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The Netherlands

Keukenhof Tulips, Canals & Amsterdam in Springtime

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6 days From £1,595 per person
4.5 stars(32 reviews)

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Take a delightful springtime break in the Netherlands, enjoying the spectacular Keukenhof gardens, a tour and canal cruise in Amsterdam, and a scenic ride on the Medemblik Railway.

2025 Tour code: AMB25

About the tour

Experience the joys of spring in the Netherlands on this glorious break featuring world-famous gardens, picturesque canals and windmills. Based in the attractive city of Utrecht, our holiday is packed with days out to enchanting locations, including the stunning Keukenhof Gardens - with its gorgeous swathes of multi-coloured spring flowers - a guided tour and canal cruise in wonderful Amsterdam with time for independent sightseeing, a trip on the Medemblik Steam Train to the peaceful waterside town of Medemblik, and visiting the preserved 19th-century village of Zaanse Schans, known for its windmills and traditional craftspeople.

Highlights

View Dates & Pricing

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - By rail to the historical city of Utrecht

Our springtime holiday to the Netherlands begins when we meet our Tour Manager and group at London St Pancras this morning to board the Eurostar service to Rotterdam. In Rotterdam we change trains to Utrecht, arriving mid-afternoon. Our hotel is a close walk from the station and, once we have checked in, you are at leisure to explore this interesting city - described as 'the cosy alternative' to Amsterdam, which is less than half an hour away by train.

The fourth largest city in Netherlands, Utrecht has a similar character to the capital, but on a smaller scale - including colourful canals, historical buildings and lively cafés. This evening there's a chance to get to know your group over dinner at our hotel.

Includes
  • Dinner
  • Eurostar Meal
Day 2 - Guided tour of enchanting Amsterdam

After a buffet breakfast, we catch the train to Amsterdam. Here we tour the capital with a local guide, seeing classic landmarks such as Dam Square, the Begijnhof, a cluster of medieval houses, the shopping street of Kalverstraat, and the 'skinny bridge' over the River Amstel.

After our tour you are free to explore over lunch. Art lovers may wish to visit the Rijksmuseum or the nearby Van Gogh Museum, while Anne Frank's house recalls the sobering story of the young girl whose diaries document how her family hid during World War Two.

This afternoon we take a leisurely cruise down Amsterdam's World Heritage site, the Canal Ring - a network of historic canals from the medieval port, that encircled the city's Old Town. From our comfortable seats aboard this glass-topped boat, we enjoy views of 17th-century gabled houses, quaint bridges and shady canal paths. At the end of the afternoon we take the train back to Utrecht, where we have an evening ahead to spend as we wish.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 3 - The bright, beautiful and inspiring gardens of Keukenhof

Today is a highlight of our holiday as, after breakfast, we are transported by coach to the incredible Keukenhof Gardens, where - with entry included - we are free for most of the day to wander through several themed gardens at leisure. Each exhibition area in the vast Keukenhof Holland park includes a shop and a café or restaurant, while the Mill area includes a small boat and picnic area.

Open only from the end of March to the beginning of May, the gardens present an astonishing display of over 7 million daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and other spring-flowering bulbs. Besides early spring flowers, there are seasonal shows of other uplifting flowers, including scented freesias, chrysanthemums and roses. As you walk among these glorious swathes of flowers of every hue and shade contrast with brightly-coloured sculptures, creating a one-of-a-kind experience.

We are transferred back to our hotel in Utrecht around mid-afternoon, where we are at leisure, to relax or get to know the city better, for the rest of the day and evening.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 4 - Exploring the medieval and modern attractions of Utrecht

Today is completely free in picturesque Utrecht, whose main attractions are within walking distance of our hotel. Utrecht's iconic symbol is the impressive 14th-century Dom Tower, the tallest church tower in the country with a panoramic viewpoint.

Train enthusiasts will be keen to visit the Spoorwegmuseum, the Dutch National Railway Museum, which houses a vast collection - ranging from the 19th century 'glory days' of international trains and the 'steel monsters' of the 1930s. Meanwhile, the city's Centraal Museum has a multi-faceted collection of art, design and fashion including Dutch favourites such as the Red Blue Chair by architect Gerrit Rietveld.

Utrecht is known for its lovely parks and the Wilhelmina Park is a popular place to enjoy lunch, overlooking its lake. On the outskirts of the city is the opulent Castle De Haar, the largest and most luxurious castle in the Netherlands, which can be reached easily by train or bus. Of course, you may be perfectly content to wander the tree-lined canal paths, passing bridges adorned with colourful flowers and stopping to enjoy a meal at one of the many inviting restaurants.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 5 - A nostalgic trip on the Medemblik Steam Train

We transfer to Hoorn by coach this morning, one of the Netherlands' oldest cities, where we we have a self-guided tour of the Hoorn Steam Train Museum (entry included) before joining the evocative Medemblik Steam Train, which has travelled this route since 1887. This heritage train takes us on a scenic journey to the peaceful West Friesland town of Medemblik, surrounded by the waters of the Ijsselmeer. After travelling through a quintessential Dutch landscape of tulip fields, windmills and quaint villages, we arrive into Medemblik where there is free time for lunch.

This afternoon is another special excursion, as our coach transfers us to the Zaanse Schans, a beautifully-preserved residential area of characterful 18th and 19th-century wooden houses, handcraft shops and museums. After a guided tour of one of the windmills, we visit a weaver's house and a cheese maker. We then enjoy free time to explore this quaint living museum, and you may wish to visit the clog workshop, the bakery museum or craft shops. We transfer back to our hotel at the end of the afternoon, then there's time to relax before a final dinner with our group at the hotel.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 - Homeward bound

There's time for a leisurely breakfast and a free final morning in Utrecht before we convene at the station before catching our train to Rotterdam. Later this afternoon, we join the Eurostar service back to London St Pancras. After saying goodbye to new friends and our Tour Manager, it's time to head home, with lingering memories of our delightful time in the Netherlands.

Includes
  • Breakfast
  • Eurostar Meal

Additional information

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

NH Utrecht Hotel, Utrecht

NH Utrecht Hotel, Utrecht

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Trains

Eurostar
Medemblik Steam Train

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Upgrades

London Hotels
UK rail connections
Door to door luggage service

Reviews

4.5 stars4.5 / 5 · 32 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (17)
  2. 4 stars
    (14)
  3. 3 stars
    (1)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Mr L Willitt

4 stars

Submitted 30 May 2019

Overall the holiday was a very good and enjoyable one.Any bad experiences which occurred,such as a train door not opening and 5 members of our party unable to get off until the next station,were not the fault of G.R.J.staff.Hotel accommodation very comfortable and staff very friendly at all times.Would recommend to friends.

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

Mrs C Turley

5 stars

Submitted 27 Apr 2019

Excellent holiday, really well planned and executed. The tour manager was great and ensured that everything went really smoothly.

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

Mrs E Atlay

4 stars

Submitted 22 May 2018

A few days packed with activity and interest

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

Mr D Mason

4 stars

Submitted 19 May 2018

A wonderful holiday with a great tour manager. 4 stars not 5 only because of the weather!

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

Mr J Hague

4 stars

Submitted 10 May 2018

There were no specific problems and we enjoyed the experience. The hotel was very good and all the trips were worthwhile

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

Mr B Vallins

3 stars

Submitted 01 May 2018

Lack of prior information on amount of walking, and not specific about evening meal arrangements not being in the hotel.

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

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