NETHERLANDS Best time to visit: APR – OCT Netherlands or Holland is a small country with much to offer. The traditional flowers, windmills and wooden shoes can still be found but there are also seaside towns, modern metropolises, museums and cuisine to discover. Past and present, trade and leisure, religion and coffee shops, diamonds and beer, all flourish together in splendid Amsterdam! The university town of Delft is best known for Delft Blue Pottery where you can visit the only remaining factory for a demonstration of the hand painting that continues today. Volendam and Zaanse Schans villages retain traditional Dutch charm. Highlights: • • • • •
Visit the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Rembrandt’s house and the Anne Frank House The Hague is the government center with historic landmarks and the most ‘royal’ city Walk along the dike in the picturesque fishing village of Volendam where some inhabitants still wear traditional clothing Zaanse Schans is a must for those interested in windmills, wooden shoes and traditional cheese making Cheese aficionados should be sure to include Gouda and Edam for the cheese markets
BELGIUM Best time to visit: ALL YEAR ROUND Belgium is a compact country with enough historic, cultural and outdoor attractions for an in-depth visit or is also easily combined with the Netherlands. Brussels is the capital of Belgium and provides a glorious mix of cultural delights with something unique around every corner. Bruges is without doubt one of the gems of northwest Europe, offering the visitor a rich combination of history and Flemish architectural splendours in a compact city center. Antwerp is the home of Rubens and the diamond capital of the world. Highlights: • • •
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Delight in fine museums and cosmopolitan restaurants in Brussels, the headquarters of the European Union and NATO Sample your way through Bruges’ chocolates and beers while enjoying the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000 Stroll the wide squares and narrow cobbled streets of the Antwerp’s old town to see the Cathedral of Our Lady, housing the divinely inspired work of Rubens “Descent from the Cross” and the Rubenshuis (Ruben’s House) where he lived and worked Visit Ghent where almost 1400 years of history is still tangible today in the medieval castle, the impressive cathedral and three benguinages
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