Floriade and Keukenhof Gardens or Amsterdam

After meeting at London St Pancras, we join the Eurostar bound for Rotterdam. On arrival, we board our coach for the transfer to Delft. One of the prettiest towns in the Netherlands, the compact city centre is small enough to explore on foot and boasts tree-lined canals, cobbled avenues and a grand central square known locally as 'Markt'. The famous artist, Johannes Vermeer, spent his life in Delft, and while strolling the quieter streets, it's easy to get an impression of the 17th-century, Baroque town that inspired his lifetime of work. Delft is one of Holland's historical gems and was home to the Dutch royal family, the House of Orange; William of Orange was killed and buried here in 1584 at the end of his battle against the Spanish during the Eighty Years' War.

Something else Delft is famous for is for its iconic white and blue porcelain and pottery, which originates from an area known as Delftware. Delft ceramics have been an important export for more than 400 years, and Royal Delft, established in 1653, is the last remaining Delftware factory from the 17th century. We make a visit to this historic building, touring the factory floor to learn more about how the distinctive 'Delft Blue' design is created. We see the intricate designs being finished and hand-painted in colours that were actually inspired by Chinese imported pottery. During the Chinese civil war, however, importation stopped and the Dutch Delftware industry seized the opportunity to make their own designs which were popular with the aristocracy across the world. The rest of your day is free to explore Delft further. Why not stop off at a local café or restaurant to sample some popular Dutch dishes, such as poffertjes, bite-size pancakes, or a traditional cheese toastie made with locally-produced Gouda, Edam or Alkmaar?

We take a coach trip to the incredible Keukenhof Gardens today. Open for just two months a year, these gardens are the perfect embodiment of spring, with hundreds of different flower species delivering row upon row of vivid colours and set amongst tranquil woodland and trickling streams. Also known as 'the Garden of Europe', Keukenhof is home to the world's largest permanent flower garden, giving us an unbeatable opportunity to admire a range of fantastic floral displays. About seven million tulip bulbs are planted here each year along with crocuses, daffodils, orchids and other seasonal flowers. Across its 80 acres of parkland, Keukenhof also features tranquil ponds, sculpture gardens, greenhouses, a windmill open to the public and several cafés to relax in. Enjoy free time to look around at your own pace and soak in the peaceful atmosphere of this popular outdoor attraction.

Due to seasonal opening times, on departures from May 16th onwards, we visit Amsterdam instead of Keukenhof Gardens today. Arriving at Amsterdam station, we head into the Dutch capital for an insightful tour that takes us to Dam Square, a famous city landmark surrounded by grand buildings. Continuing, we see Begjinhof, a picture-perfect group of houses surrounding a secluded courtyard, as well as the vibrant main street and the colourful flower market. In the afternoon, you have free time to lose yourself in the wonderful culture of Amsterdam. You could visit Museumplein, or museum square, home to three of Amsterdam's major museums, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Stedelijk. Or, enjoy a taste of the city and sample stroopwafel, a tempting caramel wafer, from one of the many street vendors or cafés.

We visit Almere for the once-a-decade horticultural event known as Floriade. A celebration of plants, vegetables, fruit and produce from across the world, the show site is built on land reclaimed from the sea - a true Dutch tradition. This decade's theme is 'Growing Green Cities', and we discover exhibitions from over 30 countries that explore the future development of our city centres. These are split into four sub-themes; green, celebrating the open spaces which make cities a more pleasant place to be; food, looking at how we can embrace more environmentally friendly food production options; health and the effect of green structures on a healthy living environment; and energy. This sub-theme examines possible sustainable energy solutions as well as the effect of green spaces on the well-being of a city's population.

Checking out of our hotel after breakfast, our coach takes us back to Rotterdam station where we catch the Eurostar service to London St Pancras