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Home/Destination Holland/Highlights of Holland and The Netherlands 8 days group tour

Project Description

Highlights of Holland and The Netherlands in Spring | 8 days group tour

Travel along beautiful towns and cities, enjoy Dutch culture, art, architecture and food…

Visit Amsterdam, our governmental city of The Hague, the Keukenhof- flowergardens, lively Utrecht and other historic towns such as Zierikzee and Gorinchem. Vary your city- trips with daycruises and outings to the Dutch coast, waterdefense works, floodplains and nature parks.

Great fun for active couples! Planned tours with departure guarantee:

29 March – 05 April 2025 (mixed group max. 8 pax)

Complete package tour: € 2.675 per person*

*Price excluding flights.

Make this tour with your family, or private group? Feel free to contact us!

Mondi Travel Partners

Join our groups of like-minded travellers. You get:

• A pleasant week, fun and unforgettable memories of the beauty and diversity of The Netherlands.

• Genuine impressions of our eventful cultural history, Dutch art, architecture and watermanagement.

• English speaking driver/ tour- guide and English speaking local guides.

Your host:

We -Mondi Reizen- are touroperators for more than 25 years. Our representatives are proud of all the beauty our country has to offer and we are committed to offer you the best memorable experiences.

Ease of Travel Guarantee:

Mondi Reizen is a member of the VvKR. Travel insured with the guarantees of the SGR, SGRZ and the national Calamity Fund.

Lively Amsterdam

Get ready for endearing days in Amsterdam! Visit the Anne Frank House, where Anne wrote her diary during the Second World war. Your visit to the place, where Anne and her family went into hiding, leaves you sensitive memories. We’ll enjoy a private canal tour through the historic Unesco Heritage canal- district, still the best way to discover Amsterdam. Visit the Maritime and National Museum with collections of impressive Dutch art and history- overview. Stroll around The pittoresque Nine Streets, Amsterdam’s buzzling squares and many many more places…

The Anne Frank House

Anne Frank, born on June 12 1929, was a German- Jewish girl. She fled Nazi- Germany with her family and moved to Amsterdam. During WWII the family went into hiding in the secret annex for more than 2 years. After their arrest Anne died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany in February 1945. The circumstances surrounding the betrayal of the Frank family and the four other people hiding in the secret annex have never been fully clarified. Only Otto Frank , Anne’s father, survived the war. Helpers Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl collected Anne’s writings after the arrest. Look around in the secret annex, the place where she wrote her diary. Part of the collection include also letters, photos and objects from the Frank family in hiding. 

Private canal- tour

After our visit to The Anne Frank House our private canal- boat awaits us right in front of The Anne Frank House. Embark on your authentic saloon boat and enjoy your private cruise along the canal- district from where you get a fantastic impression of the architecture and dazzling views of Amsterdam. Gazing from a saloonboat, by far the best way to discover Amsterdam! After our tour the captain brings us to the National Museum. But first, while you are sailing, enjoy some  Dutch treats and for the enthusiast.. a sip  of wine!

Journey through Dutch art

We take you on a journey through Dutch art. We’ll visit the National Museum in Amsterdam, the largest museum in the Netherlands. It houses an impressive collection of world-famous works by masters such as Vincent van Gogh, Johannes Vermeer, Frans Hals and Rembrandt van Rijn. Using both works of art and historical objects, the museum looks back on more than 800 years of Dutch history. 

Dutch masterpieces

Visit the Mauritshuis, situated in the heart of The Hague. The house is originally designed in the 17th century by painter and architect Van Campen as a palace for Johan Maurits, Prince of Nassau-Siegen in the 17th century. At present day the museum hosts a magnificent collection of Dutch paintings, admire hundreds of paintings by Dutch masters from the Golden Age, including works of Vermeer and Rembrandt.

Masterpainter Rembrandt

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was a Dutch painter, also etcher and draftsman. He is regarded as the most important Dutch master of the 17th century. As famous as he is today, he was also in his day and age. He is known for the way he depicts persons in his paintings. In his time, people were painted neatly in a row, but Rembrandt mixed up, which makes people look like they are moving. Rembrandt in fact wants people in the painting to become real figures, he uses light and shadow to express feelings. Much of the skill he developed was by making paintings of himself.

Maritime Museum

Explore 500 years of Dutch maritime history! The National Maritime Museum holds one of the world’s largest and most notable maritime collections including rare paintings and tapestries, ship models, navigation instruments and sea charts. A wonderful collection of heritage that is so characteristic of Holland and The Netherlands. Embark on the Amsterdam, replica of the famous East India Company ship that got lost on its first voyage in 1749. Onboard, there is plenty to learn about the working of the former East India Company and its ships.

De Keukenhof flowergardens

Tulips, hyacinths, freesia, chrysanthemums, roses… the ‘Keukenhof’ shows amazing flowergardens, outside and inside. Enjoy a wonderful outing full of traditional music, old crafts, traditional costumes, cheese and flowers… Walk around the Keukenhof and join a tour through typical Dutch landscape in an electrically powered whisper boat. Audio- tour onboard with explanation about the ‘Bulb Region’, the western area close to the Dutch coast where flower bulb cultivation and in broad sense Dutch agricultural export originated.

The Hague

The Hague is our governmental city. ‘Die Haghe’ originated around the Binnenhof. Princes of Orange, higher estates and the diplomatic corps had palaces and patrician houses built there. Walk across the Voorhout and the Hofvijver and experience the former aristocratic atmosphere. We start our tour at the Binnenhof. This centuries old complex -including the parliament and government buildings- originated from the hunting lodge of the Counts of Holland, built in the 13th  century. Since then, the Binnenhof has been the residence of monarchs and governments up to the present day.

Fortified town of Gorinchem

Gorinchem is the largest authentic fortress of The Netherlands, beautifully situated at the crosspoint of rivers. Around 1600 the medieval city became a ‘modern’ fortified city. The Eighty Years’ War was in full swing and the fortress kept the Spanish at bay. Gorinchem later became an important fortress in the Old Dutch Waterline and remained a strategic stronghold in the New Dutch Waterline. The original ramparts with bastions are still intact. The walking path over the ramparts runs all the way around and provides beautiful views over the rivers. From Gorinchem we cross river De Waal and visit the small pittoresque town of Woudrichem and the famous Loevestein Castle; unique in the Netherlands!

Fortress Woudrichem

From Gorinchem we cross river De Waal by ferry. Woudrichem, strategically located at the confluence of the Maas and Waal rivers, finds its first origins in the 9th century. The many sieges have left their mark on the town. In 1814, Woudrichem became part of the New Dutch Waterline, waterdefense works designed to inundate pieces of land and stop the enemy in this manner. From that time on, construction was no longer allowed in the surrounding land, therefore preserving the town and its authentic character.

Loevestein Castle

From our hotel in Gorinchem we seek adventure at Castle Loevestein, built in 1361 and some of the most famous castles in the Netherlands. Wellknown is the story of Hugo Grotius who spectacularly escaped from the castle in a book chest. Grotius is often seen as the founder of maritime law and international law. His ‘humanistic’ ideas also form the basis for modern human rights. In the museum you will learn about Hugo Grotius, the Middle Ages and the Dutch Waterline. Feel the experience of the power of water, in the midst of the famous Dutch riverdelta.

Zierikzee in Zeeland

Thinking of the Province of Zeeland, think of water… Driving through nature reserves and drowned land, we come across many bridges, dams, beautiful towns and villages, each with an eventful history tracing back many centuries. Each island in Zeeland has its own strong character, just like the local ‘Zeelanders’ themselves.  Nowhere has traditional life remained so intact as in Zierikzee, therefore one of the most important monumental towns in the Netherlands… and a wonderfull place to stay at seaside!

Dutch watermanagement

Water still plays an indispensable role in the Netherlands, especially in Zeeland. In 1953 dikes collapsed in a storm, the incoming water swept everything in its way . Now the threat coming from sea has been tamed by the storm surge barriers and the water has become a companion of the many water sports enthusiasts. That is why we drive to the Delta Works, our world famous water defense works. We pay visit to the Neeltje Jans park that tells you everything about the history of the Delta Works and the finesse of Dutch watermanagement.

Oysters & mussels

Zeeland has a rich food culture, both in terms of restaurants and delicious food originating from ‘the Oosterschelde’ river. The area is one of Europe’s cleanest and nutrient- rich sources of crustaceans and shellfish, including oysters. The oyster cultivation has its origins in the village of Yerseke, traditions and modern developments go together in the authentic oyster pits. Enjoy to taste the best oysters and let the delicious Zeeland mussels find their way to your plate!

Lively Utrecht

Leaving Zierikzee we head to Utrecht, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands. Characteristic of the Province of Utrecht is the natural beauty that invites you to stroll around… stately country houses, authentic farms and numerous defenses recall a turbulent past. At arrival we first visit the waterdefenses on bike and on foot. After lunch get ready for your cruise on river De Vecht, known as the backyard of Utrecht as well as Amsterdam. Enjoy a nice glass of wine!

Back in the centre of Utrecht, settle in your hotel room. Explore the Dom cathedral, the canal area and the Oudegracht on foot. The canal area was and is a vital artery for the economy of Utrecht. The cellars, formerly used to serve as storage and workshops, offer you now cosy restaurants and terraces!

Unesco Heritage Waterline

Away from the city- crowds we visit the Dutch waterline. Deeply hidden in nature, they suddenly appear in front of you: the forts of The Dutch Waterline. Robust locations in a ribbon around Holland. The new Dutch Waterline is the largest national monument in The Netherlands. Together with the Old Dutch Waterline and the Grebbe Line, the New Dutch Water Line tells a traditional Dutch story of waterdefenses and the Dutch being masters of the water.  

Beauty along the Vecht river

Sail through the beautiful area of the Vecht river known as the backyard of Amsterdam and Utrecht… Once navigated by barges and inland vessels between Utrecht and Amsterdam, today crossed by our comfortable tour boats. Enchanting landscapes: lusg flora and fauna, tea domes and historic country houses, enjoy the picturesque surroundings along the banks of the Vecht. The swaying of the boat has a calming effect on the body and mind, a glass of wine will add to the experience. You will be amazed!

From Amsterdam to The Hague, Zeeland, Maastricht and Utrecht… North Holland and South Holland being the Western region known as ‘Holland’.

We travel West, South, South- East and the central area of the Netherlands. You want to discover the East, the North and the Islands? Add our 4- days tour to your 8- days roundtrip.

Included in the arrangement are:

  • Personal meet & assist at the airport (or any other hub or stop-over places).
  • Private airport- transfers and daily transport by private mini-bus with English speaking driver.
  • 07 Nights in cosy hotel and B&B’s along the route on a bed and breakfast basis.
  • Welcoming dinner on day 1. Daily lunch included in various local restaurants enroute. Two water bottles daily during visits.
  • Excursions, entrance fees and local guides as per itinerary.
  • Tourist and city- taxes.

Excluded:

  • International and domestic flights and airport taxes*
  • Excursions, optional outings and entrance fees not mentioned in the program.
  • Dinner and other meals not mentioned in the program.
  • Drinks like soft drinks and alcoholic beverages except for waterbottles.
  • Porter services, personal expenses and tips.
  • Travel and medical insurance.

*Price includes the full land package excluding flights. We can book the flights and airline of your preference for you to/ from Amsterdam, Brussels or Düsseldorf. If we book the flights for you, the package tour consists of both the land arrangements and the flights. If you take out cancellation insurance, it will cover 100% of the costs of the package trip in the event of cancellation for a valid reason. If desired, we can provide further advice and refer you to an insurer.

Price 8-days group tour Highlights of Holland and the Netherlands: € 1,790 per person (single supplement € 626).

Land arrangement and flights

The price of € 1,790 for the 8-days group tour concerns the complete land package according to the program with all mentioned excursions. The land package does not include flights.

We can book the flights and airline of your preference. We have structured the group trip in a modular way in order to respond to personal wishes. If we book the flights for you, the package tour consists of both the land arrangements and the flights.

You want to book?

Would you like to join the group tour? Let us know your interest via email info@mondireizen.nl, or call us on +31 418 64 80 43.

If we book the flights for you, the package includes the land package and additional flights. If you wish, you can purchase the flights yourself.

Would you like te receive a flight schedule that suits your personal wishes? Please feel free to contact us. After request, we will provide you with a no-obligation quote with a proposal that is tailored to your wishes and situation. Booking will not take place without explicit approval of the quotation.

VvKR travel conditions apply to all package holidays offered. When booking this trip, the following payment conditions apply: 15% of the travel sum upon booking 55% of the travel price between 91 days and 61 days before the departure date 100% of the travel price between 60 days and 31 days before the departure date Payments in accordance with the stated terms and based on prior invoicing. Cancel After booking this trip, the following cancellation conditions apply: if canceled up to 91 days before the departure date, the cancellation costs are 15% of the travel sum if canceled from 90 days to 61 days before the departure date, the cancellation costs are 30% of the travel sum if canceled from 60 days to 31 days before the departure date, the cancellation costs are 70% of the travel sum If you cancel within 30 days up to and including the departure date, the cancellation costs amount to 100% of the travel sum If you take out cancellation insurance, it will cover 100% of the costs of the package trip in the event of cancellation for a valid reason. If desired, we can provide further advice and refer you to an insurer.

In practice, we do our utmost to deviate from the conditions in favor of the travelers.

Group size

We aim for a group size of 4 to a maximum of 16 persons (excluding tour leader, guide and driver). From a minimum of 4 persons, there is a departure guarantee. If there are fewer than 6 people, we will do our best to continue the group trip. If this is not possible, the trip can continue as a private tour.

Group composition

This group tour is intended for adults; men and women, couples and single travelers. We develop a special group trip for families with children. Ask for the possibilities.

Accommodations & rooms

In Amsterdam we stay in the NH Hotel City Centre. GorinchemZierikzee

We made our choice for the hotels on the basis of comfort, a pleasant ambiance, friendly treatment by staff, quality of the kitchen, facilities, location, privacy and tranquility.

Double and single rooms are used as standard. Sharing a room (TWIN room with separate beds) is cheaper. Are you traveling alone and would you like a single room, or would you rather share your room with someone else? Let us know your preferences and we will inform you further about the options.

Transport

In the Netherlands we dispose of airconditoned mini- buses for transfers and transportation of a maximum of 9 and 19 passengers.

Excursies

This group tour is intended to provide a comfortable and varied experience of the history and modern times in the Netherlands. Activities and outings  mentioned in the program are therefore included. There is of course no mandatory participation. If you want to relax for an evening, there is plenty of room for that. If desired, we can organize private excursions within the program. Let us know your preferences!

Tips to complete or extend your journey: see our 4- days trips in the Netherlands, feel free to ask us for further information.

Climate and weather

The Netherlands has a mild sea- climate, the weather is mostly dry in Spring with temperatures between 16 and 22 degrees Celsius. Perfect conditions for the flowers to grow and nature to turn green.

Travel documents and formalities

  • No visum required for American travellers withh an American passport.
  • Canadian, Australian etc
  • Schengen?

If we book the flights for you, the tickets will be sent to you immediately after booking and issue. You will receive the boarding passes after online check-in. We assist in issuing boarding passes before departure and during the trip. A valid passport is required that is valid for at least @@@

Follow the travel advice of your government, we will also update you about this prior to the trip.

Additional:

  • Tap water is potable in the Netherlands. You can also get bottles of mineral water everywhere.
  • Payment in Euro currency, debet and credit cards accepted in most of the places we visit (AMEX, Visa and Mastercard). ATM withdrawal available.
  • Wifi and internet. Roaming is very expensive. After arrival we will use a dongle, you can also choose to purchase a SIM card (your phone must be suitable for this).
  • Time difference… 

Highlights of Holland and the Netherlands

From day-to-day:

Day 1 Arrival Amsterdam 

Welcome, Amsterdam awaits you! First stop will be Schiphol Amsterdam airport, or other vibrant hub for you to experience. Upon arrival our representative welcomes you and escorts to the hotel by private transfer. In the hotel, first settle comfortably in your room. We hand you a guide of The Netherlands and a map of Amsterdam. Depending on flight schedules, have a walk around the Unesco heritage canal- district, visit shopping center “De Bijenkorf”, The Royal Palace, Madame Tussaud, or other sites. Early in the evening your guide escorts you to have a welcoming dinner nearby your hotel.

Overnight: Hotel NH City Centre Amsterdam Meals: welcoming dinner with water included

Day 2 Amsterdam city- tour

After breakfast get ready for an active day! Your guide awaits you in the hotel lobby, at around 09 AM head towards the Anne Frank Huis.  Enroute you pass De Negen Straatjes, Amsterdam’s most pittoresque streets that connect De Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Singel.

First visit Het Anne Frank Huis. During the Second World war, Anne Frank went into hiding in a secret annex in Amsterdam. Your visit to the place, where she  wrote her diary, leaves you sensitive memories. At about 11:30h your canalboat awaits you. Enjoy your canal cruise from where you get a fantastic impression of  the canals and architecture of Amsterdam. Still the best way to discover Amsterdam.

Enjoy sushi lunch at the Spui square. After lunch, we’ll visit Het Rijksmuseum. The museum’s collection offers an impressive overview of Dutch art and history, including works by 17th- century Dutch masters such as Rembrandt, Vermeer and Hals. In the afternoon, we take the tram to the hotel.

At around 19:00h have a nice dinner in a local Dutch Restaurant. The restaurant is at walking distance of your hotel, your guide escorts you to the restaurant (than goes home, takes mandatory rest). Enjoy dinner and have a good night’s rest!

Overnight: Hotel NH City Centre Amsterdam Meals: breakfast and lunch with water included

Day 3  National Maritime Museum and cruise Enkhuizen – Medemblik by boat

Your guide awaits you in the hotel lobby, today explore the Dutch Golden 17th Century!

Discover 500 years of Dutch maritime history. The National Maritime Museum holds one of the world’s largest and most notable maritime collections including rare paintings and tapestries, ship models, navigation instruments and sea charts. A wonderful collection of sailing heritage, art objects and stories for the maritime lover. Embark on the Amsterdam, replica of the famous East India Company ship that got lost on its first voyage in 1749. Onboard, there is plenty to learn about the East India Company and its ships.

After your visit we head to Enkhuizen and have lunch. Than we’ll visit the South Sea Museum. Enkhuizen was one of the towns that made a living from fishing and that were robbed of their existence when the connection to the North Sea was closed in 1932. With the conversion of the old fishing port into a marina, the good times have returned for Enkhuizen. Enkhuizen has a rich VOC history (Dutch East India Company), marvel at the wealth from the Golden Age that has left many traces in the form of beautiful buildings.

Board De Friesland, a monumental museum ship from 1956. The boat trip on the IJsselmeer takes about an hour and a quarter. On the upper and lower decks, you can enjoy the sun, wind and beautiful views in good weather. But inside you can also relax in the luxurious salon with bar. From Medemblik our driver brings you back to Amsterdam.

Overnight: Hotel NH City Centre Amsterdam Meals: breakfast and lunch with water included

Day 4  The Keukenhof and The Hague

After breakfast, we head to The Hague (appr. 1hr).

First visit The Keukenhof gardens. Tulips, hyacinths, freesia, chrysanthemums, roses… the ‘Keukenhof’ shows amazing flowergardens, outside and inside. Enjoy a wonderful outing full of traditional music, old crafts, traditional costumes, cheese and flowers… Walk around the Keukenhof and join a tour through typical Dutch landscape in an electrically powered whisper boat.

After our visit enjoy lunch at Lebanese restuarant ‘Skashuka’ in The Hague. ‘Die Haghe’ originated around the ‘Binnenhof’. Princes of Orange, higher estates and the diplomatic corps had palaces and patrician houses built there. Since then, the Binnenhof has been the residence of monarchs and governments up to the present day. After the Binnenhof we visit the Mauritshuis, unique and one of the most beautiful museums in the Netherlands. Situated in the heart of the city, beside the government centre, the museum hosts a magnificent collection of Dutch Golden Age paintings including works by Vermeer.

In the late afternoon we head to Gorinchem and check- in our boutique hotel. Enjoy your evening walk at the riverside.

Overnight: Boutique Hotel Gorinchem Meals: breakfast and lunch with water included

Day 5 Woudrichem and Loevestein Castle

Today, discover some of Dutch most kept fortified cities, Woudrichem.

We cross river De Waal by ferry from Gorinchem. Woudrichem, first origins in the 9th centuryy  is strategically located at the confluence of the Maas and Waal. The many sieges have left their mark. In 1814, Woudrichem became part of the New Dutch Waterline. From that time on, construction was no longer allowed in the surrounding land. It was not until 1955 that the fortress was lifted and new residential areas were built around the town.

After lunch, from Woudrichem we seek adventure at Castle Loevestein, maybe the most famous castle in the Netherlands. In the typical Dutch river landscape, where rivers the Maas and Waal meet, knight Dirc Loef van Horne had his castle built in 1361. Wellknown is the story of Hugo Grotius who spectacularly escaped from the castle in a book chest. Hugo Grotius is often seen as the founder of maritime law and international law. His ‘humanistic’ ideas also form the basis for modern human rights. In the museum you will learn about Hugo Grotius, the Middle Ages and the Dutch Waterline. Feel the experience of the power of water, in the midst of the Dutch riverdelta.

Overnight: Boutique Hotel Gorinchem Meals: breakfast and lunch with water included

Day 6 Zierikzee, Delta Works and Yerseke

Water still plays an indispensable role in Zeeland. In 1953, the whipped water swept everything in its way; now it has been tamed by the storm surge barriers and has become a companion of the many water sports enthusiasts. That is why we drive to the Delta Works, our world famous water defense works. We pay visit to the Neeltje Jans park that tells you everything about the history of the Delta Works.

The driver picks you up at noon for lunch in Yerseke. Yerseke is known for its cultivation of mussels and oysters and great fish dishes. Let yourself be pampered by the Zeeland gastronomy. Than head back to Zierikzee where you have dinner and spend the night.

Overnight: Boutique Hotel Zeeuws Meisje Meals: breakfast and lunch with water included

Day 7 Utrecht waterlines and rivercruise

Today we head to Utrecht. First visit are the waterlines that tell a turbulent past. We explore by bike and on foot.

It is living the good life in the backyard of Amsterdam and Utrecht! After lunch we embark on our open sloop and sail river the Vecht, enjoy a glass of wine and the impressive landscapes and the stately country- houses. A delightful outing!

Back in the city, enjoy the centre, the Dom Cathedral and the canal- district! Have a good night’s rest.

Overnight: NH Centre Utrecht Hotel Meals: breakfast and lunch with water included

Day 8 Departure

After breakfast, check- out your hotel. Depending on flightschedule transfer to Amsterdam Schiphol airport.

Do you need domestic and/ or international transfers to other airports, hubs, or stopovers? Feel free to contact us.

*****The journey ends, but memories remain*****

Make this journey privately with your own group? Feel free to contact us by e-mail: info@mondireizen.nl

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