Best of Holland

What better place to start your jaunt through Holland than Amsterdam? Spend your day strolling through its pretty streets and tree-lined canals, stopping for a coffee and speculaas along the way. Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers this evening on a scenic canal cruise, including a light meal and welcome drinks, admiring the centuries-old façades.

Delve into the Golden Age and its extraordinary art, architecture and history, traversing the city's inner labyrinth of canals and narrow streets, along which hundreds of sturdy Dutch bicycles rattle day and night. Dive Into Culture and enjoy a Small Group Sightseeing tour of the Rijksmuseum, featuring the works of great Dutch masters, including Rembrandt's 'The Night Watch'.

Take a day trip to Floriade Expo 2022, where you'll learn all about the future of growing ‘Green Cities' and explore what a green city of the future could look like. On this incredible visit to Almere, itself a new Dutch city built on land that was reclaimed from the sea, you'll Dive Into Culture and discover what it would be like to live in a city which is built with environmental sustainability at its core. Tour the location's three districts, each with their own theme – Food, Energy and Health – as you explore this tranquil setting and lose yourself amidst all that greenery. You'll enjoy a multitude of live entertainment and visit the Green Island, returning home with great insights into what a custom-made green city of the future could look like.

We rise with the birds this morning, taking a trip to Aalsmeer to visit the vibrant flower auction and see the vividly hued blooms for which Holland is so famous. Alternatively, during the flowering season (end of March until mid-May), we'll enjoy an included visit to the tulip fields of Keukenhof – the mesmerising sight of several million flowering bulbs planted across 32 hectares will leave you in absolute awe. We continue through The Hague to the historic town of Delft and Dive Into Culture at the Royal Delft Pottery workshop where we'll gain insights into the manufacturing of this delicate hand-painted blue and white porcelain. Then it's on to Nijmegen where we'll stay the night.

Our first stop this morning is to see John Frost Bridge, so named to pay tribute to the commander of the British forces that held the bridge for four days with a mere 750 soldiers, during the World War II Battle of Arnhem. There's more World War II history to follow at the Airborne Museum to learn about the Battle of Arnhem. Leaving Oosterbeek behind, we head north to the beautiful Hanseatic city of Zwolle, where we'll join our Local Specialist for a walking tour through its medieval centre before making our way to way to Groningen. With its rich history and peculiar dialect, the city will be a highlight for culture and history buffs.

Dive Into Culture and saddle up to explore the university city of Groningen during a guided bicycle tour of its medieval centre. Ramble along the city's ring of canals like a local, before enjoying a stunning drive through the mesmerising Frisian Lake District en route to Volendam, a former fishing port on the edge of IJsselmeer. Dive Into Culture and learn about the craft of wooden clog making and Dutch cheese, followed by a celebratory Be My Guest Farewell Dinner with the Pauw family as you Connect With Locals over a traditional Dutch meal.

For now we say a fond tot ziens to Amsterdam and our newfound friends, closing the door on a memorable Dutch experience. Find out more about your free airport transfer at trafalgar.com/freetransfers.