OVERVIEW

Zip through the waterways that crisscross Rotterdam in a water taxi and stop along the way for beers at three of the city’s top breweries. This ultimate pub crawl will take you through the heart of Rotterdam, which bombing nearly leveled in World War II. The water taxi will provide a unique perspective of the rebuilt city and the guide’s commentary will enhance your understanding of its history, especially with regard to beer. The exact breweries will be chosen once you board the water taxi, but you can be sure that they will offer a wide range of seasonal and characteristic beers. Although Heineken is the most popular beer in the Netherlands – accounting for more than a third of all sales – there is an abundance of choices other than this traditional lager, all served with tasty snacks.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise through the waterways in downtown Rotterdam in a water taxi.
• Stop along the way for a beer and snacks at three nearby breweries.
• Drink local favorites that may include a lager, stout and bock beer.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Travel through Rotterdam’s streets and main river on an amphibious Splashtour bus and then zip to the top of the towering Euromast for the ultimate sky-high view of the city. In this case, the mode of transportation will be as exhilarating as the attractions along the way. The large-windowed wheeled bus has the rare ability to drive on paved roads and then instantly convert into a sea-worthy vessel and begin cruising the Maas River. As you might expect from its name, the Splashtour vehicle will make a huge splash as it drives down a ramp straight into the river. The Maas is wide, well-traveled and lined with historical and modern landmarks that commentary will describe in detail. The Euromast is an attraction that is impossible to miss as it soars above the skyline. From this highest observation tower in the Netherlands, you will enjoy an unparalleled 360° view of Rotterdam.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive through downtown Rotterdam and cruise the Maas River in an amphibious vehicle.
• Get a thrill when the Splashtour vehicle drives off the road and straight into Maas River.
• See Rotterdam’s highlights from both land and water perspectives.
• Behold Rotterdam from atop the Euromast, the Netherlands’ highest observation tower.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Explore Delft on a guided walking tour and independently, during which you will discover that the city offers much more than its world-famous Delftware pottery. As you walk the cobbled streets of Old Town, you can’t help but sense the authentic, non-commercialized Dutch ambiance. Delft exudes history as it was founded in 1075 and was a major trade area in the 16th and 17th centuries. Highlights include the expansive Markt public square, which the New Church overlooks. William the Orange, who was assassinated in Delft in 1584, is entombed inside the church. The Old Church may be the most iconic building as its brick tower soars nearly 250 feet high and you can see it from most anywhere in Old Town. Look closely and you will notice that the tower isn’t vertical but leans much like Pisa’s famed Leaning Tower. Although most shops carry Delft pottery, you could also visit the Royal Delft factory.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Discover fascinating details about historical Delft while walking through its Old Town.
• See icons such as the Old Church, where William the Orange is entombed.
• Admire architectural treasures such as the New Church on the popular Markt public square.
• Shop for the city’s signature Delftware pottery and stop at the Royal Delft factory, if you wish.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Discover the allure of The Hague that goes well beyond the city being the Netherlands’ seat of government since 1588. The Peace Palace is undeniably The Hague’s most iconic landmark as it most famously houses the United Nations International Court of Justice. Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie funded its construction and created a foundation to maintain it as Temple of Peace in perpetuity. Following a panoramic driving tour through The Hague, which is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea, you will walk around the downtown as the guide points out and describes the attractions. Home to the royal family and museums full of paintings by Dutch Golden Age masters such as Rembrandt, The Hague is a joy to explore. During free time, you might shop for high-end fashions in the boutiques or grab a snack from one of the many street vendors selling international foods such as Turkish pastries.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a panoramic drive through the Hague that will present landmarks such as the Peace Palace.
• See another side of the city by following the guide on an enlightening walk through downtown.
• Spend a bit of free time exploring The Hague on your own.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Browse a water-oriented museum in a lush river delta and see the wetlands up close while cruising a canal that runs through it. The Biesbosch Museum tells the story of the surrounding waterscape starting with the disastrous flood of 1421 that destroyed 17 villages. Other exhibits depict how the land has been altered to protect it from similar events. The sod-roofed museum is made up of seven pavilions, most of them devoted to different aspects of water management. The permanent collection contains historical photographs, pumps and tools and details about the resistance fighters that cruised the nearly impenetrable network of creeks and waterways during World War II, when the Germans occupied the Netherlands. You will cruise one of the canals that winds through De Biesbosch National Park, which has the distinction of being the largest freshwater tidal zone in Europe. Keep an eye out for beavers, geese, white-tailed eagles and ospreys.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse a museum that depicts how the coastal area has changed since the flood of 1421.
• See artifacts that show how the waterways have been controlled to protect the villages.
• Cruise a canal in the De Biesbosch National Park and look for wildlife, especially birds.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Follow a guide along the medieval streets of Dordrecht and explore further on your own, an experience that will reveal even more about this city founded in the early 11th century. Once one of the most prosperous medieval cities in the Netherlands, Dordrecht has preserved much of its architecture from that time period, including the Groothoofd city gate. It overlooks the convergence of three rivers, the busiest such junction in Europe. The Church of Our Lady is another medieval icon, especially its tower because it sits at an angle much like the more famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. The historical architecture along Hofstraat is also extraordinarily photogenic, which is why it is often used as a movie location. If you are interested in paintings by the Dutch masters, drop by the town hall. Much of it is decorated with works from the 17th-century, many by artists born in Dordrecht.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Admire the well-preserved architecture of Dordrecht, a medieval city founded in 1008.
• Hear enlightening commentary from the guide as you walk along the city streets.
• Gain a historical understanding of Dordrecht, whose canals severely flooded in 1421.
• Explore Dordrecht independently and focus on the areas that sound most interesting.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

A short drive takes you to The Hague, passing lowland countryside dotted with farms, canals, flower fields and windmills, the perfect symbol of Holland's past. See the city highlights as you drive by the Houses of Parliament and the Peace Palace, often called the seat of international law as it houses the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial body of the United Nations.

Visit Delft, where you'll join your guide for a short walk through the narrow streets of this charming 17th-century city. Although most famous for its porcelain, Delft is also the birthplace of painter Vermeer and the site of William of Orange's assassination. Here, visit the Royal Delft Factory, the Netherland's most famous delft factory. While others may turn to mass production, this factory painstakingly creates its famed earthenware using the same methods employed since it was founded in 1653. You'll take a guided tour of the factory and watch artists demonstrate the hand painting that makes each piece of Delft a work of art. Enjoy some free time to browse or shop in the store.

Although windmills are vanishing from the Dutch landscape, Kinderdijk boasts the largest collection of windmills in the Netherlands with 19, many in working order. You’ll drive through Rotterdam's industrial outskirts to nearby Kinderdijk. En route, you'll travel through Dutch Polderland, low-lying land laced with canals and farms fields. Stop at the Kinderdijk Theatre, located in the Wisboom Pump house. On four surrounding screens, public figures explain the story of Kinderdijk.

You'll walk over uneven ground to explore the windmills, and then take a tour of the interior of a working mill. The Museum-windmill exhibits life and work on the windmills in the last century. The windmills will operate with ample wind, and visitors can watch and experience the works of the windmill. Raging sails pass, a scoop-wheel turns and water is pumped up. The miller on the scene provides explanation. You'll have some free time to walk around the windmills and take some pictures.

Get to know Rotterdam, a city that offers creative and modern architectural sights, including the Weena building, a brilliant white office/apartment block located in the business sector, Café Rotterdam, Schouwburgplein and Kop van Zuid. You'll witness Coolsingel, the main street of the central area of Rotterdam on the right bank of the Maas. At the near end of this wide street stands the Town Hall, built between 1914 and 1920 in Dutch Renaissance style. View the 607-foot tall Euromast tower. The city center also boasts pre-war architecture such as the Van Nelle Factory, one of the most important historic industrial buildings in the Netherlands, and the Huis Sonneveld. The innovative and adventurous period after the war is expressed in such structures as the Groothandelsgebouw, one of the first major buildings built after the bombing of Rotterdam in the Second World War, the Kunsthal, the Luxor Theater and the Erasmus Bridge, an almost abstract combination of steel and concrete. You’ll stop to view the Cube Houses - a great photo opportunity. Designed by Piet Blom in the '70s, the Cube Houses were intended as a post-Modern village.

You’ll also enjoy a brief walking tour of Delfshaven, a borough of Rotterdam on the right bank of river Nieuwe Maas. Delfshaven has officially only been part of Rotterdam for a little over 100 years, yet it was from here that the "Pilgrim Fathers" set out on their epic journey to America in 1620. Stop at the Veerhaven, for a great view of Hotel New York and your cruise ship.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy an enlightening walk through the town of Gouda and see how its namesake cheese is produced at a nearby farm. One of the world’s most well-known and widely consumed cheeses, Gouda is made with whole milk from grass-fed cows and is revered for its mild, creamy flavor. The longer it ripens, the more complex and nutty the taste, as you will discover by tasting Goudas of various ages and by watching each step in the cheesemaking. Although its roots may be even older, the cheese was first traded in the market square in the city of Gouda in the 14th century. While walking the cobblestone streets that wind through the historical downtown, you will see that square and the gothic Town Hall that stands behind it. You will also pass the 15th-century Saint-John Church, the longest church in the Netherlands. Free time follows, during which you can explore Gouda on your own.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Watch Gouda cheese being made at a farm and sample several varieties of it.
• See landmarks in the city of Gouda, including the market where the cheese was first traded.
• Behold Saint-John Church, whose 72 stained-glass windows date to the 16th century.
• Explore Gouda on your own during free time.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.