses with thatched roofs and pass under innumerable wooden bridges as the village boasts more than 175 of them. If you notice a flat-bottomed, square-front vessel being poled like a Venetian gondola, it will likely be a punt. Few experiences are quite so relaxing as cruising the canals of Giethoorn.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit Giethoorn, an idyllic village that is almost completely devoid of roads and cars.
• Cruise the shallow and narrow canals that run through Giethoorn.
• Appreciate Giethoorn’s serenity, slow pace of life and fairytale setting.
• Hear commentary about the history of the village, which was settled in the 13th century.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Sample some of Amsterdam’s favorite foods and beverages and get a taste of the local culture while walking between venues. As you meander through the trendy Jordaan neighborhood and on into the Canal Ring, you will pause to snack on bitterballen, a bite-size deep-fried morsel that contains meat ragout. Often served in bars, bitterballens aren’t bitter at all. Their name reflects that they are meant to be eaten while drinking bitters, which are pale ales with a sharp bite. You can also expect to sample genever, a juniper-flavored liquor that is a blend of malt wine and a neutral spirit such as vodka with botanical flavorings. To enhance your historical understanding of Amsterdam, the guide will describe the attractions along the way. They will likely include the 17th-century Noorderkerk church and 9 Streets, a fashionable district full of boutiques, art galleries and restaurants.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Taste local foods and beverages that reflect the culture of Amsterdam.
• Walk through the architecturally rich historical district between samplings.
• See landmarks that tell the story of Amsterdam as the guide describes them.
• Spend free time exploring on your own.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Browse a museum in the village of Enkhuizen that focuses on the region’s maritime history and flooding, which has been controlled since a barrier dam was built in 1932. It is only fitting that you will transfer to the waterfront museum by boat once you reach Enkhuizen as canals crisscross this entire area. The exhibits begin outdoors with a collection of replica and original buildings such as a dike house, fish-smoking house and windmill. Inside the museum – which occupies several restored 17th-century seed warehouses – you will see traditional fishing boats and sailboats. You may also see exhibits of paintings, furniture and klederdract, the folk costumes of the Netherlands

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse a regional maritime and cultural museum with a guide and on your own.
• Walk through buildings from different time periods in the outdoor collection.
• See boats, artwork, furniture and costumes that are typical of the region.
• Come away with a remarkably in-depth understanding of North Holland.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.