Floral Delights of Holland

Travel to Amsterdam and embark Spirit of the Rhine.

Depart 1900.

Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, started life as a fishing village in the 13th century. Among the most interesting sights are the Royal Palace on Dam Square, the floating flower market, the Central Railway Station, which is built on thousands of wooden piles, and the grand 19th-century Rijksmuseum.

Tree-shaded canals, historic bridges, colourful cafes, gabled buildings and plenty of bicycles combine to create an atmosphere that is unique to this city.

Arrive 1100. Depart 2300.

This afternoon an included half-day excursion visits the 21st annual Floralia Brussels flower show in the grounds and greenhouses of the castle of Groot-Bijgaarden. The 14 hectares incorporates more than one million bulbs with nearly 400 types of tulips on display.

Arrive Utrecht, 1300. Depart 1800.
Arrive Zaandam, 2200.

Enjoy a relaxing morning on board Spirit of the Rhine cruising to Utrecht, where you can take our complimentary shuttle service into the city to explore independently. The medieval centre is overlooked by the 14th-century Domtoren bell tower.

Opposite the tower on Domplein square is the Gothic Cathedral of St Martin. Each corner of the city hides a quirky museum, art gallery, little church or a view of the city’s network of canals.

Set on the banks of the Zaan river, the town of Zaandam features distinctly Dutch architecture. The contemporary downtown area was completely redesigned in the 2000’s by postmodern Dutch architect Sjoerd Soeters.

This afternoon an included excursion will enable you to see the passing floral displays of the 2024 Flower Parade.

Depart 1700.

Look forward to an included excursion to the famous Keukenhof gardens, also known as the ‘Garden of Europe’. More than seven million bulbs fill the park with vibrant colour and fragrance. The park is on land originally attached to a castle (which is opposite the current gardens) and used for hunting and growing herbs for the castle kitchen – hence the name which translates as 'kitchen garden'.

The first open-air exhibition, to promote the region's bulb growers and flower exporters, was held here in 1949. Now the exhibition is an annual event lasting eight weeks and featuring various events and themed displays.

During your visit you can admire displays of millions of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths and visit flower and plant shows in the pavilions. Perhaps pick up ideas for your own garden…. Of course, the tulip displays are weather dependent, but they're normally in bloom from mid-March to mid-May.

Arrive 1400.

Düsseldorf is famed for its Old Town. The narrow backstreets are home to the Gothic St Lambertus church with its twisted tower and the Burgplatz (square) features a Schlossturm (palace tower). Nearby, the Rhine embankment promenade offers a sweeping view of Düsseldorf's skyline and the Oberkassel Rhine banks.

Disembark Spirit of the Rhine and begin your return journey.