Belgium & the Netherlands

LeShuttle to Calais and on to the Courtyard by Marriott, Ghent, where we stay for the next two nights.

Belgium & the Netherlands

Our first excursion takes us to Ostend, Belgium’s premier coastal resort. Known as ‘the City by the Sea’, Ostend is a cosmopolitan gem that boasts miles of sandy beaches, a beachfront promenade, a yachting marina plus a whole host of shops, bars and restaurants. Seafood lovers won’t want to miss the famous seafood stalls near the harbour, serving everything from fresh prawns and oysters to traditional Belgian specialities.
We leave the seaside and head to our second stop, Bruges, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval gems. Spend the afternoon at leisure exploring its cobbled streets, picturesque canals and grand market squares, discover independent boutiques and tempting chocolate shops or simply relax in one of the many cafés and restaurants overlooking the water. From historic churches and striking architecture to horse-drawn carriages and peaceful waterways, Bruges offers postcard-worthy views around every corner.

Belgium & the Netherlands

After checking out of our hotel, we spend some time in Ghent. Wander through the pedestrianised medieval centre and admire the 12th-century Gravensteen Castle or stroll along the picturesque Graslei, lined with historic guildhalls beside the River Leie. Perhaps treat yourself to a canal cruise of Ghent’s waterways to admire the city’s skyline from a different perspective. There’s also time to enjoy lunch at your leisure – the local speciality is waterzooi stew (followed by waffles!). 
From Ghent, we drive into the Netherlands to check into the Fletcher Hotel-Restaurant, Amersfoort, our base for the next four nights. 

Belgium & the Netherlands

With today spent at leisure, you may like to catch the bus into Amersfoort for some local exploration. This authentic Dutch city boasts the 98m-tall belfry of Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren (346 steps if you’d like to see the views!), the old Koppelpoort city gate and the Mondriaan House & Museum (the childhood home of artist Piet Mondrian). Alternatively, it’s an easy bus or taxi ride to get to the train station in Amersfoort; and from here you can make the most of great-value, regular and easy direct trains to a variety of places such as Amsterdam, Utrecht or Rotterdam.

Alternatively, join our optional excursion to Palais Het Loo, near Apeldoorn. Built in the late 17th century for King William III and Queen Mary II, this magnificent former royal palace provides an insight into life within its opulent interiors. During an audio-guided tour, discover beautifully preserved rooms, the stables, the garden view from the palace roof and learn about the lives of the Dutch royal family. We take two 30-minute routes, the William & Mary Route and the Wilhelmina’s Home Route, followed by free time to explore the stables, gardens and the lovely views from the palace roof.

Afterwards, we continue to Arnhem, one of the most famous sites in Operation Market Garden during World War II, when Allied forces were parachuted behind enemy lines to capture a bridgehead. There’s time to see the John Frostbrug (‘The Bridge Too Far’ during the Battle of Arnhem), visit the free Airborne Museum at the bridge, enjoy parts of Arnhem’s ‘historic city walk’ and perhaps enjoy some early dinner at leisure before returning to the hotel.

Belgium & the Netherlands

A lovely day delving into the traditional side of the Netherlands awaits. After crossing the impressive Markerwaarddijk, the causeway separating the Markermeer from the IJsselmeer, our first stop is historic Enkhuizen, a harbour town on the IJsselmeer with beautiful old buildings, maritime history and plenty to explore at leisure. You may wish to discover the Zuiderzeemuseum (open-air and indoor museum), explore the Drommedaris, a massive 16th-century defense tower that stands at the entrance of the old harbour, or the Bottle Ship Museum (Flessenscheepjesmuseum) located near the Drommedaris and featuring the world’s largest collection of ships in bottles. We continue to picturesque Marken, famous for its traditional wooden houses, historic harbour, Paard van Marken lighthouse and traditional clog factory, before ending the day in the delightful former fishing village of Volendam. Renowned for its colourful harbour and traditional Dutch costumes, Volendam offers the perfect setting to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy an early dinner at leisure before we return to the hotel.

Belgium & the Netherlands

After breakfast, we travel to the picturesque city of Delft, famous as the birthplace of painter Johannes Vermeer and boasting beautiful canals, market square and charming shops. Enjoy free time here or purchase the optional entrance to the Royal Delft Museum, where a self-guided audio tour introduces the history of Delftware and the techniques behind this famous blue-and-white pottery.

Next is The Hague, home to the Dutch Parliament, with a chance to find somewhere for lunch at your leisure. If you wish to explore further, the Mauritshuis is excellent, home to masterpieces by Dutch Old Masters, including Vermeer and Rembrandt. Elsewhere, admire the city’s stunning architecture or stroll through the Binnenhof, a complex of buildings housing the government.

Our last stop is the beachside resort of Scheveningen, known for its long sandy beach and iconic pier. Enjoy a relaxing stroll along the promenade, pick out a souvenir or perhaps marvel at the coastline views from the Ferris wheel before we head back to the hotel for dinner.

Belgium & the Netherlands

After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and head to Calais for our journey home on LeShuttle.

Discover Bruges, a UNESCO treasure where mirror-still canals thread between gabled houses and cobbled lanes. Wander the Markt and Burg squares to take in guildhalls and café terraces, and gaze up at the Belfry of Bruges as its carillon drifts over the rooftops.

Seek out hidden courtyards and lace boutiques, or admire the intimate Basilica of the Holy Blood. Chocolate aromas mingle with horse-drawn carriage bells, while postcard views at Rozenhoedkaai reveal the city’s painterly soul and centuries of mercantile wealth.

Explore Ghent’s photogenic core along the Graslei and Korenlei, where medieval guildhalls line the River Leie. Soak up views of stepped gables and quayside terraces before viewing the formidable Gravensteen Castle, a 12th-century stronghold crowned with battlements.

Nearby towers mark the city’s sacred skyline, including Saint Bavo’s Cathedral, home to the Van Eycks’ famed Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. The blend of canal reflections, student energy and layered history makes Ghent a vivid counterpoint to Belgium’s other Flemish jewels.

Step into Enkhuizen’s maritime past at its historic harbour on the IJsselmeer, where skippers’ houses and quays recall the herring trade and Golden Age prosperity. Pause by the stout Drommedaris tower, the 16th-century gatehouse that once guarded these waters.

Explore cobbled streets and consider delving into the renowned Zuiderzeemuseum to understand life before the sea’s reclamation. Weathered masts, brick warehouses and church spires set an evocative backdrop for photos as gulls wheel over the waterline.

Wander the island village of Marken, noted for wooden houses on raised mounds (werven) painted in deep greens and blacks. Narrow lanes open onto a tiny harbour where fishing boats bob and locals tend pocket gardens edged with white picket rails.

Walk the breezy path toward the Paard van Marken lighthouse and peek into a traditional clog-making workshop. The setting captures an intimate strand of Dutch life shaped by water, resilience and careful craft.

Experience Volendam’s colourful waterfront along its lively harbour promenade. Gabled houses, moored fishing boats and old skippers’ cafés set a cheerful scene where stalls sell smoked eel and fresh herring by the paper cone.

Glance at locals in traditional Dutch costumes and trace the village’s fishing heritage in small museums and photo studios. The interplay of bright facades, fluttering flags and rippling water makes Volendam a quintessential IJsselmeer stop.

Explore Delft’s canal-laced old town, where brick bridges, willow-draped quays and blue-and-white shopfronts evoke the city’s celebrated pottery tradition. Linger on the expansive Markt ringed by cafés and guild buildings that speak to Delft’s mercantile past.

Admire the silhouettes of the Nieuwe Kerk and Oude Kerk, connected to William of Orange and painter Johannes Vermeer. Intimate lanes, painterly reflections and a gentle hum of bicycles reveal Delft’s enduring grace and quiet creativity.

Walk through the storied Binnenhof, seat of the Dutch Parliament, where gothic halls face tranquil ponds and swans glide across the Hofvijver. Neo-Renaissance facades and modern ministries frame a city devoted to diplomacy and law.

Nearby, the elegant Mauritshuis holds masterpieces including Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and works by Rembrandt. Grand boulevards, embassy districts and glimpses of the Peace Palace round out The Hague’s cultured, contemporary mood.

Soak up North Sea breezes along Scheveningen’s long sandy beach, where dune-backed sands lead to cafés and beach clubs. Stroll the Scheveningen Pier for open-water vistas and a ride on the Ferris wheel with sweeping views of the coastline.

Spot the grand silhouette of the Grand Hotel Kurhaus and watch surfers carve the waves below. Seaspray, gull calls and a lively promenade capture the timeless rhythm of the Dutch shore.

Visit Paleis Het Loo, a former royal residence set amid baroque gardens, stables and fountains. Trace the lives of William III, Mary II and Queen Wilhelmina through elegant salons and curated exhibits, then admire symmetrical parterres and rooftop views over the estate’s formal design.

Continue to Arnhem to reflect at the John Frostbrug, the bridge immortalised in Operation Market Garden, and explore the informative Airborne sites. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Discover the craft of Delftware at the Royal Delft Museum, home of De Porceleyne Fles, the last surviving 17th-century factory. Follow a self-guided audio route through historic kilns, museum rooms and painters’ studios to see how clay becomes blue-and-white Delftware.

Watch a hand-painting demonstration and browse finely glazed vases, tiles and plates that define Dutch decorative art. Entrance is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore Belgium’s classic resort of Ostend, the City by the Sea, along a wide seafront promenade fringed by sandy beaches and bracing North Sea air. Stroll past graceful Belle Époque facades and the striking Kursaal Oostende concert hall, pausing to watch yachts slip in and out of the marina.

Venture to the harbour to sample daily catches at the seafood stalls by the harbour or admire the masted silhouette of the historic training ship Mercator. The atmosphere blends maritime grit and holiday charm, offering breezy views and a taste of Belgium’s coastal life.