Itinerary – Dutch Masters
Dutch Masters
Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Vermeer: despite its small size, the Netherlands has given the world some of the biggest names in art. Learn more about the Dutch Masters as you view their paintings in person and explore this sophisticated and enchanting country. From the elegant canals of Amsterdam to the picturesque windmills of Kinderdijk, discover the beautiful places that inspired these great artists.
Itinerary
Day 1: Amsterdam – Arrival
Upon arrival to Amsterdam, you are met by our local representative and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Day 2: Amsterdam – Van Gogh Museum & Canal Tour
Visit the more than 200 pieces of art at the Van Gogh Museum. Next, take a tour along the picturesque canals of Amsterdam; from the boat you will have the best views of this charming city while enjoying a light lunch.
Day 3: Amsterdam – Rembrandt – Stedelijk
Visit the Rembrandt House Museum, the reconstructed home and studio of the artist which contains Rembrandt’s etchings and paintings of his contemporaries. Then, visit the Stedelijk Museum, which houses a collection of contemporary art including works by Van Gogh, Chagall, Matisse and many others.
Day 4: Amsterdam – Den Haag – Delft
Travel to The Hague and visit the Mauritshuis Museum which contains over 200 works from Dutch and Flemish masters from the Golden Age of Dutch painting, including works by Vermeer, Rembrandt and Fabritius. Enjoy a scenic drive along the Maas River Continue to historic Delft for a walking tour, during which you will see the actual place from which Vermeer painted “View of Delft”.
Day 5: Amsterdam – Het Loo Palace – Amsterdam
Travel to Apeldoorn for a tour of the baroque Het Loo Palace featuring furniture, objects and paintings of the House of Orange-Nassau. Visit the restored palace gardens before returning to Amsterdam.
Day 6: Amsterdam – Kinderdijk – Keukenhof – Amsterdam
Depart Amsterdam for a visit to Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the largest concentrations of traditional Dutch windmills is found. Continue to Keukenhof, with its 79+ acres of gardens, for a visit.
Day 7: Amsterdam – Aalsmeer – Leiden – Gouda
Visit the city of Aalsmeer and the largest flower auction in the Netherlands. Continue to the city of Leiden, the birthplace of Rembrandt. Then, on to Gouda for a visit to the Saint John Church, famous for its fine stained glass, and the adjacent Museum Gouda, which contains an alterpiece which survived the iconoclasm and covers the artistic history of the city.
Day 8: Amsterdam – Rijksmuseum
Visit the Rijksmuseum for a guided tour of Dutch art from 1200 to the present, with more than a million artifacts and works. In the afternoon, consider an optional tour of Anne Frank’s house.
Day 9: Amsterdam – Haarlem – Otterlo – Wolfheze
Depart for Haarlem and visit the Frans Hals Museum, housed in the Old Men’s Almshouse. Hals was the most prominent painter of the 17th century Golden Age of Haarlem, and many other works form a part of this impressive collection. Continue to Otterlo for a visit of the Kroeller-Mueller Museum, which houses the second largest collection of works by Van Gogh in the world. Also visit the sculpture garden – one of the largest in Europe – with works by Auguste Rodin and Henry Moore among others. Continue to your hotel in nearby Wolfheze and enjoy a special farewell dinner.
Day 10: Amsterdam – Departure
Say vaarwel to the Netherlands and transfer to the airport for the flight home.