A Journey through the Netherlands, Belgium & France: Canals, Champagne & Culture featuring the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens - Alternative

An overnight flight carries you toward Europe, where daily life still turns around centuries-old traditions. Ahead, waterways, working landscapes, historic streets, and celebrated vineyards shape your path through the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

Narrow canals, arched bridges, and bicycle-lined streets set the rhythm as you arrive in Amsterdam. Check into your historic hotel* that anchors you in the city for the next three nights. With arrival times varying, the afternoon unfolds at your pace – wander nearby neighborhoods, pause at a café, or follow the canals wherever they lead. As evening settles in, get your first taste of Dutch hospitality at a welcome dinner.

This morning, see Amsterdam from its most natural vantage point – the water. A private canal cruise carries you beneath arched bridges and past classic canal houses that frame daily life. Back on land, a walking tour with a local guide adds context, history, and lived perspective. Later, a conversation with a local offers insight into the city’s progressive, often thought-provoking cultural landscape. By around 1:00 p.m., the rest of the day opens up for independent exploration.**

This morning, get ready for a colorful exploration as you head into the Dutch countryside to the world-famous Keukenhof Gardens.*** Wander through acres of carefully designed landscapes filled with tranquil ponds, winding paths, and millions of tulips and seasonal flowers. Along the way, take in displays of hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations, and irises – this is spring in the Netherlands. This evening brings an Impact Moment at A Beautiful Mess, a restaurant supporting refugees building new lives here. Share a meal of Middle Eastern and North African flavors made with locally sourced ingredients.