THE NETHERLANDS

Depart on charter bus from Elite Coach Company (1685 W. Main St., Route 322, Ephrata) at 1:00 PM. Drive to Philadelphia Airport (PHL) for American Airlines flight #204 departing at 6:30 PM.

American Airlines flight arrives in Amsterdam at 8:00 AM. 45-minute bus ride to Delft, free time, with a familiarization walk. We will stay the next 3 nights in Delft at the 3-star Hotel de Plataan (www.hoteldeplataan.nl).

Morning to explore Delft. Morning guided 3-hour walking tour. Delft is compact, charming, and relaxed. Stroll Delft’s narrow, canal-lined streets, gazing at the remarkable old buildings. Delft is best seen on foot; almost all the interesting sights lie within a 1 km radius of the Grote Markt. Much of the town dates from the 17th century and is well preserved. You will enjoy Beestenmarkt and Koornmarkt, two tree-lined squares surrounded by fine buildings, canals, and restaurants. We will visit the New Church, the Old Church, and a Delft blue pottery workshop. Stay in Delft.

1-hour train ride to Gorinchem, a small town that offers classic Dutch charm—historic brick houses, crooked church towers like the Grote Toren (leaning tower), traditional windmills (Molen Nooit Volmaakt and Molen De Hoop), and the picturesque Lingehaven harbor. It is well known for its Star-Shaped Ramparts. You can walk or cycle along the well-preserved 16th-century defensive earthworks and bastions that completely encircle the old town. Then, we have a 30-minute train ride to Dordrecht, the oldest city rights in Holland. Dordrecht features over 1,000 national monuments,historic harbors like Wolwevershaven, and 17th-century merchant houses built directly along the water. 30-minute train ride back to Delft. Stay in Delft.

Short train ride to Gouda to see its famous Thursday cheese market. Gouda is a charming, authentic, and historically rich Dutch town. It features traditional canals, a stunning 15th-century town hall, world-famous cheese, and local shops. Then,a short train ride to Leiden, where we will stay for the next 3 nights at the 4-star Fletcher Hotel (www.wellnesshotelleiden.nl).
Our luggage will be delivered from the Delft hotel to our hotel in Leiden. At 2:00 PM, we will have a guide introduce us to Leiden on a 2-3 hour walking tour. Leiden is a stunning, historic, and vibrant university city, offering picturesque canals and 13 world-class museums without the intense crowds. Known as Rembrandt's birthplace, it features beautiful old buildings, the scenic Rapenburg canal, the ancient Hortus Botanicus, and a lively,youthful atmosphere. Walk through a compact city center filled with 28 kilometers of canals and 88 bridges. Enjoy the charming street life and cozy cafes.

30-minute bus ride to visit the Keukenhof Gardens, the world’s largest bulb-flower extravaganza attracting 800,000 visitors during a mere eight weeks every year. The gardens stretch on and on; there are greenhouses full of more delicate varieties of flowers besides the ephemeral tulips. Wandering about can easily take half a day. From the edges of the gardens, you can see the stark beauty of the commercial bulbfields stretching in all directions. Some will rent bikes at the gardens to explore the region and then return to Leiden. Stay in Leiden.

We will take a 40-minute train ride to Utrecht. We will have a 10:00 AM guided walking 2-3 hour tour. Utrecht is one of the Netherlands’ oldest cities, with a compact medieval center set out around canals unique to the country. There is a lower level where warehouses were located in the 13th century, giving the canals a split-level character. Most of the interesting bits of the city lie within 500m of the Domtoren (Cathedral Tower), although the museum quarter is a pleasant stroll a couple of hundred meters further south. Focus your strolling on the two canals which bisect Utrecht, the Oudegracht and the Nieuwegracht, the old and new canals from the 11th and 14th centuries. The photogenic bend in the Oudegracht is illuminated by lamplight in the evening; hundreds sit at outside cafes here by day. Stay in Leiden.

2-hour bus ride to Leeuwarden. We will have a 2-3 hour walking tour to introduce us to Leeuwarden. As the capital of Friesland and a former European Capital of Culture (2018), it offers a charming, compact, and authentic Dutch experience. Highlights include 16th-century leaning towers you can climb, scenic canals, unique museums, and a vibrant,cozy city center. The historic city center is packed with over 800 monuments, stunning gable houses, and pleasant canals,making it perfect for walking. Leeuwarden features unique, narrow shopping streets (Kleine Kerkstraat) and numerous cafes, restaurants, and hidden rooftops, where we will stay the next 3 nights at the 4-star Post Plaza Hotel (www.post-plaza.nl).

We will take a 35-minute train ride to Groningen, an authentic, lively, and less-touristy Dutch city experience. We will have a 3-hour guided walking tour:

• Vibrant Vibe & Youthful Energy: With nearly 50,000 students out of a 200,000 population, the city has a dynamic, energetic atmosphere.

• Compact & Walkable Center: You can easily explore historic streets, canals, and markets on foot—or by renting a bicycle to navigate like a local.

Top Attractions:

• Martinitoren & Grote Markt: Climb the 97-meter Martini Tower for sweeping views of the city and hang out around the main square.

• Forum Groningen: A modern cultural hub featuring a free rooftop terrace with great views.

• Groninger Museum: A striking, avant-garde modern and contemporary art museum right next to the historic railway station.

• Prinsentuin: A peaceful Renaissance-style walled garden and rose park.

Stay in Leeuwarden.

We will take a 6-8 hour bus trip to visit some of the 11 Frisian towns made famous by the Elfstedentocht (11-city ice skating race) route. We will visit charming towns like Sneek, Bolsward, Workum, and Hindeloopen. Stay in Leeuwarden.

1.5-hour bus ride, but first we will visit 2 more of the 11 cities, like Franeker and Harlingen. Then, we will cross the 20-mile dike (Afsluitdijk) across the IJsselmeer inland sea. We will stay in Hoorn for the next 2 nights at the 4-star Hotel Petit Nord (www.hotelpetitnord.nl).

All day to explore Hoorn. We will have a 2-3 hour guided walking tour to introduce us to Hoorn. Hoorn is a charming,historic harbor town on the Markermeer, boasting over 300 national monuments from the Dutch Golden Age. Wander the scenic harbor area, see the 16th-century Hoofdtoren (Main Tower), and enjoy the beautiful Dutch Renaissance architecture. Visit the Museum of the 20th Century (nostalgic items) or the Westfries Museum (17th-century history).Ride the historic Museum Steam Tram from Hoorn to Medemblik, which runs through the countryside. We will experience typical Dutch life in a small city setting with charming cafes and a pleasant, less touristy atmosphere. Stay in Hoorn.

30-minute bus ride to Zaandam. We will drop off our luggage and then visit nearby Haarlem. We will have a 2-3 hour guided walking tour. Haarlem is a classic Dutch city of cobblestone streets, historic buildings, grand churches, even grander museums, cozy bars, fine cafes, and the old canal is a sure-fire stop. Grote Markt with its flanks of restaurants and cafes and a clutch of historical buildings is the center of town. Opposite the town hall looms the Grote Kerk van St Bavo,the Gothic cathedral with a towering 50m-high steeple. It contains some fine Renaissance artworks, but the star attraction is its stunning Müller organ – one of the most magnificent in the world – standing 30m high with about 5,000 pipes.Corrie ten Boom House, also known as the “hiding place,” is named for the matriarch of a family that lived in the house during WWII. We will stay for the next 2 nights at the 4-star Inntel Hotel Amsterdam Zaandam (www.inntelhotels.nl).This hotel is world-famous for its design and architecture.

15-minute train ride to Amsterdam. Train and tram transport. Visit to museums: some will visit Van Gogh Museum and some will visit the National Art Museum (Rijksmuseum). We will visit the Anne Frank House only if we cannot visit the Corrie ten Boom House in Haarlem. We will have some walks and a canal boat ride. Stay in Zaandam.

45-minute bus or train ride to airport. American Airlines Flight #203 departs Amsterdam at 10:00 AM and arrives in PHL at 12:10 PM. Return to Ephrata.

This itinerary is subject to change. Thank you.

Sources: Lonely Planet and Rough Guide