Amsterdam & Festival of Light Cruise

We visit Amsterdam, the city of canals, bridges, bicycles and cafés, with free time to explore this wonderful city. Culture lovers may like to visit one of the world-famous museums, such as the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum (at your own expense), while those interested in history might choose to visit Anne Frank’s House. Alternatively, you may wish to wander through the charming independent boutiques of the ‘Nine Streets’ district, or simply soak up the atmosphere in one of the city’s many cafés.

Next, we take to the water for a scenic canal cruise which takes in a selection of spectacular illuminated artworks from Amsterdam’s Light Festival. There is then time to find somewhere for dinner at one of the many restaurants in Amsterdam (at your leisure) before we return to our hotel.

This morning, we step into the world of traditional Dutch life at the Irene Hoeve Cheese Farm & Clog Factory, where we see how cheese is made and watch clogs being crafted by hand. We then visit the picture-perfect fishing village of Volendam, with its colourful harbour, charming streets, and postcard-ready views, allowing time to wander, browse for souvenirs, or simply enjoy the atmosphere.

In the afternoon, we visit either Leiden or Utrecht*. Leiden is the Netherlands’ oldest university city and the birthplace of Rembrandt, known for its canals and historic centre. Utrecht offers a beautiful medieval heart, crowned by the Dom Tower and its distinctive two-tiered canals lined with waterside cafés. Whichever we visit, there’s free time to explore and perhaps enjoy an early dinner before returning to the hotel.

Please note: guests staying at NH Noordwijk will visit Leiden, while guests staying at Fletcher De Klepperman will visit Utrecht.